Beef And Eggplant Sauce For Pasta Recipes

EGGPLANT-BEEF PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add eggplant; cook until tender, stirring frequently. Remove from skillet. Add ground beef, onion, and garlic to skillet. Cook until meat is brown, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat. Stir in eggplant, tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt, and crushed red pepper. Spread mixture in a shallow baking pan to cool quickly.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Stir pasta into meat mixture.
• Line a 2-quart baking dish or 8x8x1 3/4-inch square disposable foil pan with a triple layer of plastic wrap, extending the wrap to one side so there is enough to cover when folded back over dish. Transfer meat mixture to the prepared baking dish. Fold plastic wrap over food, then wrap dish completely in foil. Freeze for up to 4 months
• To serve, remove foil from baking dish. Lift frozen food out of dish and remove plastic wrap; return food to dish. Cover with foil and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake, covered, about 75 minutes or until heated though (165°F), stirring mixture once halfway through baking. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

EGGPLANT AND BEEF PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut Eggplant into pieces and soak in salted water for about 20 minutes. Take out and dry.
• Slowly melt butter and olive oil together in a large pan, make sure not Add the finely chopped chili and garlic and simmer on a low heat for a few minutes.
• Add the chopped onion - cook on low for a few minutes.
• Add the mushrooms, make sure there is enough oil.
• Add the eggplant and leave to cook until the eggplant is soft.
• In the meantime cook the beef mince in a separate pan, if you want a stronger garlic flavour, add some crushed garlic to this as well.
• Add one tin of tomatoes to the Beef Mince, and one to the Eggplant, let it cook for a few minutes, then put a splash of red wine in the Eggplant. (This doesn't really matter how you want to do it, because the next step is putting the mince in the eggplant pan anyway!).
• Add the beef mince to the other pan.
• Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
• Add some dry oregano to the sauce, salt, pepper and some Tabasco sauce. Only add as much Tabasco sauce as you think you can handle, but you should put in some because it does make a difference to the sauce.
• If the sauce is looking a bit watery, add some more butter at different stages in the cooking process.
• Serve over pasta (Try it over Gnocchi!) and put some grated Parmesan cheese on top. Season to your taste.

CROCK POT PASTA WITH EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel eggplant, if desired; cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes.
• In a 3 to 5 quart crock pot combine eggplant, onion, green pepper, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, garlic, sugar (if using), wine, water, and oregano.
• Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
• Stir in olives and parsley.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve over pasta with Parmesan cheese.
• Garnish with toasted pine nuts.
• Makes 6 servings.
• Enjoy!
• Note: Sometimes I will throw in grated carrots, zucchini, and other fresh vegs.
• In a hurry?.
• Use canned spaghetti sauce!
• (Leave out the tomatoes, tomato paste.) Just add the wine, herbs, olives, etc.
• Enjoy!