| 1 box | Piccolini® Mini Penne |
| 3 tablespoons | extra virgin olive oil |
| 1 link | Italian sausage, casing removed |
| 1 pint | grape tomatoes, halved |
| ½ medium (5 ounces) | eggplant, peeled, diced (optional) |
| to taste | salt |
| to taste | freshly ground black pepper |
| ¼ cup | Parmigiano cheese, grated |
HEAT the oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and sauté until brown, about 5 minutes.
ADD the eggplant and sauté until slightly browned, about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, COOK the Piccolini® Mini Penne according to the directions on the package.
ADD the grape tomatoes, salt and pepper. Continue to sauté until the tomatoes are blistered and warmed through, about 2 minutes.
DRAIN and add the pasta to the sauce; toss and finish with the cheese.
If omitting eggplant, increase tomatoes by 1/2 cup and sausage by 1/2 link.