Eggplant Goat Cheese Pasta Recipes

EGGPLANT AND GOAT CHEESE LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Arrange one fourth of eggplant slices in a layer in the bottom of the dish.
• Pour one fourth of pasta sauce on top of eggplant layer.
• Dot pasta sauce layer with one fourth of goat cheese slices.
• Repeat layers three more times with remaining ingredients, ending with a top layer of goat cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven until pasta sauce is bubbling and goat cheese is melted, 45 to 60 minutes.

EGGPLANT AND GOAT CHEESE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat grill or broiler.
• Cut the eggplant horizontally into slices one-half-inch thick. Cut any slices more than three inches in diameter in half. Very large slices should be quartered. Spread them on a work surface or baking sheet and sprinkle them on both sides with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the eggplant until attractively browned on both sides.
• Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Saute the onions over medium heat until the pieces are tender but not brown. Add the garlic and pepper and continue to saute until the pepper pieces are tender. Stir in the tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the thyme and the parsley.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread a fourth of the tomato mixture about two inches deep into the bottom of a one-and-a-half-quart baking dish. Arrange a layer of the eggplant over the tomato mixture, then crumble a third of the goat cheese over it. Repeat twice more, finishing with a layer of the tomato mixture. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
• Place in the oven and bake about 25 minutes, until heated through. Serve at once.

EGGPLANT, ROASTED PEPPER, AND GOAT CHEESE TERRINE WITH PARSLEY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Arrange the eggplant slices in one layer on baking sheets, brush both sides of the eggplant with the oil, and sprinkle them with salt to taste. Broil the eggplant in batches about 4 inches from the heat for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until it is golden and tender, and transfer it with a metal spatula to paper towels to drain.
• Line a loaf pan, 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches, with plastic wrap, leaving a 3-inch overhang, and in it arrange the eggplant, the olive paste, the bell peppers, and the goat cheese in several layers, beginning and ending with the eggplant. Cover the eggplant with the plastic overhang, weight the terrine with a 3-to-4-pound weight (such as a loaf pan filled with canned goods), and chill it for 24 hours. (The terrine may be made 3 days in advance).
• Remove the weight, invert the terrine onto a cutting board, and discard the plastic wrap. Cut four 3/4-inch-thick slices from the terrine, pour about 2 tablespoons of the parsley sauce onto the center of each of 4 plates, tilting the plates to spread the sauce, and arrange a slice of the terrine on each plate. Garnish each serving with a parsley spring.
• To roast peppers:
• Using a long-handled fork char the peppers over an open flame, turning them, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the skins are blackened. (Or broil the peppers on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from the heat, turning them every 5 minutes, for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the skins are blistered and charred.) Transfer the peppers to a bowl and let them steam, covered until they are cool enough to handle. Keeping the peppers whole, peel them starting at the blossom end, cut off the tops, and discard the seeds and ribs. (Wear rubber gloves when handling chilies.)
• Parsley sauce:
• In a blender purée the parsley and the garlic with the vinegar, the water, the oil, and salt and pepper to taste until the sauce is smooth and strain it through a fine sieve set over a small bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Makes about 1/2 cup.

EGGPLANT & GOAT CHEESE PASTA

Steps:

• Boil the pasta according to pack instructions.
• Heat the oil in a pan, then gently fry the onion and garlic for about 5 mins until softened.
• Add the eggplant, cook for 3 mins more, then tip in the tomatoes and sugar.
• Add a few drops of tabasco if desired.
• Bring to the boil, simmer for 5 mins, then stir through the basil and goat cheese.
• Toss with the drained pasta and serve.

EGGPLANT WITH TOMATO-MINT SAUCE AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with oil spray. Arrange eggplant rounds on prepared sheets; brush lightly with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 10 minutes. Turn rounds over and bake until tender and golden, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with their juices, mint and oregano and simmer until sauce thickens and is reduced to 1 3/4 cups, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon half of tomato sauce into shallow 2-quart baking dish. Arrange eggplant rounds atop sauce, overlapping slightly. Spoon remaining sauce over. Sprinkle cheese over. Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with basil.

CHEESY EGGPLANT AND RIGATONI BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook rigatoni according to package instructions but keep it slightly more al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking water, then drain and rinse pasta under cold water, and transfer to a large bowl while you cook the eggplant.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium. Add half the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until golden brown on all sides, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the rigatoni. Repeat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining eggplant and transfer to the bowl.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over medium. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in red-pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and their juices, crushing the tomatoes with your hands as you add them. Cook until the tomatoes are very soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved pasta cooking water, adding up to 1 1/2 cups as needed to create a silky sauce.
• If the skillet is large enough, add the rigatoni and eggplant mixture, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup basil and toss to coat. Otherwise, add the tomato sauce, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup basil to the large bowl with the rigatoni and eggplant, toss to coat and then return to the skillet or transfer to a greased baking dish.
• Top with remaining 3 cups mozzarella and bake until the sauce is bubbling on the sides and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes. Top with grated ricotta salata and torn fresh basil to serve.

PENNE WITH EGGPLANT, OLIVES AND FETA CHEESE

Steps:

• Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with 2 tablespoons oil. Heat remaining 6 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, garlic and crushed pepper; sauté 3 minutes. Add eggplant and oregano. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook until eggplant softens, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Mix in tomatoes with juices, 1/2 cup basil, olives, tomato paste and vinegar. Cover; simmer until all vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite; drain well. Stir pasta into vegetable mixture. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover dish with foil. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake pasta covered until heated through, about 20 minutes (40 minutes if refrigerated). Sprinkle with feta, then 1/2 cup basil.