ITALIAN EGGPLANT GNOCCHI BAKE

Italian Eggplant Gnocchi Bake image

Full-flavored, comforting gratin-like dish full of Italian goodness. It's surprisingly rich in fiber. Simple to make.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 55m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

12 ounces frozen or fresh plain gnocchi
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, diced
Kosher salt
2 small Italian eggplant (about 1 pound), diced
1 1/4 cups store-bought roasted garlic marinara sauce
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 ounces shredded provolone
Sprigs fresh basil or oregano, for garnish, optional

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/8 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is very soft and the onions are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Add the gnocchi, reserved cooking liquid, marinara sauce and red pepper flakes to the skillet with the eggplant mixture and stir to combine.
Transfer the eggplant-gnocchi mixture to a 9-inch oval or square baking dish. Sprinkle with the provolone. Bake on the top oven rack until hot and bubbling and the cheese turns golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
Garnish with the fresh basil sprigs if using and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 346 calorie, Fat 10 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Cholesterol 7 milligrams, Sodium 725 milligrams, Carbohydrate 56 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 10 grams, Sugar 5 grams