Baked Eggplant Parmesan Pasta
Serves 8
30 mins prep
30 mins cook
60 mins total
This eggplant pasta recipe is a mash-up of two totally delicious comfort foods in one dish: Eggplant Parmigiano and macaroni and cheese. It features crunchy breadcrumb-crusted eggplant, marinara sauce and a creamy blanket of cheese, all baked in the oven. Buon Appetito!
Cheese sauce
Eggplant and pasta
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Make the cheese sauce
Heat a medium saucepan over moderate heat. Add the butter and heat until foaming subsides and butter is melted. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly pour in milk while whisking. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat and cook 5–10 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup of the Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and set aside.
Eggplant pasta
Preheat oven to 450 (230 C) degrees. Bring a large (4-6 quarts) pot of water to a boil and add 3 tablespoons salt.
Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, then slice each in half again to make four wedges. Slice crosswise into ½-inch thick pieces.
Whisk together egg, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic, and oregano in a large bowl. Add eggplant and toss to coat. Dredge eggplant in the panko crumbs on a cookie sheet.
Place a large rimmed baking sheet on the oven rack and heat for 10 minutes — it may warp a bit, but don't worry.
Carefully pour enough olive oil over the bottom of the preheated baking sheet to cover to a depth of ¼-inch. Lay eggplant on the pan and roast 12 minutes. Flip eggplant slices over with a spatula, and roast an additional 10 minutes or until eggplant is tender and crust is golden.
Cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Drain.
Lower oven temperature to 400 (200 C) degrees. Combine the pasta with the cheese sauce in the saucepan, then transfer to a large casserole or baking dish. Top with the eggplant (and any crisp crumbs in the pan), marinara sauce, ¼ cup Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Bake 12-15 minutes, until hot and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
