PASTA AL FORNO

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the rigatoni cooks in salted boiling water, prepare the sauce. In a saucepan heat up olive oil and sautà garlic, eggplant, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and chili peppers for a few minutes. Add tomato puree and salt. Let cook for approximately 10 minutes on medium heat.

Drain rigatoni, add to the saucepan, sprinkle with some parmigiano and cook for another 30 seconds.

Place half the rigatoni in a baking dish, adding a layer of half of the mozzarella, half of the scamorza and another sprinkle of parmigiano cheese over the pasta.

Add the remaining rigatoni, and follow with a final layer of all the cheeses. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

BRACIOLE

Place each slice of beef between plastic wrap. Flatten out beef slices with a meat pounder and remove from plastic wrap.

Place some parsley, raisins, pine nuts, salt and pepper in the middle of each beef slice and roll the meat like a ‚jelly rollç, with all the ingredients inside.

With butcher twine, tie each roll at opposite ends to keep the ingredients inside.

Coat the bottom of a large saucepan with extra virgin olive oil and add garlic. Sear braciole until meat turns golden brown on all sides.

Add wine to de-glaze bits of meat stuck to the bottom of the pan and let reduce for 1 minute.

Add tomato purÃe to the pan with the braciole and let simmer for an hour. Add fresh basil just before serving.