Crock Pot Eggplant Rigatoni Recipes

SLOW COOKER EGGPLANT PASTA WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a heavy bottom skillet, cook the ground sausage in about 2 T. of olive oil and set it aside.
• Using the same pan, saute the onion, garlic and fennel seeds until the seeds pop and start to crisp.
• Meanwhile, peel an eggplant with a vegetable peeler. Discard the peels and chop up two cups of the eggplant fruit into small cubes.
• Add the sausage, onion mixture and eggplant to your slow cooker.
• Next, chop up and add the fresh parsley, fresh basil and add the dried oregano and salt
• To the slow cooker, add the can of fire roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, dry white wine and water.
• Stir well and set your slow cooker for LOW at 3.5 hours or HIGH for 7 hours.
• When ready to serve, cook 10 oz. of your favorite pasta pasta in salted water and stir the pasta into the sauce.
• Stir in heavy cream and/or top with fresh parmesan (optional)

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.

CROCK POT PASTA WITH EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel eggplant, if desired; cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes.
• In a 3 to 5 quart crock pot combine eggplant, onion, green pepper, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, garlic, sugar (if using), wine, water, and oregano.
• Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
• Stir in olives and parsley.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve over pasta with Parmesan cheese.
• Garnish with toasted pine nuts.
• Makes 6 servings.
• Enjoy!
• Note: Sometimes I will throw in grated carrots, zucchini, and other fresh vegs.
• In a hurry?.
• Use canned spaghetti sauce!
• (Leave out the tomatoes, tomato paste.) Just add the wine, herbs, olives, etc.
• Enjoy!

CROCK POT RIGATONI

Steps:

• Layer half of each ingredient in the order listed.
• Repeat.
• Cover, Cook on low 4-5 hours.

TASTY CROCKPOT CHEESE BAKED RIGATONI (YOU WILL BE USING A PAN TO

Steps:

• Dice your onion. (if you have a gadget that dices veggies it comes in handy, use small grater option to chop onions. If you don't have such a gadget, then hand dice onions).
• In a large skillet on medium heat start cooking all the meat, as it starts to cook, break up the meat into bite size pieces. Add 1 T. of olive oil. You don't want to totally break the meat down. (Using grass fed beef it's easy to keep meat in bite size pieces) After some of the meat has been broken up (a wooden spoon does a great job), lower heat a little and add onions to the meat mixture. Add 1/2 of your salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder. Cook until no more pink is seen. You want the meat chunky but not too big. No need to drain. Turn stove to low and let the seasonings marinate together while you move to next step.
• Dice your red pepper and slice your mushrooms. (I use more mushrooms at times). Mince your garlic.
• Add 1 T. olive oil into the skillet, turn heat to medium and as it's warming up add your garlic. Cook for just a minute or 2 when the temp reaches medium, stirring often. (don't let garlic burn) Add red pepper, mushrooms and chilli flakes. Stir often and saute until pepper and mushrooms are al dente.
• Add meat mixture to your crock pot. (6 quart) and add remaining salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, basil (or Italian seasoning). Add 2 jars of Paul Newman's sauce, stir well and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours. (check sauce after 1 hour and taste it, adjust seasoning and cover and cook for remaining 1/2 hour).
• Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed but cook to Al Dente only about 8-9 minutes. Drain and put pasta back in pan and drizzle the remainder of olive oil (or to taste) on pasta and mix well. Pasta will cook a little more in crock. (do not rinse pasta or it won't grab the sauce) (you can add a bit more olive oil if needed so pasta isn't sticking. You don't want mush).
• After sauce has cooked 1 1/2 hours in the crock, taste your sauce make any adjustments if needed. Add 3/4 of the cooked pasta and stir well. The pasta will soak up some of the sauce so use your judgement. If you like your pasta a little saucy then you won't need to add the full box. (I like a balance and used 3/4 of the cooked pasta).
• Option: Cook for 1/2 hour on high. This allows the pasta to blend with the sauce BUT YOU CAN OMIT this step and move on to the next steps. (If you don't use all the pasta you can freeze it in a freezer bag and use it to add to soups, stews or whenever you find a need for some pasta).
• Add 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and mix well. This will allow some of the cheese to melt into your pasta.
• Top it all off with remaining cheeses. On high, cook until cheese is melted to your liking on the top. About 15 - 20 minutes. Take lid off crock pot, turn it off and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to set. Serve. (You can serve with a salad and garlic bread). This will taste like you slaved making sauce all day but instead you allow the crock pot to bring all the flavors together.
• Tips: If you prefer a more saucy mixture, only cook 3/4 of the box of Rigatoni or 12 oz. and make adjustments as needed to your preference.(as I mentioned I cook entire box and make adjustments when I add pasta to sauce) This dish is great for company, a game day or just to feed your family. I hope you enjoy.
• VARIATIONS: Once you make this recipe you can make several adjustments to change it up using the basic sauce mix. You can use Penne pasta, shell pasta, any pasta that will mix well with the sauce and cheeses. I love all kinds of cheese but in this dish I prefer the cheeses mentioned. If you wish to add more cheeses then you can use any that melt like the Mozzarella cheese does. Mild to medium Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Provolone etc. It will change it's flavor. Also you can even use filled firm pastas. You can use tortellini, ravioli or any frozen pasta of your choice. Don't pre-cook it. Move frozen pasta from freezer to fridge. Follow recipe and add the pasta without pre-cooking. Be gentle stirring.and let pasta cook in sauce until Al Dente. Then move on to the adding the cheeses in order written.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN FOR THE SLOW COOKER

Steps:

• Place eggplant slices in a large bowl in layers, sprinkling each layer with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes to drain. Rinse and dry on paper towels.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk eggs with water and flour until smooth. Dip eggplant slices in batter and fry in the hot oil until golden brown, working in batches of 2 to 3 slices at a time.
• Mix seasoned bread crumbs with Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Place 1/4 of the eggplant slices into a slow cooker and top with 1/4 of the crumbs, 1/4 of the marinara sauce, and 1/4 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers three more times.
• Cover and cook on Low until tender and flavors have blended, 4 to 5 hours.

SLOW-COOKER RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss. Let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain well. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray., Stir in the tomatoes, zucchini, onions, green and yellow peppers, olives, tomato paste, basil, garlic, pepper and remaining salt. Drizzle with oil. Cover and cook on high until vegetables are tender, 3-4 hours.

SLOW-COOKER EGGPLANT AND TOMATO SAUCE WITH PASTA

Steps:

• Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 hours or until eggplant is soft and sauce is thick.
• About 15 minutes before serving, cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Toss pasta with eggplant and tomato sauce. Garnish individual servings with cheese.