Pasta Incaciata Baked Pasta Wrapped In Eggplant Aubergine Sli Food

PASTA INCACIATA (BAKED PASTA WRAPPED IN EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) SLI

Steps:

• The day before serving, slice the eggplants lengthwise into 1/4inch slices. Sprinkle with the salt and lay the slices on top of one another in 1 large colander or in 2 small colanders. Place a dish on top and weight it down (a large can of tomatoes works well.) Drain for 20 minutes. Dry the eggplant slices with paper towels.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper if you're not using a non-stick pan. Brush the paper and eggplant slices with the olive oil and cook in the over for 25 minutes, until lightly brown. Set aside.
• For The Bechamel Sauce:.
• Bring the milk to a soft boil in a large saucepan. In another large saucepan, make a roux by stirring butter and flour over medium heat until they form a thick paste. Add the nutmeg to the boiling milk and then pour it, a little at a time, into the warm roux, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. When all the milk has been added, continue whisking over medium heat until the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
• For the Filling:.
• Bring the water to a boil and cook the pasta until just tender. Drain well, return to the pot and toss with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Set aside.
• To Assemble:.
• Grease a deep 9x17 inch baking dish and coat with the bread crumbs. Line the pan with the cooked eggplant slices, edge-to-edge, and hanging over the sides of the pan. (It's okay if there are spaces showing between the slices.) About 9 slices should be enough to cover the dish.
• Mix the cooked pasta with 3 cups of the ragu sauce, 1 cup of the bechamel sauce and half of each the cheeses. Stir well. Pour half the pasta mixture into the prepared dish. Top with the ham, the remaining cheeses, ragu sauce, bechamel sauce and pasta mixture.
• Fold the eggplant slices over the top and cover with approximately 5 more slices. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place a baking sheet on top with 3 large cans to weight it down. Place in the refrigerator overnight.
• The day of serving, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap, re-cover the dish of pasta with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hours. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes.
• To serve, invert onto a large serving dish a cut into wedges or thick slices.
• Serves 10-12.

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.

EGGPLANT AND PASTA INCACIATA

Steps:

• For the red sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and onions and saute until tender, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and some salt and black pepper and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir the basil leaves into the sauce at the end of simmering, if using.
• For the eggplant and pasta incaciata: Grease the bottom and insides of the springform pan with softened butter. Mix 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano cheese. Coat the inside of the pan well with the cheese mixture. Knock out any excess and discard.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the ground pork and sprinkle with salt and black pepper and saute until cooked through. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the red wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups of the red sauce and bring back to a simmer. Cook for another 5 minutes and season with salt and black pepper. Reserve the remaining red sauce for another use.
• Meanwhile, slice the eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick planks. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and black pepper and fry in a single layer, working in batches, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, using 3 tablespoons of oil per batch. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.
• Combine the cooked pasta with the mozzarella and ragu in a large bowl.
• To assemble, line the bottom of the prepared springform pan with a single layer of eggplant, then line the sides with the eggplant planks vertically, allowing the excess to hang over the outside. Fill the inside of the lined pan with the pasta mixture, pressing down gently. Fold the flaps of eggplant over the top of the pasta, using any remaining eggplant slices to cover the top. Cover with plastic and weigh it down with a plate. Refrigerate for a few hours and up to overnight.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmigiano and breadcrumbs. Cover the top loosely with foil, place on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until bubbling and the top is golden brown, an additional 15 minutes. Let rest for 15 to 20 minutes and cool slightly before unmolding from the pan. Slice and serve.

PASTA WITH EGGPLANT, CAPERS, AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Toss eggplant with salt in a colander set in a large bowl, then let drain, tossing occasionally, 1 hour.
• While eggplant drains, rinse capers in a sieve and transfer to a small bowl. Cover capers with water by 2 inches and soak 30 minutes. Drain, then repeat soaking. Drain and rinse capers, then squeeze dry and coarsely chop.
• Roast bell pepper on rack of a gas burner over moderately high heat, turning with tongs, until skin is blackened, about 5 minutes. (Or broil pepper on a broiler pan about 5 inches from heat, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes.) Transfer to a bowl, then cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let pepper steam 10 minutes.
• When cool enough to handle, peel pepper and discard seeds, stem, and ribs. Pat pepper dry and purée in a blender until smooth.
• Rinse eggplant and pat dry thoroughly. Heat vegetable oil in a 4-quart pot over high heat until it registers 375°F on thermometer. Fry one third of eggplant, stirring gently, until just golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Fry remaining eggplant in 2 batches, returning oil to 375°F between batches.
• Pulse together olives, basil, mint, parsley, marjoram, and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor until finely chopped.
• Finely chop remaining garlic clove and cook in olive oil along with anchovy in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until anchovy dissolves and garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to moderate and stir in pepper purée, then cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in olive mixture, capers, and wine and cook, stirring, until wine is evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in eggplant (sauce will be very thick) and remove from heat. Keep warm, covered.
• Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain and stir into sauce. Season with salt.
• *Available at specialty foods shops and chefshop.com.

PASTA WITH EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, deep skillet.
• Add the eggplant cubes and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the ziti according to package directions.
• When it is al dente, drain.
• Remove the eggplant from the saute pan.
• Add the garlic and the onion, along with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring.
• Add the tomatoes and crush them with your fingers.
• Add the cooked eggplant cubes and the olives.
• Cook and stir 15 minutes, until sauce is thick.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the basil.
• Cook 2 minutes.
• Add the ziti to the sauce and stir to combine.
• Serve hot.

PASTA WITH ROASTED EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Spread eggplants and garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with 1/2 cup olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
• Roast in the preheated oven until soft, about 20 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil while eggplants and garlic are roasting. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Place eggplants and garlic in a food processor; process into a smooth paste. Stir paste into the onions in the skillet. Stir in tomatoes. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Toss hot penne and basil into the sauce and mix together.

PASTA 'NCASCIATA (AUBERGINE WRAPPED PASTA DOME)

Steps:

• Skin and seed the fresh tomatoes, and roughly chop. Chop the canned tomatoes, if using. Fry the garlic clove in 3 tbsp olive oil over a gentle heat for 3-4 minutes until pale gold.Remove and discard. Add the tomatoes to the oil and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes until well blended, stirring occasionally and adding 1 tbsp or so of water if it dries out.
• While the sauce cooks, dice the mozzarella into small pieces, so it will melt easily during the baking and bind the filling. Finely chop the salami. Trim the stalks from the aubergines and slice lengthways into even slices about 5mm thick.
• When the sauce is nearly done, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a deep frying pan and brown the mince and livers for 4-5 minutes until well coloured. Lift out with a slotted spoon and add to the tomato sauce with the peas. Cook for 10 minutes or so until you have a thick sauce, then remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta and heat the oven to 180C/gas 4/fan 160C.
• Dry the aubergine slices using kitchen towels. Heat a heavy ridged griddle pan and cook the slices,without using oil, for 2- 3 minutes each side until tender, 1. They will stick at first, but then come loose. As each slice is ready, brush with olive oil and use to line an oiled 2 litre/31⁄2 pint heatproof pudding basin or bowl, slightly overlapping the slices so there are no spaces, 2. If you have any aubergine left over, finely chop it and set aside.
• Cook the pasta in the boiling water for 3 minutes short of the time on the packet. Drain well, and gently mix with the sauce. Stir in the cheeses, the salami and any extra chopped aubergine.
• Spoon the filling into the aubergine lined bowl, 3, and press down gently to eliminate any gaps. Fold over the ends of the aubergine. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes to set so that it will be easier to turn out. Put a large plate on top of the bowl and swiftly turn both the bowl and plate over.Remove the bowl and serve with extra grated cheese and black pepper.

EGGPLANT PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly oil a large, deep casserole dish. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Arrange the sliced eggplant on a greased cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
• In a food processor, puree the onion, bell pepper, garlic and optional ancho chile pepper. If the mixture is too thick add a tablespoon of water. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Pour the onion mixture into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Add milk, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
• Arrange half of the baked eggplant in the greased casserole dish. Spoon in half of the white sauce, covering the eggplant. Spread the veggie crumbles over the white sauce, followed by the pasta, and a layer of the bell pepper puree. Cover the the onion and pepper mixture with remaining eggplant and spoon the remaining white sauce over the eggplant. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the casserole.
• Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SICILIAN PASTA WITH EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Peel garlic. Trim stem ends of eggplants. Halve eggplants lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. In a large sieve drain tomatoes. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl and squeeze to break into smaller pieces.
• In a 6-quart kettle bring 5 quarts salted water to a boil for pasta.
• In a 12-inch heavy skillet heat 1 cup oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Fry eggplant in 2 batches, turning, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer eggplant as fried with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, arranging it in one layer. Season eggplant with salt and pepper.
• Pour off oil from skillet and wipe clean with paper towels. Add remaining 1/4 cup oil to skillet and cook garlic over low heat, stirring, until golden. Stir in tomatoes with any juices that have accumulated in bowl and simmer, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
• While sauce is simmering, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta in a colander. Transfer half of tomato sauce with half of ricotta salata to a large bowl and toss with pasta and half of eggplant, adding some reserved pasta cooking water if sauce becomes too thick. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl and top with remaining sauce and eggplant and some of remaining cheese.
• Garnish pasta with basil and serve remaining cheese on the side.