Embark on a culinary journey to the Mediterranean with our tantalizing baked eggplant dish, a symphony of flavors that will transport your taste buds to sunny shores. This vegetarian delight features tender eggplant slices nestled in a vibrant sauce of fresh tomatoes, garlic, and aromatic herbs, all baked to perfection. Its crispy yet soft texture is complemented by the tangy tomatoes, creating a harmonious balance of flavors. The secret ingredient, ricotta salata, adds a salty and slightly tangy twist, elevating the dish to new heights. With its vibrant colors and irresistible aroma, this dish promises a feast for both the eyes and the palate. Discover the simplicity and elegance of this Mediterranean classic, perfect for a light lunch, a hearty dinner, or an impressive appetizer.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
EGGPLANT, PASTA AND RICOTTA SALATA
Steps:
- In a large pot of boiling water add the tomatoes that you will have gently scored a X on the bottom and a fine line all around the middle. Blanch for a couple of minutes until you will see the skin pulling away from the tomato meat. Drain and rinse under cold water. Remove the skin and pass the tomatoes thru a food mill or crush with a potato masher. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat add the olive oil and cook the finely chopped onion until they become translucent.
- Add the eggplant to the onion and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the tomato and some water (1/4 cup) to continue the cooking process. Season lightly with salt, very little.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to packaging instruction and drain 2 minutes prior to being al dente. Reserve cooking water.
- Add the pasta to the eggplant tomato sauce and coat well with the sauce Add some of the cooking water if too dry.
- Serve the pasta into a bowl and sprinkle a generous amount of ricotta salata over it.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 651 kcal, Carbohydrate 127 g, Protein 25 g, Fat 7 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Cholesterol 16 mg, Sodium 52 mg, Fiber 23 g, Sugar 28 g, ServingSize 1 serving
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.
ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATO PASTA
This summery pasta is just as much about the vegetables as it is about the pasta itself. The star of the dish is the roasted eggplant, which caramelizes and softens in the oven. Those tender browned cubes then get tossed with cooked pasta and a quickly made sauce of fresh grated tomatoes, capers and chile flakes. Because the tomatoes need to be ripe and soft enough to fall into a purée when you rub the cut sides over the holes of a grater, heirloom tomatoes (which haven't been bred for sturdiness during shipping) are a good choice here. But any juicy, flavorful, fleshy tomatoes will work. The cheese at the end is strictly optional, as is the butter. If you don't eat dairy, feel free to leave them out.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories pastas, main course
Time 1h
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spread out eggplant cubes and peppers on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 3 tablespoons oil and season well with salt. Roast, turning everything, until eggplant and peppers are very soft and deeply golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in well-salted boiling water until about 1 minute shy of al dente. Drain.
- Using the large holes of a box grater, grate tomatoes over a large skillet so the pulp falls into the skillet. To do this, hold on to the curved side of the tomato in your hand and slide the cut, flat side across the holes. Stop grating just before you reach the skin.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan with the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Simmer until tomato pulp is reduced by half, then season to taste with salt.
- Add the pasta, capers and butter, if using, to the pan with the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, tossing until butter melts and pasta finishes cooking, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and toss in eggplant and cheese, if using.
- Serve pasta drizzled with a little more oil and the herbs.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 275, UnsaturatedFat 1 gram, Carbohydrate 57 grams, Fat 1 gram, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 834 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams
PASTA ALLA NORMA (SICILIAN PASTA WITH EGGPLANT, TOMATOES, AND RICOTTA SALATA) RECIPE
A classic Sicilian dish of eggplant sautéed in olive oil and served with pasta in a rich tomato sauce garnished with ricotta salata.
Provided by J. Kenji López-Alt
Categories Entree Mains Quick Dinners Pasta
Time 50m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add as much eggplant as fits in a single layer and season with salt. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until eggplant is well browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer eggplant to a plate and set aside. Repeat with remaining eggplant, adding olive oil as necessary, until all eggplant is browned.
- Add any remaining olive oil and increase heat to medium-high. Heat until olive oil is shimmering. Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but garlic is not browned, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until evenly incorporated and tomato paste starts to fry. Add crushed tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a boil, reduce to a bare simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is thickened into a sauce-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.
- Add sauce to pasta and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as necessary to thin sauce to desired consistency. Add eggplant slices and toss to combine.
- Serve pasta immediately, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, garnished with grated ricotta salata and torn basil leaves. This Recipe Appears In Sicilian-Style Pasta with Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Ricotta Salata (Pasta Alla Norma)
Nutrition Facts : Calories 719 kcal, Carbohydrate 103 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Fiber 9 g, Protein 20 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 366 mg, Sugar 12 g, Fat 26 g, ServingSize serves 4, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
ROASTED EGGPLANTS AND TOMATOES
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories side-dish
Time 45m
Yield 4 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Line a heavy large baking sheet with foil. Cut cross-hatch marks over the cut side of the eggplants. Arrange the eggplants and the Roma tomatoes cut side up on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Whisk 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 teaspoons of garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of oregano in a small bowl to blend. Stir in the diced tomatoes. Season with salt. Spoon the oil mixture over the eggplants. Sprinkle the eggplants with salt and pepper.
- Stir the bread crumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 teaspoons of garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of oregano in another small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the Roma tomatoes.
- Bake until the vegetables are tender and the bread crumb topping is brown, about 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 345 calorie, Fat 22 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Cholesterol 0 milligrams, Sodium 220 milligrams, Carbohydrate 37 grams, Fiber 16 grams, Protein 7 grams, Sugar 14 grams
SICILIAN PASTA WITH EGGPLANT
Categories Cheese Pasta Tomato Vegetarian Dinner Basil Eggplant Summer Gourmet Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Serves 4 to 6 as a main course
Number Of Ingredients 7
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.
BAKED EGGPLANT
Great baked vegetable side dish with slices of eggplant and tomato seasoned with oregano and Parmesan cheese.
Provided by JEZZI16
Categories Side Dish Vegetables Tomatoes
Time 45m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Prepare a baking dish with non-stick play.
- Arrange eggplant and tomato slices into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables; season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the entire mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Switch oven broiler to high; continue baking until completely browned, about 5 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 53.9 calories, Carbohydrate 3.2 g, Cholesterol 3.9 mg, Fat 3.7 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 2.4 g, SaturatedFat 1.1 g, Sodium 71.7 mg, Sugar 2 g
EGGPLANT RICOTTA BAKE
This eggplant ricotta bake satisfies a craving for simple comfort food.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Main Dish Recipes Casserole Recipes
Time 1h10m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Brush lightly on both sides with oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until eggplant is tender and golden, turning halfway through, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with oil.
- Lay a fourth of eggplant slices in bottom of prepared dish; spread with half of marinara sauce. Top with another fourth of eggplant; spread with half of ricotta. Repeat layers, ending with ricotta; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until bubbling and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
Tips:
- Choose firm, ripe eggplants that are free of blemishes. Younger eggplants often have fewer seeds.
- To prevent the eggplant from absorbing too much oil, slice it thinly and pat it dry with paper towels before cooking.
- If you don't have ricotta salata, you can substitute another hard cheese, such as Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.
- For a vegetarian version of this dish, omit the pancetta or guanciale.
- Serve the eggplant hot or at room temperature. It can be enjoyed as an appetizer, main course, or side dish.
Conclusion:
Eggplant baked with tomatoes and ricotta salata is a simple but flavorful dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is also a great way to use up leftover eggplant. The combination of roasted eggplant, sweet tomatoes, salty cheese, and fresh herbs is sure to please everyone at the table. This dish is also very versatile. It can be served as an appetizer, main course, or side dish. It is also a great option for a vegetarian meal. So next time you are looking for a quick and easy recipe, give this eggplant dish a try.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love