Trenne Primavera

20 minutes to prepare
20 minutes to cook

4 servings

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound chopped cherry tomatoes, plus 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes Salt Pepper 1 cup grated pecorino 1 pound penne or trenne, Basil leaves, for garnish


BROWN the garlic cloves in the olive oil lightly using a large skillet.
ADD the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook on low heat until sauce begins to thicken.
ADD the cheese once sauce starts to thicken. Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water for approximately 8 minutes. Drain and add to the sauce.

Mediterranean Style Green Pasta

30 minutes to prepare
20 minutes to cook
6 servings

Ingredients
Pasta: 2 pounds. durum-wheat semolina 2 eggs 4 egg yolks 2 ounces extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pound spinach, boiled, salted, and drained
Sauce: 1 ounce extra-virgin olive oil 2 large sprigs basil, leaves removed, plus leaves for garnish 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, skinned and seeded 1/2 pound eggplant, diced and coated with flour 1 large tomato, skinned, seeded, and sliced crossways into 6 "stars"

pasta:
PUT all ingredients in a bowl, and knead together.
WRAPin plastic wrap and allow to rest for approximately 1 hour.
ROLL out the pasta to the thinnest setting on a pasta machine and lay out to dry for about 5 minutes. Cut the pasta into strips, or feed through a pasta cutter. Set pasta aside until ready to be cooked.
sauce:
HEAT the olive oil and add the basil, so the flavors infuse into the oil. Add the cherry tomatoes and salt, and cook for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta for 6 to 7 minutes.
HEAT some oil, and fry the eggplant in a separate pan. The eggplant must be golden brown when done. Lightly salt when eggplant is still hot.
serve:
HEAT the sauce and add the drained pasta. In the center of each dish, place a tomato star filled with the golden eggplant. Surround the plate with the pasta, and place a basil leaf on top for decoration.