Eggplant Tomato And Mozzarella Pasta Bake Food

EGGPLANT AND MOZZARELLA PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• First, roast the eggplant. Dice a large eggplant in bite sized pieces, and place them on a baking tray. Drizzle oil and a sprinkle of salt, and stir to combine. Roast the eggplant on 190 C / 180 C fan oven / 375 F for about 10-15 minutes, or until the eggplant has softened. Don't worry if it looks dry coming out of the oven, this is normal!
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in water following package instructions. Try to cook it "al dente" - so it's cooked through but still has some chew. When it is done, you can drain off the excess water.
• In another pot, add the diced tomatoes, tomato puree, thyme, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Leave the sauce to simmer while preparing the other ingredients, about 5-10 minutes.
• Add the roasted aubergine, tomato sauce and pasta to an oven proof baking dish. Rip a mozzarella ball into small chunks and add this to the dish. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Add the shredded mozzarella on top, then move the pasta bake to the oven.
• Bake until the mozzarella has melted, typically 10-15 minutes. Remove the eggplant and mozzarella pasta bake from the oven, and allow it to cool down slightly before serving.

TOMATO EGGPLANT BAKE

Steps:

• Place eggplant slices in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with salt and toss. Let stand 30 minutes. Rinse and drain well. , Preheat oven to 450°. Layer eggplant, tomato and onion in a lightly greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons butter; sprinkle with basil. Cover and bake 20 minutes. , Toss bread crumbs and remaining butter. Arrange mozzarella cheese over vegetables; sprinkle with crumb mixture and Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

BAKED PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. (Make sure your oven is clean!) Place three (6-inch) gratin dishes on a sheet pan and set aside.
• Boil a large pot of water, add a tablespoon of salt, and add the pasta. If you're using one type of pasta, cook it for 1 to 2 minutes less than the directions on the package. If you're using two kinds of pasta, start with the one that cooks longest and add the second later so they finish at the same time. You want the pasta to be quite al dente. Drain.
• Pour the Tomato and Eggplant Soup into a large bowl, add the cooked pasta, the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper and toss well. Divide the mixture evenly among the three gratin dishes, dot the tops with the butter, and bake for 10 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the pasta begins to brown. Sprinkle each dish with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Parmesan, bake for another 4 minutes, and serve hot.
• Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a medium (10 to 11-inch) pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the eggplant and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Add a little more olive oil if the eggplant is sticking.
• Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot, add the onions and fennel, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, stirring often. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, fennel seeds, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Pour the can of whole tomatoes, including the liquid, into a food processor and pulse until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes and the liquid to the pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

HERBY BAKED PASTA WITH EGGPLANT AND FRESH MOZZARELLA

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 sprigs and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the basil sprigs and stir in the chopped basil and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick 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 using a slotted spoon.
• 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 of the mozzarella 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 mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta stand about 10 minutes before serving.

MOZZARELLA BAKED EGGPLANT AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375.
• Grease a 9" square baking dish.
• Cut the eggplant into 1/2" thick slices. Layer 1/2 of the slices on the bottom of the dish. Top with 1/2 C of the sauce and 1 T of the basil.
• Toss together the Mozz & Parm. Sprinkle 2/3 C of the cheese over the top of the sauce.
• Layer the zucchini over the cheese. Top with 3/4 C of the sauce, 2 T of the basil, and 2/3 C of the cheese.
• Top with remaining eggplant slices and the remaining sauce, basil & cheese.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake 15 minutes. Uncover and bake 25 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
• Spoon "extra" sauce over servings from bottom of dish.