A nice and simple penne recipe directly from Italy.  This recipe uses ricotta salata which is quite different compared to the soft ricotta we know
in the US. If unavailable the closest thing in taste would be feta cheese. To go back to main best spaghetti sauce page, click that link!

Ingredients:

1 lb. short-type pasta such as penne
3 peeled tomatoes
2 eggplants
1 onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup grated ricotta salata
3 tablespoons basil; fresh if available
salt
Dried hot chili pepper flakes

Cooking instructions:

Peel the eggplants, clean them and dice them to small cubes.

Chop to thin slices the onion and the peeled tomatoes; place then on a plate and reserve them.

Using your favorite skillet, put this onion and tomato paste with a few drops of oil. Add 1/4 cup water and mix. Now mix in the eggplant cubes and cook for a few minutes, so that the eggplants soak and absorb the flavors surrounding them. At this point all the peeled tomatoes are adding in.
Cover the skillet with an appropriate lid and simmer for around 20 minutes, adding more water if it evaporates.

Close to cooking end, add the salt and depending how spicy you want your meal to be you can add one or two tablesppons hot chilies;
Mix in all the basil

Meanwhile, cook your pasta in boiling water, up until it is 'al dente'. Once cooked, strain your pasta and pour them in a large bowl which you will present your dish in.

Pour the sauce we did earlier over the pasta and mix gently so that the pasta is well coated in the sauce.
Serve each individual plate and sprinkle the ricotta salata over each portion.