Pasta With Sausage Eggplant And Basil 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.

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.

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE, EGGPLANT AND BASIL

Steps:

• Toss eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt in large colander. Place over bowl and let stand 30 minutes.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add eggplant; saut until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook meatballs until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe out skillet.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, garlic and chilies; sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add meatballs, broth and cream. Simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add eggplant and simmer 1 minute.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.
• Toss pasta with sauce and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix in basil and pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve pasta, passing additional Parmesan cheese separately.

EGGPLANT PASTA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggplant; cook, stirring constantly, until eggplant is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice; cook until sauce is slightly reduced, about 20 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 13 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl.
• Pour sauce over pasta.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the raisins, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and let cook about 2 minutes, then cover and set aside.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high. Stir in half the eggplant to coat evenly in the oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned in spots, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. (Eggplant should brown and tenderize but still maintain its shape.) Heat another 1/4 cup oil, then add remaining eggplant; season and repeat.
• While the eggplant cooks, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta. (You might not use all the pasta water.)
• Add another 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the shallot, pine nuts, capers, garlic and red-pepper flakes, stirring frequently, until the shallot is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the eggplant, along with the sliced basil and vinegar.
• Strain the soaked raisins, discarding the soaking liquid, then add the raisins to the eggplant mixture and toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. The mixture should taste quite aggressively salty and tangy, but it will mellow when tossed with pasta and ricotta. (Eggplant mixture can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
• Add eggplant mixture, pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to the pot. Toss to coat over medium heat until eggplant is warmed, adding extra pasta water if necessary. Divide among shallow bowls, top with ricotta and additional torn basil and serve immediately. Pass with additional olive oil for drizzling, if desired.

PASTA WITH EGGPLANT AND BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, onions, eggplant and garlic; sauté until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add 1/2 cup basil, pine nuts, thyme and rosemary and sauté until eggplant softens, about 10 minutes. Mix in broth. Simmer sauce until eggplant is very tender and liquids begin to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.)
• Add penne to sauce in Dutch oven. Toss until sauce coats pasta. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

PASTA, EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, cut sausage diagonally into 1" wide pieces. In large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook for 8 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.
• While sausage browns, cut eggplant into 1/2" cubes. Add eggplant, onon and garlic to sausage in skillet; cook 5 minutes longer until eggplant is tender; stirring frequently. Stir in paprika; cook 1 minute longer.
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil and 1 tsp salt to eggplant mixture; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover pot and simmer 35 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 350. In large saucepan, cook pasta according to package. Drain; stir into sauce.
• Spread half of the epplant-pasta mixture in a shallow 2 1/2 qt baking dish. Top mixture with ricotta cheese, spreading the cheese evenly. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining eggplant-pasta mixture; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake on center rack for 40 minutes or until heated through. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes before serving.

SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT-STUFFED SHELLS IN TOMATO-BASIL CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the sausage until golden brown, stirring to break up the pieces, about 6 minutes. Add half of the onions and the eggplant, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are lightly caramelized and very soft. Add 1 tablespoon garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
• When the mixture has cooled to room temperature, stir in the ricotta or mascarpone cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and sugar. Stir to combine well.
• Lightly grease a deep 9 by 13-inch casserole or lasagna pan and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta shells until just al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Pat shells dry. Stuff the pasta shells with the sausage-eggplant mixture and place in the prepared casserole dish.
• In a large saucepan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat and saute the remaining chopped onions until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook until the sauce is reduced in volume by about 1/3, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add the basil to the sauce and pour the sauce over the shells in the casserole. Sprinkle with the fontina cheese and the remaining Parmesan. Cover the casserole tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the sauce is lightly browned in spots and bubbly around the edges, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.