Creamy Eggplant And Pepperoni Baked Pasta Recipes

CREAMY MUSHROOM, EGGPLANT, AND SALAMI BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of the tomatoes, the oregano and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and season with salt and pepper.
• While the sauce simmers, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the eggplant and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes; transfer to the bowl with eggplant.
• Cook the shells in the water until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl with the eggplant and mushrooms.
• Add the tomato sauce, salami, half the Asiago and half of the Parmesan to the bowl and stir well to combine. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and top with the remaining Asiago and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

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.

CREAMY EGGPLANT PARMESAN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment. Combine bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan in shallow dish. Reserve 2 Tbsp. crumb mixture for later use. Spray both sides of 1 eggplant slice with cooking spray; dip in remaining bread crumb mixture, turning to evenly coat both sides of eggplant slice. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices.
• Bake 30 min. or until eggplant is tender and golden brown, turning after 15 min.
• Meanwhile, microwave cream cheese in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 40 sec. Gradually whisk in milk until blended. Stir in garlic and 1/4 cup basil.
• Spread 1/4 cup cream cheese sauce onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate sprayed with cooking spray. Top with layers of 1/3 of the eggplant, 4 cheese slices, 1/4 cup of the remaining Parmesan and 1/3 cup of the remaining cream cheese sauce; repeat layers twice. Top with tomatoes, remaining cheese slices and reserved crumb mixture.
• Bake 25 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining basil.

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.

PEPPERONI PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and place in a large bowl. Add mushrooms, pepperoni, green pepper and onion. Stir in spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste and cheddar cheese., Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake 50 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA WITH MARGHERITA® PEPPERONI

Steps:

• Slice each eggplant lengthwise into slices about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
• In a large skillet, add olive oil (approximately 1/4 inch deep) and heat for frying.
• In a bowl, mix eggs and water together. On a large plate, mix grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese and 4 cups seasoned breadcrumbs together. Dip eggplant into the egg mixture, then the breadcrumb mixture. Place breaded eggplant slices into skillet and fry until golden brown, rotating once if necessary. Remove from skillet.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In an 8 by 12-inch baking dish, place the 4 largest eggplant slices, evenly spaced apart from each other. Over each slice, spread 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and sprinkle with a teaspoon of basil. Place one slice of mozzarella and 3 slices pepperoni over each slice and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon grated Parmigiano. Place the smaller slices of eggplant over each of the disks and repeat with tomato sauce, basil, pepperoni and the 2 cheeses. Repeat the layering again until all the ingredients are used.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs over the top of the eggplant dish, and bake uncovered until the cheese is melted and the tops turn light brown, about 20 minutes.

EGGPLANT AND CREAM ON PASTA

Steps:

• To make the seasoning mix, combine the peppercorns, dry mustard, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, basil leaves and white pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Combine the cottage cheese, skim milk and cream cheese in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside. Heat a heavy 10-inch skillet, preferably nonstick, over high heat for about four minutes.
• Combine 1 cup of the eggplant, 1 cup of the onions, 1 cup of the mushrooms, and 2 tablespoons of the seasoning mix in the skillet. Stir and cook for two to three minutes.
• Add 1 cup of the apple juice and cook, scraping the bottom occasionally, until all the liquid evaporates and a glaze forms, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining apple juice, scrape the bottom of the skillet, and add the chicken stock, and the remaining eggplant, onions, mushrooms and seasoning mix. Stir, bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and whisk the cottage cheese mixture into the sauce until blended. Add drained pasta, toss, and serve.