Baked Eggplant Pasta

5 from 3 votes

Baked eggplant pasta combines roasted eggplant, mozzarella, ricotta, basil, and rigatoni tossed with a tomato sauce and baked until golden and bubbly.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 35

Course: Main Course, pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: James Delmage and Tara

Ingredients

For the sauce

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion diced
4 cloves garlic sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
3 ounces tomato paste
2 28 ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
salt and pepper to taste

For the baked pasta

2 medium eggplants cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 pound rigatoni or ziti, tortiglioni, penne, etc
1/4 packed cup basil leaves chopped
1 pound mozzarella shredded, divided
1 pound ricotta
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano grated

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425f and set the racks near the middle level.
Toss the cubed eggplant with a 3/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the eggplant out onto baking trays (probably will need 2 trays) and roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Turn the eggplant at halfway point. The eggplant is done when it is well browned and soft when pierced with a knife.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat a large saucepan to medium-low heat and add the extra virgin olive oil and the onion. Saute until soft (5-7 minutes) then add the garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes more or until fragrant. Add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the plum tomatoes and bring the sauce to a lively simmer.
Cook for at least 15 minutes uncovered at a low simmer, stirring frequently to avoid any sticking. Taste-test the sauce and adjust salt and pepper if required.
Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until 2 minutes less than al dente.
In a very large bowl mix the pasta with 3 1/2 cups of sauce, chopped basil, all of the ricotta, Pecorino Romano, and 3/4 of the mozzarella cheese. Mix until smooth and creamy. Add 3/4 of the roasted eggplant and fold it in gently.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375f and coat a 9x13" baking dish with 1 cup of sauce. Pour the pasta into the dish and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and roasted eggplant. Add another 1/2 cup of sauce on top as well.
Bake the pasta for 25 minutes or until browned on top. For extra color broil for 1-2 more minutes but watch carefully! Wait at least 10-15 minutes before eating so that the pasta settles. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Makes 8 moderate-sized or 4-6 large portions.
Undercook the pasta! Fully boiled pasta will become mushy after baking for another 25 minutes, so shoot for a bit firmer than al dente or about 2 minutes less than the box instructions.
Bake the pasta until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top. For extra color, broil for 1-2 minutes, but watch very carefully to avoid burning.
Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition