Indulge in a symphony of flavors with our Eggplant, Tomato, and Mozzarella Pasta Bake. This delectable dish is a delightful fusion of fresh, seasonal ingredients, captivating your taste buds with every bite. Layers of tender eggplant, juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella cheese, and aromatic herbs dance harmoniously atop a bed of perfectly cooked pasta. The vibrant colors and irresistible aroma of this culinary masterpiece will tantalize your senses and leave you craving more. Discover the secrets behind this delightful recipe, along with variations that cater to diverse dietary preferences and introduce exciting flavor combinations. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available, ensuring that everyone can savor this delectable creation. Whether you're seeking a comforting family meal or an impressive dish for a special occasion, our Eggplant, Tomato, and Mozzarella Pasta Bake is sure to leave a lasting impression.
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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
BAKED EGGPLANT WITH RICOTTA, MOZZARELLA AND ANCHOVY
I learned this dish from a Sicilian cook in a small town outside Palermo. She makes it by layering thinly sliced eggplant with fresh curd cheese and caciocavallo (I use fresh ricotta and provolone instead), as well as pecorino and Parmesan cheese - a bit like a lasagna without pasta. It is quite delicious and unusual in that there is no tomato sauce, as there often is in so many Sicilian baked eggplant dishes. The anchovies, melted into the crisp bread-crumb-and-cheese topping, provide a sharp contrast to the sweetness of the eggplant. I like to serve a tomato salad alongside.
Provided by David Tanis
Categories casseroles, main course
Time 2h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Generously oil a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Season eggplant slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange half the eggplant slices in one layer on bottom of dish, overlapping slices slightly. Drizzle or paint eggplant generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper to taste and scatter onion slices evenly over surface.
- With a small spoon, distribute the ricotta in little blobs evenly over surface, then arrange half the smoked mozzarella over the ricotta. Sprinkle with 1 cup grated provolone.
- Make another layer of overlapping slices with remaining seasoned eggplant. Drizzle or paint eggplant generously with olive oil. Top surface evenly with remaining smoked mozzarella and provolone, then sprinkle with Parmesan and pecorino. Arrange anchovy fillets over top and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until eggplant is quite tender when pierced with a fork and top is crisp and golden. (If top seems to be browning too quickly, tent with foil and reduce heat to 350 degrees.) Remove from oven, dust with oregano and let rest at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares. The dish is best served at room temperature, not piping hot.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 398, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 27 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 26 grams, SaturatedFat 15 grams, Sodium 908 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams
PASTA ALLA NORMA (TOMATO AND EGGPLANT PASTA)
Pasta Alla Norma is a traditional Sicilian pasta dish made with eggplant/aubergine, tomatoes, basil and cheese. It's perfect for those nights when you want a healthy and filling vegetarian home cooked dinner, but without any fuss.
Provided by Helen
Categories Main Course
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat up the olive oil, then stir in the eggplant, making sure it all gets coated in oil. Let cook, stirring occasionally, for about ten to fifteen minutes.
- Add the garlic and chili flakes to the pan and cook, stirring, for a couple more minutes.
- Add the tomatoes to the pan, then crush them and break them up with a wooden spoon. Pour in the balsamic vinegar, then add the sugar/honey. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the eggplant is nice and soft.
- At the end of the cooking time, season well and stir in most of the basil.
- Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the packet instructions (until al dente is best). Then drain, reserving some of the water.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and toss until well coated. Add enough of the reserved cooking water to make the dish nice and smooth and 'silky'.
- Rip the mozzarella into the pan and stir again briefly.
- Serve out into bowls immediately. Top with grated parmesan and the remaining fresh basil.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 462 kcal, Carbohydrate 70 g, Protein 12 g, Fat 16 g, Sodium 294 mg, Fiber 8 g, Sugar 12 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Cholesterol 1 mg, ServingSize 1 serving
TOMATO EGGPLANT BAKE
Cheesy and delicious, this casserole features a crisp crumb topping. It's a good meatless entree for a summer-time meal.-Faye Wortman, Evansville, Indiana
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Side Dishes
Time 45m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 9
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 245 calories, Fat 18g fat (11g saturated fat), Cholesterol 49mg cholesterol, Sodium 318mg sodium, Carbohydrate 15g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 8g protein.
Tips:
- Use fresh ingredients whenever possible. Fresh eggplant and tomatoes will give your dish the best flavor.
- Don't overcook the eggplant. It should be tender but still have a slight bite to it.
- Use a good quality mozzarella cheese. Fresh mozzarella will melt beautifully and give your dish a creamy texture.
- Season the dish well. A little salt and pepper can go a long way in enhancing the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Serve the pasta bake hot out of the oven. This is when it will be at its best.
Conclusion:
Eggplant, tomato, and mozzarella pasta bake is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is packed with flavor and can be customized to your liking. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can create a dish that your family and friends will love.
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