Baked Rigatoni With Zucchini and Eggplant
- Ready In:
- 1hr 50mins
- Ingredients:
- 14
- Serves:
-
6-8
ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta
- 1 (28 ounce) can Italian tomatoes
- 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large eggplant, cut into approx. 1/3-inch dice
- 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 large zucchini, halved and sliced
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1⁄4 cup basil leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1⁄2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of salted water, stirring occsasionally, until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot while preparing the sauce.
- Puree the tomatoes with their juices in a blender or food processor and remove the seeds by passing the puree through a fine strainer placed over the bowl.
- In a large non-stick skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.Add half of the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggplant and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat procedure with remaining eggplant.
- Remove vegetable oil from skillet and add the olive oil. Over medium heat, saute the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini and onion and saute' for 6 minutes.
- Add the tomato puree, basil, and oregano. Simmer over medium heat until sauce is reduced, about 15 minutes. Stir in eggplant and season`with salt and pepper.
- Fold eggplant and zucchini sauce into the rigatoni along with mozzarella and reserved cooking water.
- Transfer the pasta to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over the top. Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.
- Serve the pasta piping hot.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
FLUFFSTER
Bullhead City, Arizona
I would like to welcome you to my recipes. I have been with Food.com since 10/05.
My beloved husband, Tom, passed away 3 years ago. My world stopped. It's taken me all this time to find my way back to life without him.
I have been so blessed to have found my second, once in a lifetime. I've met an amazing man who is so good to me.
We moved from Las Vegas, Nevada to Bullhead City, Az. in February, and we love it here.
I have worked at Bally's and Paris hotel.casinos, in Las Vegas. I have seen some very famous entertainers, including Liza Minnelli, Penn and Teller, Ray Liotta, Dr. J (Julius Erving), Frank Sinatra and his wife Barbara Marx. and many, many more.
Cooking is my passion, and I am slowly, but surely beginning to venture into the world of baking. To me, cooking is so much easier because baking is so much more exact.
I love to make Italian and Mexican food the best, followed by Chinese and last, but by far the least, good old American food! How can you beat chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy?? I love to find several recipes and put my own spin on them and create a new recipe.