Fantastic Firsts-Paccheri di Baronia con Provolone del Monaco by Chef Antonio Pisaniello

I am a big fan of Campania's primi piatti. Here is one by Chef Antonio Pisaniello, La Locanda di Bu in Nusco (Av).

For 4 people

Ingredients:

 350 g paccheri di Gragnano, 250 g of fresh tomatoes, 2 medium eggplants, 150 g of Provolone del Monaco cheese , basil, extra virgin olive oil, salt.

Preparation

Wash and dry the eggplants. Cut off and discard the ends. Cut the remaining eggplant into cubes and fry in plenty of olive oil. Drain in a container (lined with paper towels so that they absorb the excess oil.) In the meantime, wash the tomatoes and cut them in half. Put them in a saucepan with olive oil, a clove of garlic, basil and salt and cook for five minutes. Add the eggplant to the tomatoes, add salt if necessary, and simmer for a couple of minutes. Cut the Provolone del Monaco into small cubes. Drain the pasta a minute before the required cooking time and pour into the saucepan with the eggplant and tomatoes. Add the Provolone del Monaco and mix everything in over very low heat. .

*If you like you can add grated cheese and fried eggplant peel.