Ziti with Eggplant
Monday June 21, 2010 11:08 AM
Ingredients:
How to prepare:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, toss eggplant, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt until evenly coated. Arrange eggplant in single layer in two 15 1/2- by 10 1/2-inch jellyroll pans or 2 large cookie sheets. Place pans with eggplant on 2 oven racks in oven. Roast eggplant 30 minutes, rotating pans between upper and lower racks halfway through cooking, and stirring twice, or until eggplant is tender and golden. Remove pans with eggplant from oven; set aside. Turn oven down to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer, stirring frequently.
Stir in tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Stir in 2 tablespoons basil.
In large pot, prepare pasta in boiling salted water as label directs. Drain; return pasta to pot.
Add roasted eggplant, tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese to pasta; toss until evenly mixed. Spoon mixture into a casserole; top with dollops of ricotta cheese. Cover the casserole with foil and bake 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with a tossed salad and garlic bread! Enjoy!
- 1 medium eggplant (about 1 1/2 lbs.), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 T. olive oil
- 3/4 tsp. salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz.) plum tomatoes in juice
- 2 T. tomato paste
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 3 T. fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 16-oz. pkg. ziti or penne pasta
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
How to prepare:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large bowl, toss eggplant, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt until evenly coated. Arrange eggplant in single layer in two 15 1/2- by 10 1/2-inch jellyroll pans or 2 large cookie sheets. Place pans with eggplant on 2 oven racks in oven. Roast eggplant 30 minutes, rotating pans between upper and lower racks halfway through cooking, and stirring twice, or until eggplant is tender and golden. Remove pans with eggplant from oven; set aside. Turn oven down to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer, stirring frequently.
Stir in tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Stir in 2 tablespoons basil.
In large pot, prepare pasta in boiling salted water as label directs. Drain; return pasta to pot.
Add roasted eggplant, tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese to pasta; toss until evenly mixed. Spoon mixture into a casserole; top with dollops of ricotta cheese. Cover the casserole with foil and bake 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with a tossed salad and garlic bread! Enjoy!
Shared by: Laurie, TheBAG Lady
