Eggplant and Sausage Rigatoni

i love mascarpone cheese and how rich and creamy it makes this dish.

Shopping List:

• 2 Chinese eggplants or 1 large Italian one, diced into 1 inch pieces
• 1 package of hot Italian sausage
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 shallots, diced
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• red wine
• 1 box of rigatoni
• s&p
• olive oil
• fresh handful of basil, chiffonade
• pecorino
• mascarpone cheese (2 big spoonfuls)
• homemade tomato sauce (or your favorite store brand)

Recipe:

(makes 4 servings)

1) Get a large pot of water going for the pasta. Once it boils, add a good amount of salt and cook pasta.

2) In the meantime, remove the sausage from the casing and in a skillet or deep pan, break apart and cook for about 5 minutes and set aside.

3) Add a little olive oil and add the eggplant and saute until soft and brown. Set aside.

4) If the pan looks a little dry, add a little more olive oil and add the shallots and red pepper flakes and saute for a few minutes and then add the garlic cook for about 1 more min.

5) Add about 1/2 cup to a cup of red wine and deglaze the pan. Cook off the alcohol for about 2 minutes. Turn the heat to low, and add back the sausage and eggplant and just keep it warm.

6) Once the pasta’s done, don’t drain it. Just use a slotted spoon or a utensil with holes and toss in the pasta to the sausage and eggplant mixture. Slightly mix and if the pasta looks dry add just a ladle of the pasta water. Then add the tomato sauce. I don’t like too much sauce so I usually add about 2-3 ladles of the sauce. Mix together and then add the mascarpone and mix and the heat will incorporate it and make it all delicious and creamy.

7) Top with fresh basil and freshly grated pecorino.