Eggplant Al Forno Recipes

EGGPLANT AND LAMB AL FORNO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Salt eggplant well, arrange in colanders, and place weighted bowls on top. Let drain for 30 minutes. Rinse and dry.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper; cook until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Add oregano, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne; cook 2 minutes more. Add lamb, and cook until it browns, about 5 minutes. Drain fat from pan. Break up tomatoes, and add to pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until sauce starts to thicken, about 8 minutes.
• Place 4 eggplant slices in an 8-inch square baking pan, and top with a third of the sauce. Repeat twice, making 4 3-layer stacks. Combine 1 teaspoon parsley and breadcrumbs; sprinkle over the top.
• Cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more. Sprinkle with remaining parsley; serve hot.

PASTA AL FORNO: OVEN BAKED PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. While the rigatoni cooks in salted boiling water, prepare the sauce. In a saucepan heat up the olive oil and saute the eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, chile peppers, if using, and garlic, for a few minutes. Add the tomato puree and salt. Let the sauce cook for approximately 10 minutes on medium heat. Drain the rigatoni; add the pasta to the saucepan, sprinkle with some Parmigiano and cook for another 30 seconds. Then place 1/2 the rigatoni in a baking dish, adding a layer of 1/2 the mozzarella, 1/2 the scamorza and another sprinkle of Parmigiano cheese over the pasta. Add the remaining rigatoni, and follow with a final layer of all the cheeses. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH GARLIC AND HERBS

Steps:

• Put the eggplant pieces in a large colander and sprinkle all over with the 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Set in the sink to drain for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the shallot and garlic, and push to the side of the cutting board. Chop the parsley, then draw the shallots and garlic in with the herbs and chop them together, until finely chopped. Stir the aromatics and walnut oil together in a serving bowl.
• Toss the purged eggplant with the olive oil and pepper. Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and brush or drizzle with olive oil. Spread the eggplant out on the pan and return to the oven. Roast until the eggplant is tender yet firm and rich brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss with garlic and herbs. Serve right away or at room temperature.

EGGPLANT BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Peel the eggplants lengthwise in 1-inch intervals to create stripes. Slice each eggplant crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds then cut each round into 1/2-inch dice.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add half of the eggplant and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until the eggplant takes on some color and becomes soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a rimmed baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Repeat with another 3 tablespoons of oil and the remaining eggplant.
• Transfer the eggplant to the oven and bake until very soft, stirring or flipping once, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
• While the eggplant bakes, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the chile flakes and cook, stirring again, for another 30 seconds.
• Stir in the wine, bring to a boil and cook until completely reduced, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sugar, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften and break down, about 15 minutes. Using a potato masher, coarsely mash the tomatoes and let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes longer.
• Fold the eggplant, basil and oregano into the sauce. Add the pasta and some of the Parmigiano-Reggiano; toss to coat with the sauce, adding some of the reserved pasta water, as needed, to thin the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to shallow bowls and serve, passing the remaining Parmigiano at the table.