Ziti Sweet But Hot Sauce With Sausage Eggplant Recipes

EMERIL'S EGGPLANT, SAUSAGE, AND ZITI CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/4 cup of the oil.
• Add the eggplant in batches, seasoning on both sides with salt and pepper, and cook until golden, adding more oil as needed.
• Transfer to a plate as they cook, and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• When hot but not smoking, add the onion and sausage, and cook, stirring, until the sausage is browned and the onion is soft, about 6 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, their juices, the Italian seasoning, black olives, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the crushed red pepper.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, until the flavors marry and the sauce slightly thickens, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat.
• Add the basil and adjust seasoning, to taste.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and forms a light roux, about 2 minutes.
• Whisk in the milk and, whisking frequently, cook until the sauce is thickened and smooth, about 4 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Arrange half of the eggplant slices on the bottom of the casserole, overlapping as necessary.
• Top with half of the cooked pasta, then half of the sausage-tomato sauce.
• Place another layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce, then layers of pasta and sausage-tomato sauce.
• Pour on the white sauce, then top with the grated mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until puffed and golden brown on top.

NICOLE'S BEST BAKED ZITI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt to the boiling water and stir in pasta. Cook until just about tender to the bite, about 8 minutes (or 1 to 2 minutes less than package instructions).
• At the same time, heat a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and beef and cook, crumbling with the back of a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and pepper flakes; cook until onion is translucent and softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Drain pasta and return to the pot. Add about 1/2 cup marinara; toss to coat and let sit until needed.
• Add remaining marinara sauce to the browned meat mixture. Pour 1/4 cup water into each jar, shake to release any leftover sauce in the jar, and pour into the skillet. Stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
• Stir ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, basil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper together in a bowl.
• Add 2 cups meat sauce to the pasta; toss to coat.
• Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add ½ of the pasta mixture and top with 2 cups meat sauce. Lightly dollop and spread ricotta mixture over the top and sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Add remaining pasta mixture, remaining meat sauce, and remaining mozzarella on top. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

ZITI AND EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the eggplant about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, pepper, and sugar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Mix the roasted red peppers into the skillet with the eggplant mixture. Continue cooking until eggplant is the consistency of the rest of the sauce.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place ziti pasta in the pot, cook 9 to 11 minutes, until al dente, and drain. Serve the eggplant and tomato sauce over the cooked ziti.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Open pitas and evenly spread insides with butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and season with paprika, salt and pepper. I like to make a light sprinkling of paprika across each piece. Heat pitas in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Use to scoop up eggplant sauce, or eat separately.

BAKED ZITI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/4 cup of the oil.
• Add the eggplant in batches, seasoning on both sides with salt and pepper, and cook until golden, adding more oil as needed.
• Transfer to a plate when each batch is done.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot but not smoking, add the onion and sausage.
• Cook, stirring until the sausage is browned and the onion is soft about 6 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown.
• Add the tomatoes, their juices, the Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the crushed red pepper.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, until the flavors marry and the sauce slightly thickens, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat. Add the basil and adjust seasoning, to taste.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and forms a light roux, about 2 minutes.
• Whisk in the milk and, whisking frequently, cook until the sauce is thickened and smooth, about 4 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Arrange half of the eggplant slices on the bottom of the casserole, overlapping as necessary.
• Top with half of the cooked pasta; then half of the sausage-tomato sauce.
• Place another layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce.
• Then layers of pasta and sausage-tomato sauce.
• Pour on the white sauce.
• Then top with the grated mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake for 35 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown on top.