Eggplant Parmesan Pasta
Published April 5, 2022
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾cup panko bread crumbs
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ½cup finely chopped yellow onion (from 1 small onion)
- 3garlic cloves, minced
- 1½pounds eggplant, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (8 cups)
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 1(28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed with your hands in a bowl
- 1basil sprig, plus ⅓ cup coarsely chopped basil leaves
- ¼teaspoon dried oregano
- 1pound short pasta, such as mezze rigatoni, fusilli or shells
- 2tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 8ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced and at room temperature
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
984 calories; 44 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 116 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams dietary fiber; 16 grams sugars; 34 grams protein; 1433 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a high-sided large (12-inch) skillet with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add panko, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Set a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Step 2
Wipe out the skillet and heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add eggplant and drizzle over the remaining ¼ cup oil. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is softened, about 8 minutes. Add in tomato paste and stir constantly until lightly caramelized on the bottom of the skillet, about 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, basil sprig, oregano and 1½ cups of water, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Step 3
Cover the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally and smashing some of the eggplant, until the eggplant is very tender and the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Discard the basil sprig.
- Step 4
Meanwhile, in the large pot of water, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain.
- Step 5
Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water and the eggplant sauce to the large pasta cooking pot, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until sauce thickens and coats the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup of the chopped basil.
- Step 6
Add Parmesan to the panko and mix well. Divide the pasta in bowls and top each with some of the mozzarella. Sprinkle over cheesy bread crumbs, and garnish with the remaining basil.
Private Notes
Comments
Frying eggplant on the stove absorbs too much olive oil. Lidia Bastianich salts the cubed eggplant and lets it drain. It's the only way to get the bitterness. Once it is dried on paper towels, she tosses it with far less olive oil and roasts it in the oven. The eggplant that emerges is less oily, doesn't break down as fast as on top of the stove, and has a lovely flavor with the pasta and cheese. A little more work, but a big payoff in terms of texture and taste.
add a healthy amount of anchovy paste (I like Cento best) thank me later
Kept looking at the recipe to see if I was missing something as tasted bland even toward the end. Could do with more of most everything except tomato and eggplant. More onion, garlic, oregano, and bunch of salt next time.
Thought it was delicious. Took into account some of the comments and really upped the amount of garlic. Toasted and well seasoned the breadcrumbs until very crisp and dark brown. Added one zucchini since my eggplants were a little small. Used feta since I didn’t have mozzarella. Did not find this too greasy at all, the eggplant kind of melted into the sauce, but I didn’t see that as an issue! Very good.
First time I made this, followed the recipe for prep and, as others have mentioned- eggplant wasn’t ideal but we added more spices and it was worth reconsidering. Second time I cooked the eggplant in my air fryer / oven (Breville) while I made the pasta and sauce with extra spices to our preference and WOW! Really cut down on the cook time and the chunks of eggplant were perfect.
sauteed the panko dry - no need for oil, with some oregano and s&p. cubed and salted, then drained the eggplant on paper towels. tossed it with a bit of evoo, lots of oregano, and some s&p, then into the oven on wax paper for 20 minutes at 400. into the sauce (which btw started with the onion and some anchovy filets), and simmered for 20 minutes. mixed the browned panko with the parm, and sprinkled on ribbons of basil on top of the mozz. heavenly. 4 stars as written, 5 my way :)