Which Ingredient is the Star?

I named the recipe with a question because there were so many good ingredients and in the final dish, each played a starring role.  I would choose the cheese as the star because, it added the creaminess and flavor.  This is not my favorite way to cook eggplant and I found it too gushy.  I made the same recipe with spinach and it tasted and looked a lot better.  The pieces of garden tomatoes perked up the dish and that would be the second star in the dish.

Which ingredient, do you think, is the star of the recipe?  Adapted from Recipe for Living

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes.
8 ounces of a small pasta, ziti, rotini, shells, elbows
1 cup ricotta cheese
2  plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

Place  cut-up eggplant in a microwave-safe covered dish with 2 tablespoons water. 

Cook on High 5 minutes. Check for doneness. Stir and cook an additional minute if necessary. Drain well. 

Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water  following package instructions. Drain well and return to pot. 

Fold in ricotta cheese, tomatoes, basil, pepper, Parmesan cheese, olive oil and reserved eggplant. 

Eat and enjoy.

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