Eggplant-Ziti Parmesan

I come from a big Italian family, my mom made this all the time. Very delicious and very hardy. A great anytime meal. The secret to good eggplant is to peel and drain it, so it's not soggy. Serve with crusty italian bread, and a tossed salad, and you have a hearty meal. It seems like a lot of work but it's not. I hope you enjoy your meal.

• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 570 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) package dry ziti pasta
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce, or your favorite recipe

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place the eggplant slices in a bowl, and sprinkle with salt. Let drain over a bowl in the refrigerator for at least an hour. I like to do this overnight.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook for about 6 minutes, or until almost tender. It will cook the rest of the way in the oven. Drain. Mix together the ricotta cheese and eggs in a small bowl. Stir in half of the mozzarella cheese and Pecorino Romano cheese.

Step 3

Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange layers of eggplant, cheese, ziti pasta, and more sauce all the way to the top of the pan. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Step 4

Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until heated through and cheese is lightly browned.