Italian · dinner
55m
Total time
4
Servings
610
kcal
easy
Difficulty
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FAQ · Things people ask
No. They are fundamentally different cheeses. Fresh ricotta is wet and mild; ricotta salata is firm, dry, and salty. Using fresh ricotta makes the dish wet and sweet rather than savoury and defined. If you genuinely cannot find ricotta salata, a mild feta or young pecorino romano are the closest emergency substitutes.
Modern cultivars are far less bitter than older varieties, so salting is optional. What matters more is drying the eggplant thoroughly before it hits the oil — wet eggplant steams rather than browns, and absorbs excessive oil in the process. Salt it if you have 30 minutes; skip it if you don't, just pat the cubes very dry.
Traditional Sicilian versions fry in generous olive oil, producing a richer, silkier result. Roasting at 220°C (425°F) for 25–30 minutes is a workable modern substitute that uses less oil. Either works; just avoid underbrowning — pale eggplant is tasteless.
Penne is the Catania original; rigatoni and spaghetti are widespread alternatives. Short, ridged pasta is the better call because the sauce clings in the grooves — avoid smooth shapes like bucatini or linguine here.
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