Cheesy Eggplant And Rigatoni Bake Recipes

CHEESY RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12x8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package, using minimum cook time.
• Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion, eggplant and zucchini in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce.
• Spoon cooked pasta into baking dish. Spoon vegetable sauce over pasta.
• Cover tightly with foil; bake 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 5 to 7 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

CHEESY EGGPLANT AND RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook rigatoni according to package instructions but keep it slightly more al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking water, then drain and rinse pasta under cold water, and transfer to a large bowl while you cook the eggplant.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium. Add half the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until golden brown on all sides, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the rigatoni. Repeat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining eggplant and transfer to the bowl.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over medium. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in red-pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and their juices, crushing the tomatoes with your hands as you add them. Cook until the tomatoes are very soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved pasta cooking water, adding up to 1 1/2 cups as needed to create a silky sauce.
• If the skillet is large enough, add the rigatoni and eggplant mixture, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup basil and toss to coat. Otherwise, add the tomato sauce, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup basil to the large bowl with the rigatoni and eggplant, toss to coat and then return to the skillet or transfer to a greased baking dish.
• Top with remaining 3 cups mozzarella and bake until the sauce is bubbling on the sides and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes. Top with grated ricotta salata and torn fresh basil to serve.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for the pasta. Get yourself a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
• Heat a 2 count of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and toss in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes, you want them nicely browned on the outside but still rare on the inside. Put the sausages in the baking dish.
• Turn the heat down to medium. Add a generous 1/3 cup of oil to the skillet and get it hot. Add as many eggplant pieces as you can comfortably fit in a single layer and sprinkle well with salt. Cook, turning, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant is nice and browned, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Use a spatula to put the eggplant into the baking dish with the sausage. Cook the rest of the eggplant pieces, adding more oil to the pan, as needed, and putting the finished eggplant into the baking dish.
• Add another 2 count of oil to the skillet, then your onion and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Dump the whole can of tomatoes and their juices into a bowl and crush the tomatoes with your hands to break them up; add that to the pan with the basil and cook it down until pulpy and relatively thick. This will take about 15 minutes.
• By this time your pasta water will be boiling. Add the rigatoni, give it a stir, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, it should be slightly firm as it will cook further in the oven. Ladle out 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve; the drain the rigatoni.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Chop the sausages into nice big, bite-size chunky pieces and return the pieces to the baking dish. Add the tomato sauce, rigatoni, and the reserved pasta water. Break up half the mozzarella over the mixture, season with salt and pepper, and gently mix with your hands or a spatula. Dust with the Parmigiano and drizzle with more olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Spread the remaining mozzarella in an even layer over the top and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

CHEESY EGGPLANT BAKE

Steps:

• Cut eggplant into 1/4-in.-thick slices. Place in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. , In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, garlic salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, beat eggs. Dip eggplant into eggs, then coat with crumb mixture., In a large skillet, cook eggplant in 2 tablespoons oil for 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Transfer to an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. In the same skillet, saute the green pepper, onion and mushrooms in remaining oil for 5 minutes or until pepper and onion are crisp-tender. Sprinkle over eggplant. Top with tomatoes. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25 minutes. Place cheese slices over the top. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until cheese is lightly browned.

CHEESY RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; return to pot. Cool slightly., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour and salt until smooth; gradually whisk in milk and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat., Add eggs to pasta, tossing to coat. Divide mixture between two greased 8-in. square baking dishes. Layer each dish with one can tomato sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and half of the white sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 160°, 30-35 minutes. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casseroles. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 375°. Cover casserole with foil; bake 40 minutes. Uncover; bake until a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°, 7-10 minutes.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Prepare oven-dried tomatoes:
• Skin the tomatoes by placing them in boiling water for 30 seconds and then plunging them right away in ice water. This will help you remove the skin without cooking the tomatoes. Using a paring knife, peel the skin off the tomatoes and then cut them in 1/2 lengthwise. Place the tomatoes in a bowl, sprinkle with alt and add the thyme and 2 ounces of olive oil. Arrange the tomatoes with the thyme sprigs on a non-reactive baking pan. Leave enough space around the tomato halves so they don't touch, allowing air to circulate and dry them out. Put them in a 300 degree F oven to dry for 2 hours.
• Prepare the garlic:
• Place the garlic cloves in a small pot and cover with 2 cups of olive oil. Simmer very slowly for 40 minutes, until the garlic is soft. Remove them from the oil and set aside at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Prepare the eggplant:
• Slice the eggplant into 1-inch rounds. Put them in a bowl and sprinkle generously with salt. Drizzle olive oil over them and toss. Arrange the rounds on a baking pan, leaving enough space between each slice so that they cook evenly. Bake until they are soft and slightly brown, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the pasta:
• In a large pot, bring to a boil 4 quarts of salted water. Add the rigatoni and cook until "al dente" or even slightly undercooked, about 6 to 8 minutes. Since the pasta will be cooked in the oven, it's important not to overcook the pasta in the boiling water. Drain the pasta in a colander and toss with a little olive oil to prevent them from sticking. Set aside.
• Assemble and bake dish:
• Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine the pasta, eggplant, tomato, garlic, scallion and basil and mix well. Add the ricotta and toss gently so that the ingredients are distributed among the pasta but that the ricotta is not completely mixed through. The idea here is to have distinct and differing flavors, so it is important that the ricotta be spread in roughly tablespoon size pieces. Season, if necessary, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Transfer to a large greased earthenware or glass baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake in the oven until the pasta is brown and crisp on top, about 10 to 15 minutes.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 400 degrees.
• Grease a 13 x 9-ich baking dish.
• Brush the eggplant slices with oil.
• Arrange in a single layer in prepared baking dish.
• Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• Remove from oven; set aside.
• Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet, stir beef over medium heat to break up the meat, drain any fat.
• Add in zucchini, green pepper, onion and garlic; cook, stirring until the beef is browned.
• Add in the stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and cinnamon, stirring to break up tomatoes.
• Reduce the heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
• Spoon over eggplant.
• In a bowl, stir together the cooked rigatoni, soup, milk and the Monterey Jack cheese until blended.
• Spoon over the beef mixture.
• Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese.
• Cover baking dish with foil.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes; uncover, and bake for 10 minutes longer.

AWESOME CHEESY RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350°F.
• Grease a 13 x9-inch casserole dish.
• Cook the rigatoni until firm-tender (do not overcook as it will cook more when baked) toss with 2 tbsp oil to prevent drying out; set aside.
• Cook beef with onions, garlic, seasoned salt and pepper until beef is done and no longer pink; drain off fat.
• Stir in pasta sauce; simmer 20 minutes.
• In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and eggs.
• On the bottom of the casserole dish spread 1-1/2 cups meat sauce.
• Top with half each, the cooked rigatoni, ricotta cheese mixture and meat sauce.
• Repeat layer ending with meat sauce.
• Top with remaining cheese.
• Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, about 30-35 minutes.
• Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
• Note: canned sliced mushrooms may be added to meat sauce if desired.

CHEESY EGGPLANT ROLLATINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle kosher salt over eggplant slices. Let excess moisture drain from eggplant, 10 to 15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels and transfer to baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with black pepper.
• Combine spinach, onion, and garlic in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir until spinach is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with Italian seasoning.
• Mix Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and ricotta cheese together in a bowl. Stir in spinach mixture until well-combined.
• Spread 2 spoonfuls of spinach mixture evenly over each eggplant slice. Roll up eggplant.
• Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange eggplant rolls seam-side down in the dish. Pour remaining marinara sauce over rolls. Cover with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and golden, about 1 hour. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

CHEESY BAKED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush eggplant slices with olive oil on both sides, and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle garlic powder over the top. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes and spinach. Cook and stir for a few minutes until fragrant, and the tomatoes have released their juices. In a medium bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
• Place the eggplant slices in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with the spinach mixture. Spoon the cheese mixture over the spinach, and spread into a thin layer. Pour the spaghetti sauce over the cheese layer. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until heated through and the eggplant is easily pierced with a fork.