Italian Sausage And Eggplant Tailgate Dip Recipes

SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT FUSILLI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for about 8 minutes, or 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Meanwhile, toss the eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt in a colander; allow to sit for 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water, then squeeze out the excess moisture. Dry well on a paper towel-lined tray.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large straight-sided pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Push the sausage off to one side, add the eggplant and cook without stirring for about 3 minutes. Stir together the eggplant and sausage and continue to cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shallots and garlic; cook for another 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the reserved pasta water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the tomatoes and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring often and breaking up the tomatoes.
• Add the pasta to the sauce and sprinkle the Parmesan and provolone on the bare pasta. Using two wooden spoons, toss to combine until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT TAILGATE DIP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut each eggplant in half the long way and nip off the stem top.
• Line a small sheet tray with parchment paper and brush the top of the parchment with a little of the olive oil.
• Place eggplant halves cut down and pierce each outer skin several times with a fork.
• Brush about a tablespoon of the olive oil over the skins and bake.
• For medium sized eggplants, bake 25 minutes. For large eggplants, bake for 30 minutes. The eggplant should be just fork tender but not overcooked.
• Flip each one over to cool on a rack over a pan. Once cooled to room temperature, use a spoon to scoop out and discard seeds. The seeds are on the fat end in little pockets and are very easy to remove. Use a fork to remove the flesh from the skin and if needed, use the edge of the fork to scrape away from the skin. Any large pieces should be chopped to bite sized pieces. You should have approximately 2 cups of cooked eggplant pieces once done. Set this aside. Leave oven on at 400 degrees F.
• In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, place the remaining olive oil, onions and peppers and sauté for four minutes.
• Add garlic and sauté for one minute.
• Move vegetables to the edges of the pan and place sausage meat in the center. Sauté until browned, about 4-5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and drain off all fat and discard fat.
• Return the sausage mixture to the pan over medium heat and add the tomato paste and cook for five minutes stirring often.
• Pour the sausage and tomato mixture into a 9×9-inch casserole dish or pan and top with the cooked shredded eggplant.
• In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese with shredded cheddar cheese.
• Using a spoon, dab the cheese mixture all over the top covering the eggplant as much as possible. It will melt and fill in any open spots as it bakes.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until it starts to bubble up from the sides.
• Place under the broiler for a minute or two to brown the top.
• When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with the scallion slices and serve hot with tortilla chips.

SWEET SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT PENNE

Steps:

• Peel half the skin from the eggplant and then chop into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt, and drain a few minutes on paper towels.
• Heat the oil over medium-high heat, and add the sausage. Crumble the sausage and cook until brown. Add the garlic, celery and onions to the sausage. Pat the moisture off of the eggplant and stir the pieces into the mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables, partially covered, to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and basil. Bring to a bubble and simmer the sauce to combine the flavors.
• Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat the sauce on the stovetop over medium heat. If the sauce is too thick add a little water or chicken stock if using to thin it out.
• To serve, bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta to al dente. Add about 1 cup of starchy water to the sauce. Then drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Adjust the seasoning, then serve in shallow bowls and top with grated cheese and a drizzle of EVOO.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE RECIPE - (4.1/5)

Steps:

• The eggplant: Trim the ends off the eggplant and slice into ¼-inch thick rounds. Layer the slices into a large bowl, sprinkling each layer with kosher salt. Set aside for about 30 minutes. Drain, rinse well in fresh water, and lay out on a kitchen towel covering with a second towel. Let dry for a few minutes. (If you are sure the eggplants are not a variety prone to bitterness you can skip the salting step.) Heat a small amount of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat and, working in batches, brown the eggplant nicely on each side replenishing the olive oil as needed. Be sparing, though, because eggplant is a like an oil sponge and can easily become too oily. Set aside. The sauce: If the sausage is in links, remove the casing and chop. If using bulk sausage simply break up. Put the sausage in a frying pan and cook over medium heat until well brown and the fat has rendered out. Place in a strainer set in a bowl to drain. Dip the tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds. Let them cool for a minute or two then peel. Cut out the stems and halve equatorially. Squeeze out the seeds and set aside. Coarsely chop the onion and bell pepper. Finely chop them in a food processor. Heat a bit of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a lid and sweat the onions and peppers until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes until fragrant. Puree the tomatoes in the food processor and add to the onions and peppers. Tear the herb leaves into the pot. Add the crushed red pepper, sugar, red wine, and black pepper. Cover partially and simmer gently for a half hour or longer. Puree the sauce with a stick blender or, very carefully, in a food processor. Add the sausage and return to a very low simmer until warm through. The dish: Heat the oven to 350° (325° for convection). Cover the bottom of an 8" x 10" x 2"metal or glass baking dish with a thin layer of the sauce. Layer the eggplant overlapping the slices. Cover with the rest of the sauce. Spread the shredded mozzarella over the top and sprinkle with the parmesan. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes. Turn on the broiler and finish until nicely browned. Allow to set for at least five minutes before serving.