Creamy Eggplant And Pepperoni Baked Pasta Food

CREAMY EGGPLANT PASTA

Steps:

• Peel and chop the eggplant in cubes. Boil it in slightly salted water for about 5 minutes or steam it for about 10 minutes. Remove the eggplant with a skimmer and don't toss the water.
• Drizzle a pan with oil and sauté the minced onion for a minute. Add the drained eggplant and sauté for 2-3 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, add more salt to the boiling water and toss the pasta in. Cook according to the packaging instructions, until al dente.
• Transfer the eggplant and onion in a blender, season with salt and pepper and add the tablespoons of milk. Blend until you get a smooth cream. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water to make it thinner if needed.
• Drain the pasta and mix it with the creamy eggplant sauce. Serve with abundant grated Parmigiano cheese on top.

PASTA ALLA NORMA (EGGPLANT PASTA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 240°C / 450°F (220°C fan). Line a tray with baking / parchment paper.
• Toss eggplant with oil, salt and pepper. Spread on the tray and roast for 20 minutes.
• Flip, then roast for a further 5 minutes. Cool on tray (this helps the eggplant hold its shape when tossing).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Start cooking the pasta a couple of minutes after you start making the sauce (next section), until al dente or to your liking.
• Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 20 seconds until golden, then add onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and cooked through.
• Increase heat to medium-high and add wine, if using. Let it simmer, scraping the base of the pan to deglaze, until the wine mostly evaporates.
• Add tomato passata. Now pour the water into the passata bottle, screw on the lid, shake, and pour that in too (waste nothing!)
• Add dried herbs, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and simmer 5 minutes.
• Stir in eggplant, then add cooked and drained pasta. GENTLY toss until pasta is coated in the sauce (so the eggplant doesn't turn into complete mush!).
• Serve immediately, garnished with a good pinch of fresh basil and parmesan.

BAKED PASTA WITH EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425℉.
• In a 9"x13" casserole pan, combine chopped eggplant, onions and garlic. Drizzle the oil over the top of the veggies and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat.
• Place veggies in the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes.
• While the veggies roast, cook pasta according to directions. Once done cooking, drain water and set pasta aside.
• When veggies are done roasting, add the cooked pasta, chopped spinach, and sauce to the casserole pan. Toss to coat and smooth out into an even layer. Sprinkle with cheese and put back into the oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Enjoy warm.

CREAMY SPINACH AND PEPPERONI BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of the tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and season with salt and pepper.
• While the sauce simmers, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pepperoni and cook, stirring occasionally, until it just starts to crisp, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and stir, breaking up the clumps, just to warm. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Cook the rigatoni in the salted boiling water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl.
• Add the tomato sauce, half each of the Asiago and pecorino to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining Asiago and pecorino. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

CREAMY MUSHROOM, EGGPLANT, AND SALAMI BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of the tomatoes, the oregano and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and season with salt and pepper.
• While the sauce simmers, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the eggplant and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes; transfer to the bowl with eggplant.
• Cook the shells in the water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl with the eggplant and mushrooms.
• Add the tomato sauce, salami, half the Asiago and half of the Parmesan to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining Asiago and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

BAKED EGGPLANT AND PANCETTA PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes and 1 cup water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly, add the basil and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the basil and season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the eggplant to the pancetta drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the pancetta.
• Cook the cavatappi in the salted boiling water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl with the pancetta and eggplant.
• Add the tomato sauce, half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta stand about 10 minutes before serving.

CHEESY EGGPLANT AND RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook rigatoni according to package instructions but keep it slightly more al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking water, then drain and rinse pasta under cold water, and transfer to a large bowl while you cook the eggplant.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium. Add half the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until golden brown on all sides, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the rigatoni. Repeat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining eggplant and transfer to the bowl.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over medium. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in red-pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and their juices, crushing the tomatoes with your hands as you add them. Cook until the tomatoes are very soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved pasta cooking water, adding up to 1 1/2 cups as needed to create a silky sauce.
• If the skillet is large enough, add the rigatoni and eggplant mixture, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup basil and toss to coat. Otherwise, add the tomato sauce, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup basil to the large bowl with the rigatoni and eggplant, toss to coat and then return to the skillet or transfer to a greased baking dish.
• Top with remaining 3 cups mozzarella and bake until the sauce is bubbling on the sides and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes. Top with grated ricotta salata and torn fresh basil to serve.

EGGPLANT, TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season aggressively with salt. Add the rigatoni and cook 3 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Toss the eggplant and tomatoes with 3 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread on the baking sheet and roast until the eggplant is golden brown and tomatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. (Leave the oven on.)
• Toss the rigatoni with the eggplant, tomatoes, about 1/4 cup pasta water and the marinara sauce in a large bowl. If it looks dry, add the remaining pasta water. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella.
• Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Transfer the pasta to the baking dish and top with the remaining cup mozzarella and the Parmesan and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. (Turn the broiler on at the end if you want the cheese to brown more.) Garnish with additional Parmesan and the chopped basil and serve.

PASTA AL FORNO: OVEN BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. While the rigatoni cooks in salted boiling water, prepare the sauce. In a saucepan heat up the olive oil and saute the eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, chile peppers, if using, and garlic, for a few minutes. Add the tomato puree and salt. Let the sauce cook for approximately 10 minutes on medium heat. Drain the rigatoni; add the pasta to the saucepan, sprinkle with some Parmigiano and cook for another 30 seconds. Then place 1/2 the rigatoni in a baking dish, adding a layer of 1/2 the mozzarella, 1/2 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.

PEPPERONI PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and place in a large bowl. Add mushrooms, pepperoni, green pepper and onion. Stir in spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste and cheddar cheese., Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake 50 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA WITH MARGHERITA® PEPPERONI

Steps:

• Slice each eggplant lengthwise into slices about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
• In a large skillet, add olive oil (approximately 1/4 inch deep) and heat for frying.
• In a bowl, mix eggs and water together. On a large plate, mix grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese and 4 cups seasoned breadcrumbs together. Dip eggplant into the egg mixture, then the breadcrumb mixture. Place breaded eggplant slices into skillet and fry until golden brown, rotating once if necessary. Remove from skillet.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In an 8 by 12-inch baking dish, place the 4 largest eggplant slices, evenly spaced apart from each other. Over each slice, spread 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and sprinkle with a teaspoon of basil. Place one slice of mozzarella and 3 slices pepperoni over each slice and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon grated Parmigiano. Place the smaller slices of eggplant over each of the disks and repeat with tomato sauce, basil, pepperoni and the 2 cheeses. Repeat the layering again until all the ingredients are used.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs over the top of the eggplant dish, and bake uncovered until the cheese is melted and the tops turn light brown, about 20 minutes.

EGGPLANT AND CREAM ON PASTA

Steps:

• To make the seasoning mix, combine the peppercorns, dry mustard, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, basil leaves and white pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Combine the cottage cheese, skim milk and cream cheese in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside. Heat a heavy 10-inch skillet, preferably nonstick, over high heat for about four minutes.
• Combine 1 cup of the eggplant, 1 cup of the onions, 1 cup of the mushrooms, and 2 tablespoons of the seasoning mix in the skillet. Stir and cook for two to three minutes.
• Add 1 cup of the apple juice and cook, scraping the bottom occasionally, until all the liquid evaporates and a glaze forms, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining apple juice, scrape the bottom of the skillet, and add the chicken stock, and the remaining eggplant, onions, mushrooms and seasoning mix. Stir, bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and whisk the cottage cheese mixture into the sauce until blended. Add drained pasta, toss, and serve.

CREAMY PEPPERONI ZITI

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, soup, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, onion, mushrooms, green pepper, tomato, cream, broth and seasonings., Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly.