Orecchiette alla Pugliese

Ingredients

• 1 lb Orecchiette pasta
• 6 oz Italian Eggplants, diced
• 6 oz Red Roma Tomatoes
• 1/3 cup Extra Vergin Olive Oil
• 2 oz Fresh hot chopped Peperoncino
• 3 cloves Garlic chopped
• 1 oz Fresh Basil
• 1 oz Italian parsley
• 4 oz Black olives sliced
• 6 oz Fresh Mozzarella, diced
• To taste Salt & pepper

In a hot sauté pan put the oil, peperoncino, garlic (in this order) and let it sauté till the garlic becomes golden. Add the eggplants and stir them so they don’t stick. Add the tomatoes, the basil and the parsley and let them cook for about 8 minutes. In the meantime bring to boil in a large pot salted water to cook the orecchiette, make sure you cook them al dente (about 8-10 minutes). While the pasta is cooking, add salt and pepper to the eggplants and ½ of the fresh diced mozzarella, stir and remove from heat. Drain the orecchiette, put the pan with the eggplants back on the heat, and toss the pasta in the sauce for a minute. Place the orecchiette in a plate and top them with the diced fresh mozzarella.