I’m pleased to announce that last night’s eggplant experiment was a big hit. In fact, Hiram could hardly wait to pack leftovers for lunch at work today. Since the dish is meatless, that’s saying a lot. He’s quite dubious when his favorite food group doesn’t make it to the dinner table.
So if your refrigerator is packed to the gills with eggplant, give this recipe a try. Allen gave it to me over the phone, from an Italian cookbook, but I don’t know its name and can’t credit the authors. But the recipe got the Hiram Seal of Approval. What more could you want?
Eggplant Pasta Bake
2 eggplants, cut in 1/4 inch cubes
1 1/2 tablespoons of salt
1 pound pasta (penne, bow ties or corkscrews), cooked
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cups tomato sauce
handful of fresh, chopped basil
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Topping:
1 cup fluffy bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sprinkle eggplant cubes with salt. Let drain in a colander for a half hour. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a pan and fry eggplant until brown. In a large casserole dish, combine, eggplant, pasta, cheese, tomato sauce, basil and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Mix topping ingredients together and sprinkle over all. Bake covered at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes. Serve hot.
