Momosita's Sweet Sausage and Eggplant Penne

Ingredients

• 16 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
• 2 eggplants, diced
• garlic salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1-2 shallots, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, sliced fine
• 16 ounces sweet italian chicken sausages, sliced

• 2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes (or one 28 ounce can)
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced basil leaves (optional)
• 4 ounces buffalo mozzarella, diced

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375.

2. 2

   Prepare penne according to box directions (usually boil 9-12 minutes).

3. 3

   Add diced eggplant to glass baking dish and sprinkle with garlic salt and about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

4. 4

   Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large pan and heat over medium. Add onions, shallots and garlic to pan.

6. 6

   Add diced sausage to pan and cook until sausage is cooked through.

7. 7

   Add tomatoes, milk and basil to the pan and simmer until flavors meld.

8. 8

   Drain pasta and add it back to the pan along with the eggplant and buffalo mozzarella.

9. 9

   Serve the sauce over the pasta mixture.