Eggplant Marinara Pasta Casserole |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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“Now that I am retired, I have more time to cook. My husband and I love to travel, and this dish was inspired by a trip to Italy. Pancetta is Italian bacon and comes in a sausagelike roll; it lends a salty bite to the marinara.â€� —Glenda Mann, Longview, TX Ingredients:
6 cups (1/2-inch) cubed eggplant (about 1 pound) |
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided |
cooking spray |
1 ounce pancetta, chopped |
2 cups thinly sliced onion |
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil |
2 garlic cloves, minced |
1/4 cup dry white wine |
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil |
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano |
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper |
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained |
16 ounces uncooked penne (tube-shaped pasta) |
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese |
1 (3-inch) piece french bread baguette (2 ounces) |
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh parmesan cheese |
Directions:
1. Arrange eggplant on several layers of heavy-duty paper towels. Sprinkle eggplant with 1 teaspoon kosher salt; let stand 15 minutes. Pat dry with additional paper towels.
2. Preheat oven to 450°.
3. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring after 15 minutes. Remove from baking sheet; cool.
4. Cook pancetta in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Add onion, oil, and garlic to pan; cook 6 minutes or until onion is lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add wine to pan; cook until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in basil, oregano, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; partially cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in eggplant.
5. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Add pasta and reserved 1/4 cup cooking water to tomato mixture; stir well. Spoon pasta mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with fontina.
6. Place baguette in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 1/2 cups. Add Parmesan to processor; pulse 5 times. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over fontina.
7. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.
8. Wine note: With an American take on an Italian dish, why not try an American take on a red Italian wine, like Tamás Estates Sangiovese 2005 ($14), an American wine made from the same grape as Italian Chianti. With its medium body and plentiful acidity, sangiovese is a classic choice with all tomato dishes, and offers tart cherry and sweet vanilla flavors that nicely balance each other. —Jeffery Lindenmuth
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