Manicotti Eggplant Bake Gone Wild Food

MANICOTTI EGGPLANT BAKE GONE WILD

Steps:

• Wash and cut eggplant into small bite size pieces, and soak in salted water for about 15 minutes. Some say you don't need to soak eggplant but I like to because it removes some of the bitter taste.
• Boil pasta for about 3 minutes in salted water. Remove carefully and rinse to cool. This will continue cooking in the oven.
• Remove casings from chorizo and fry " loosely " remove from pan but do not discard grease.
• After that time rinse the eggplant very well, then add the smashed garlic, and eggplant and fry in the chorizo oil " adding olive oil " if necessary
• Once the eggplant is soft remove, discard any grease and wipe with paper towel to get as much of the grease out as you can. Try not to remove any of the burnt on pieces of the chorizo because that is where the flavor is.
• Put the eggplant, mole' sauce, chorizo in the same pan and cook till the mixture is thick. Cool completely.
• TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
• Cook all the ingredients till it has reduced and is thick.
• Carefully fill the manicotti noodles. If you have any mole' meat sauce left over, top the noodles before you put on the sauce, and cheese.
• To arrange the dish, put some of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish, add the filled pasta, top with mole' meat filling and put some more tomato sauce on top of the noodles.
• Now go and pile on the cheese.....ya can't really have to much cheese can you now????
• Bake 325 for about 45 covered, uncover and bake about 15 minutes longer till the cheese starts to melt and brown "depending on your oven".
• Now comes the best part.....enjoy!!!!!

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Make Several 1/2 inch Slits On Eggplant.
• Insert Garlic Slices.
• Bakeat 350 For 1 Hour.
• Let Cool.
• Peel& Cut Into 1-Inch Cubes.
• Cut Pepper in Half Lengthwise.
• Place Pepper, With Skin Side Up On A Baking Sheet.
• Flatten With Palm Of Hand.
• Broil 3 inches From Heat 10 Minutes OR Until Charred.
• Place in Ice Water, Let Stand 5 minute.
• Remove From Water, Peel& Discard Skins.
• Knife Blade in Processor; Add Eggplant, Pepper, Tomatoes, Thyme& Salt.
• Process Mixture Until Chopped.
• Stuff Each Shell With 1/3 Cup Mixture.
• Put in Baking Dish Coated With Spray.
• Cover& Bake At 350 For 30 Minutes.
• Wash Processor Bowl& Blade.
• Combine Spinach Cottage Cheese, Lemonjuice,& Pepper in Processor& Process Until Smooth.
• Spoon Spinach Mixture Over Shells And Sprinkle With Parmesan.
• Cover And Let Stand 5 Minutes.

EGGPLANT MANICOTTI WITH RICOTTA, ASIAGO, AND SPINACH FILLING

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic; sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add wine and cook 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, stock, and basil; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper. Cool.
• For manicotti:
• Place ricotta cheese in strainer set over large bowl. Let stand until excess liquid drains from cheese, about 2 hours. Transfer ricotta cheese to medium bowl. Stir in Asiago cheese, spinach, nutmeg, and cayenne. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in egg.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil 2 large baking sheets. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with olive oil; arrange on prepared sheets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until eggplant slices are tender, about 13 minutes. Cool on sheets.
• Place 1 eggplant slice on work surface. Place scant 2 tablespoons ricotta mixture near narrower end of eggplant slice. Roll up, enclosing filling. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices and filling.
• Spread half of sauce over bottom of 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange eggplant manicotti in single layer atop sauce. Spoon remaining sauce over. (Manicotti can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake manicotti until heated through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
• Available at specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.