Rich, simple to prepare, delicious, and easy to take on-the-go, baked pasta is a real wild card that we often underestimate. In fact, one of its strong suits is the wide range of versions you can make, guaranteeing you’ll never be bored. Here are five variations to try that will transform baked pasta and eggplant into one of your favorite dishes.
With spaghetti
Let’s start with an unusual version we’re sure will win you over. First make an eggplant purée: cut an eggplant in half lengthwise and score the surface, then season it with oil and salt and roast it in the oven. Once cooked, remove the pulp with a spoon and blend it with two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, half a clove of garlic, and two tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. Cook the spaghetti and drain while still very al dente, then top it with the eggplant purée and transfer it into to a well-greased baking dish, twirling the spaghetti into small nests using a fork and spoon. Sprinkle with grated pecorino cheese, season with pepper, and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F. Top with fried eggplant, toasted pine nuts, and marjoram leaves.
With paccheri
To prepare this version, chop the eggplant into cubes and cook them in a pan with some extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add them to freshly made tomato sauce that has cooled. Cook the paccheri in boiling water and drain while still very al dente. Top with the sauce and eggplant and pour everything into a baking dish, alternating each layer of pasta with a generous grating of ricotta salata cheese. Bake for approximately 20 minutes at 350°F.
With fusilli
To make baked fusilli and eggplant, prepare an emulsion with extra- virgin olive oil, ground dried mint, and chopped garlic. Use part of it to brush some cubed eggplant, which you will then roast in the oven. Boil the fusilli, drain while still al dente, and top with the emulsion. Pour the pasta into a baking dish; add the roasted eggplant, some cherry tomatoes, and top with slices of spicy provola cheese. Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes and serve garnished with fresh basil leaves.
With rigatoni
Remove the seeds from the tomatoes, dice them, and sauté them in a pan with a clove of garlic, some extra-virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt for about ten minutes, then set aside. Fry a cubed eggplant, then dry it on paper towels and let it rest. Boil the rigatoni and drain while still al dente. Combine the pasta with the tomatoes and eggplant, add some shaved provola cheese, and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
With cannelloni
Make a light sauce using fresh tomatoes and cook the eggplant in a pan with some extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt (for an even lighter taste, peel them first). Boil the cannelloni in salted water for 4 minutes, then stuff with the sauce, the eggplant, and a tablespoon of ricotta. Mix a few tablespoons of the sauce with some ricotta; spread it on the bottom of the baking dish and use it to fill the spaces between each cannelloni. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes and serve with fresh basil.