Oven-Baked Penne with Eggplant: Penne al Forno con Melanzane

Name: Oven-Baked Penne with Eggplant: Penne al Forno con Melanzane
Prep time: 2 h 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 118 milliliters fresh bread crumbs; 2 kilograms peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved; 1 mediums carrot, finely shredded; 907 grams eggplant, sliced 1/2-inch thick; 4 sprigs fresh basil, roughly torn; 3 Tbsps chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried; 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced; 59 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil; 3 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon, plus 2 tablespoons; 1 Spanish onion, chopped in 1/4 inch dice; 454 grams penne or other short pasta; 6 servings Salt; 6 servings Salt and pepper; 6 servings Sea salt; 79 milliliters grated caciocavallo or pecorino

Need a dairy free main course? Oven-Baked Penne with Eggplant: Penne al Forno con Melanzane could be an amazing recipe to try. One serving contains 556 calories, 15g of protein, and 18g of fat. This recipe serves 6. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes. If you have olive oil, salt, carrot, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. To use up the bread crumbs you could follow this main course with the Chocolate Banana Bread as a dessert.

Instructions

Stack eggplant slices in a colander, each piece sprinkled with sea salt. Weigh the slices with a large, full can of tomatoes or other weight and set aside in the kitchen sink so that juices run free. After 1 hour, rinse and pat dry.

Ingredients you will need

Eggplant

Sea Salt

Tomato

Equipment you will use

Colander

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Salt

In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat and saute eggplant slices until golden brown on both sides, working in batches if necessary and removing cooked eggplant to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Eggplant

Equipment you will use

Paper Towels

Frying Pan

Cook the penne in the boiling water until not quite done; about 5 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Penne

Water

Drain the pasta and toss with 3/4 cup of tomato sauce.

Ingredients you will need

Tomato Sauce

Pasta

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Grease a glass or ceramic oven dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the bottom of the dish with a few tablespoons of tomato sauce. Top with half the bread crumbs, and salt and pepper, to taste.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Breadcrumbs

Tomato Sauce

Olive Oil

Equipment you will use

Oven

Add half the cooked pasta, then half of the eggplant slices, arranged in a layer.

Ingredients you will need

Cooked Pasta

Eggplant

Drizzle about 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce over, and top with half the grated cheese and torn basil leaves. Repeat the process with remaining tomato sauce, bread crumbs, pasta, eggplant, cheese, and basil.

Ingredients you will need

Fresh Basil

Breadcrumbs

Tomato Sauce

Eggplant

Cheese

Basil

Pasta

Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and bake in oven for 1 hour.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Equipment you will use

Oven

Let rest 30 minutes before serving.

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Add the onion and garlic, and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Garlic

Onion

Add the thyme and carrot, and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft.

Ingredients you will need

Carrot

Thyme

Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Ingredients you will need

Sauce