We end the year with thise most “Sicilian” plate and the wine which most expresses Ragusa, the Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG.

Two symbols which best express the essence of Valle dell’Acate, of this territory and the ties to this soil, The eggplant, the tomato, the grated ricotta cheese and the red earth of Cerasyolo di Vittoria symbolize the perfect marriage between Nero d’Avola and Frappato. Nero d’Avola is full and creamy on the palate, velvety but dry like the Nero d’Avola of our territory, Valle dell’Acate; solely on the nose the wine releases all the fragrance of our Frappato, the raspberries, the sage, the liquorice but above all it is redolent of violets and their fragrance …. only on our black soil with white pebbles can this be felt. Valle dell’Acate’s Frappato, in fact, can be recognized anywhere.

Ingredients for 4/6 persons
4.5/4.6 pounds of oblong eggplants
1.5 quarts of tomato purée
toasted breadcrumbs
basil
1 and 3/4 pounds of short pasta
1.1 pounds of salted ricotta cheese
extra-virgin olive oil

Sauté the eggplant cut into long, thin slices and into small cubes which will then be used to sea- son the pasta and leave to lose a part of the coo- king oil. Prepare the cooking dish, doughnut- shaped with a hole in the middle, oiling it and covering the interior surface with breadcrumbs. Place the long eggplant slices in the dish, overlap- ping them to cover the entire interior surface, Cook the pasta and drain it while still firm. Add the tomato purée along with a part of the salted ricotta cheese and the sautéed eggplant cubes. Then add the first layer of pasta, press well, add a bit more ricotta and tomato purée and, to make even more flavorful, basil leaves. Cook for approximately 20 minutes in a ventilated oven pre-heated to 300° Fahrenheit.