AUTHENTIC  ITALIAN  RECIPES

 FROM

 RISTORANTE  d'ANNAMARIA

Conchiglioni alla Parmigiana: Conchiglioni are shells. This is the large variety.

Ingredients:

Conchiglioni (large pasta shells)        1 pound

Canned Peeled Italian plum tomatoes  2 ¼ pounds (about 2 ½ large cans)

Gaeta olives (pitted)                          2 - 3 ounces

Provola                                             8 ounces

NOTE: Provola is smoked mozzarella. If you just can't find it , even in a specialty shop, you will have to substitute with a cheese that you can find. Use one of your choice but, make it  a fairly hard cheese with a strong aroma and taste. Imported extra sharp provolone would be good.

http://www.belgioioso.com/Products.htm

Fresh eggplant                                  1 ¼ pounds

Fresh garlic                                       3 large cloves

Extra virgin olive oil                          ¼ cup

salt                                                   to taste

Fresh basil                                        30 or 40 leaves (equivalent in dried basil)

Parmesan (grated)                             at least 3 - 4 ounces

How To Do It:                                                                                           

Prepare a fresh sauce by sautéing the garlic in the olive oil until it is a golden brown.

Add the pelati (canned Italian plum tomatoes) and the Gaeta olives.

Cook over high heat just until it has thickened to the desired thickness. (About 15 - 20 minutes).

 ANOTHER NOTE:  Do not use California black olives. They're just not the same.

Cut the eggplant into ½  inch cubes and let them soak in very (extremely)salty water for an hour. This removes the bitter flavor typical of fresh eggplant.

After an hour remove them from the salt water, rinse them well and dry them with a kitchen towel.

Put about 3 quarts of water in a large pot to boil for cooking the pasta.

Fry the eggplant cubes in frying oil until they are very tender and a light brown color.

Place them on some paper toweling to soak up some of the oil. (Eggplant will soak up oil when it first starts to fry. When it is well-done it will release most of the oil.

Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Drain and return it to the pot where you will mix a couple ladlefuls of the sauce with the pasta.

Now mix the pasta and eggplant together.

The rest is like making lasagna.

Put a little sauce to cover the bottom of a shallow (3 in.) casserole pan.

Now start making layers: first a layer of eggplant and pasta, then a covering of sauce, then basil and finally parmesan. Now repeat this process until all the eggplant and pasta is used up. Top off with sauce and a good sprinkling of parmesan.

Bake in a 375º oven for about 40 minutes.

Let it cool for 15 minutes before serving.