Best Beef And Eggplant Sauce For Pasta Recipes

PASTA ALLA NORMA RECIPE

Steps:

• Slice and Salt the Eggplant. Trim the eggplant and partially peel them in a striped pattern (zebra pattern). Slice them into ½ inch thick rounds. Season the eggplant slices with kosher salt on both sides and lay them flat for a few minutes (up to 30 minutes if you have the time). Wipe the eggplant dry and remove excess salt using a paper towel.
• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Roast the eggplant. Brush the bottom of a large sheet pan (or two) with extra virgin olive oil. Arrange the eggplant slices in the pans in one single layer (eggplant slices should not overlap, each should be comfortably touching the bottom of the sheet pan). Roast in the heated oven until deeply golden brown, anywhere from 35 to 40 minutes, turning over mid-way through.
• Make the Sauce. Meanwhile, get going on the sauce. In a large deep pan, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, lower the heat and cook, tossing regularly, until the garlic gains a little bit of color. Add the tomatoes (with their juices), oregano and a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a quick boil, then lower the heat and let simmer briefly.
• When ready, add the roasted eggplant to sauce. Let simmer while you cook the pasta.
• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions (mine took about 11 minutes). Drain and combine the pasta with the eggplant and sauce (if needed, add a little bit of the pasta water and toss until the pasta is well-coated). Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Add chopped parsley and grated ricotta salata cheese to finish.

EGGPLANT BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook pork sausage, breaking it onto smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef; cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat.
• Pour remaining olive oil over sausage mixture; add eggplant, onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook and stir until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and continuing cooking until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Mix crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, parsley, oregano, and basil into sausage mixture; bring to a boil. Cover Dutch oven, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes.

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.

PASTA WITH EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant in slices one-quarter-inch thick. Place slices in layers in a colander, salting as you go. Leave for one hour. Wipe the eggplant dry with paper towels.
• Dredge the slices lightly with flour. Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the eggplant a few slices at a time until golden on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Prepare the sauce. Using one-quarter cup of the oil you have used for the eggplant, sautee the onion until soft. Add the meat, oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for one hour, covered.
• Cut eggplant into strips.
• Cook the pasta in five quarts boiling water, until al dente.
• Place the pasta in a heated serving dish. Add the sauce and arrange the eggplant on top. Sprinkle with the basil and serve. Pass the cheese separately.

EGGPLANT ZUCCHINI BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. , In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, zucchini, squash, onion, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Transfer to two 15x10x1-in. baking pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes or until tender. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato puree, Italian seasoning and brown sugar. , Drain pasta; stir in tomato mixture and roasted vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese.