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Pasta Eggplant Bacon & Tomato

Pasta with Eggplant Bacon and Tomato
Pasta with Eggplant Bacon and Tomato

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pasta Eggplant Bacon & Tomato

I am always trying to think of new ways to serve up eggplant.  This pasta eggplant bacon & tomato is quick easy and the lesser time cooking doesn’t leave the eggplant so soft.  By prepping the vegetables first you can , depending on how fast your stove heats up water, cook it all in almost the same time.

 Ingredients for Pasta Eggplant Bacon & Tomato

  1. 1 large eggplant cubes into ½ inch pieces
  2. 2-14 oz cans crushed tomatoes
  3. 1 red pepper finely diced
  4. 3 cloves garlic diced
  5. 2 small shallots diced 
  6. ½ pound bacon diced
  7. 2-3 Tbs Olive oil
  8. 2 tsp hot pepper flakes ( optional)
  9. Salt & pepper to taste 
  10. Chopped parsley for garnish
  11. Pasta ( your choice)

Directions for Pasta Eggplant Bacon & Tomato

Peel and cube the eggplant into ½ inch cubes.  Finely dice the red pepper.  Dice the garlic and shallot.  

Dice the bacon and on medium heat cook until the bacon is crisp.  Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain and reserve the fat.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of Olive oil to the bacon fat and bring up to a medium high heat.  Add the eggplant, pepper, garlic and shallot and cook for 5- 8 minutes until slightly softened.  Begin to heat the water for the pasta at the same time.

Add the crushed tomatoes, and pepper flakes to the sauce, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Cover and cook at a simmer until pasta is done about 10-15 minutes.

Drain the pasta, reserving one cup of pasta water.

If the sauce appears to be too thick add a little pasta water at a time until you have your desired consistency.

Portion out the pasta and cover with sauce.

Garnish with the reserved bacon bits and parsley, and serve grated Parmesan cheese on the side

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Cuisinart 633-30H Chef’s Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Lid
Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Four Star II 11-Piece Knife Set with Block

 

 

The Official Taste Tester
The Official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again with the vegetables.  What could possibly be wrong with a juicy delicious MEATBALL!!!!

 

 

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Pasta Eggplant Bacon & Tomato

Pasta Eggplant Bacon & Tomato

Ingredients

  1. 1 large eggplant cubes into ½ inch pieces
  2. 2-14 oz cans crushed tomatoes
  3. 1 red pepper finely diced
  4. 3 cloves garlic diced
  5. 2 small shallots diced
  6. ½ pound bacon diced
  7. 2-3 Tbs Olive oil
  8. 2 tsp hot pepper flakes ( optional)
  9. Salt & pepper to taste
  10. Chopped parsley for garnish
  11. Pasta ( your choice)

Instructions

  1. Peel and cube the eggplant into ½ inch cubes. Finely dice the red pepper. Dice the garlic and shallot.
  2. Dice the bacon and on medium heat cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain and reserve the fat.
  3. Add 2-3 tablespoons of Olive oil to the bacon fat and bring up to a medium high heat. Add the eggplant, pepper, garlic and shallot and cook for 5- 8 minutes until slightly softened. Begin to heat the water for the pasta at the same time.
  4. Add the crushed tomatoes, and pepper flakes to the sauce, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  5. Cover and cook at a simmer until pasta is done about 10-15 minutes.
  6. Drain the pasta, reserving one cup of pasta water.
  7. If the sauce appears to be too thick add a little pasta water at a time until you have your desired consistency.
  8. Portion out the pasta and cover with sauce.
  9. Garnish with the reserved bacon bits and parsley, and serve grated Parmesan cheese on the side
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Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana

Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana
Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana

On a recent trip to the green grocer I picked up a very nice large eggplant.  Pondering what to make for dinner , I thought perhaps eggplant parmigiana, but I really didn’t feel like breading and frying the slices.  Looking out the kitchen window I spied the BBQ and thought why not try grilled eggplant instead.  It’s a simple enough dish and it is very easy to prepare.  I have for years peeled my eggplants for all my recipes, but about a year ago I tried one recipe with the skin on and it was just fine, so I leave it on for most of my recipes now,which in this recipe helps to hold the eggplant together while grilling.

 Ingredients for Eggplant Parmigiana

  1. 1 large Eggplant thickly sliced = enough for 2
  2. 2 cups approximate your favorite tomato sauce
  3. 2-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  4. 4-5 Tbs canola oil
  5. salt and pepper

Directions for Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana

Preheat grill to medium high

Slice the eggplant into thick 1/4 inch or more slices and lay out on a baking sheet.  Lightly oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.

In batches grill the eggplant on both sides until you have fairly good char marks and the eggplant is slightly softened.

 

Grilled Eggplant
Grilled Eggplant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allow the Eggplant to cool a little so that it is easy to handle.In a baking dish large enough to accommodate at least three layers of eggplant, place a little sauce in the bottom of the dish (this helps to keep the finished dish from sticking to the bottom ) now place a layer of eggplant, spoon sauce over and sprinkle with mozzarella, continue to layer ending with a layer of cheese at the top.

Bake at 375 covered for about 30-40 minutes until you can see the sauce bubbling at the edges of the dish.  Remove the cover and baked uncovered for the last 5 -10 minutes to lightly brown the top layer of cheese.

Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes.  Serve as a stand alone dish or with pasta and extra sauce.

 

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Staub Rectangular Ceramic Baking Dish – White
Weber Genesis 6531001 E-330 637-Square-Inch 38,000-BTU Liquid-Propane Gas Grill, Black

 

The Official Taste Tester
The Official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really can’t get excited over vegetables, other than raw carrots which I adore!  And it was too hard to eat the sauce and cheese around it.  Next time layer it with chicken.  Rule #1 applies- no tasty, no ratey, but everyone else seemed to gobble it up.

 

Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana
Serves 2
Write a review
Save Recipe
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 large Eggplant thickly sliced = enough for 2
  2. 2 cups approximate your favorite tomato sauce
  3. 2-3 cups shredded mozzerella cheese
  4. 4-5 Tbs canola oil
  5. salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat grill to medium high
  2. Slice the eggplant into thick 1/4 inch or more slices and lay out on a baking sheet. Lightly oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
  3. In batches grill the eggplant on both sides until you have fairly good char marks and the eggplant is slightly softened.
  4. Allow the Eggplant to cool a little so that it is easy to handle.In a baking dish large enough to accommodate at least three layers of eggplant, place a little sauce in the bottomof the dish (this helps to keep the finished dish from sticking to the bottom ) now place a layer of eggplant, spoon sauce over and sprinkle with mozzerella, continue to layer ending with a layer of cheese at the top.
  5. Bake at 375 covered for about 30-40 minutes until you can see the sauce bubbling at the edges of the dish. Remove the cover and baked uncovered for the last 5- 10 minutes to lightly brown the top layer of cheese.
  6. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes. Serve as a stand alone dish or with pasta and extra sauce.
Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

 

 

If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site.  It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .  

 Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.

  copyright © rantsravesandrecipes 2014 all rights reserved

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Eggplant Rollatini

Eggplant Rollatini
Eggplant Rollatini

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eggplant Rollatini

Eggplant rollatini, “rollatini” not being a truly  Italian word, some suggest involtini, however this word in Italian implies a small bite ie: an hors d’ oeuvres, but rollatini is certainly a stand alone main dish.

As with it’s name there are certainly many variations to the recipe.  It is after all a recipe so feel free to experiment, nothing is written in stone!

This version is a simple to make.  You can certainly prepare a homemade sauce if you want, and you can add or delete whatever you want to the filling

“To peel or not to peel, that is the question”, and of course the answer is up to you.  For years I peeled all my eggplant but in an adventurous mood I prepared a few dishes with unpeeled eggplant and was surprised to find that the skin is quite delicious.  In this recipe unpeeled makes a nice presentation to the dish.  However in the example we made the eggplants available at our local market weren’t that great so I peeled them.

A slight aside we forgot to take a finished photo because it smelled so good and we were so hungry.

Ingredients for Eggplant Rollatini

  1. 3 -4 Large Eggplants sliced into 1/8 – 1/4 inch lengthwise slices
  2. 2 Tbs vegetable oil for pan
  3. 18 ounces ricotta cheese
  4. 1/2 pound grated mozzarella cheese
  5. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese + 1/4 – 1/2  cup for topping
  6. 1 large jar your favorite sauce
  7. salt & pepper
  8. 1 Tbs dried oregano
  9. 2 eggs

Directions for Eggplant Rollatini

Preheat oven to 375°

Take the sliced eggplant and salt both sides to remove excess water and avert a bitter taste, place into a colander and allow to drain for about 15 minutes.  Then take the eggplant, rinse off the salt and pat dry.  Each eggplant should leave you with a few small slices from the sides that won’t be large enough to roll, take these and finely dice them and in a small fry pan with a little olive oil and 1 clove of garlic sauté until tender, place cooked eggplant into a bowl and allow to cool.

Take a large cast iron fry pan and put on medium high heat, brush lightly with oil and place a few of the eggplant slices at a time into the pan  and allow to slightly char on both sides, remove to a wire rack to cool and continue to cook all the eggplant slices.

While the eggplant cools in a large bowl place the ricotta, mozzarella, 1/4 cup of Parmesan, the salt and pepper, the oregano, and eggs,and the sautéd diced eggplant and mix thoroughly.

Take the eggplant and place a spoonful of the filling on the thin end and roll gently up.  Place in a baking pan, seam side down, that has a little sauce spread on the bottom to keep the eggplant from sticking to the pan.  Continue until all the slices are done and in the pan.*  Spoon sauce over the top of the rolls and sprinkle the Parmesan over the top.  Bake for 45 minutes to an hour.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

* if you have left over filling you can use it, by adding more cheeses and making baked ziti or some other cheesy recipe the next day

 

The Official Taste Tester
The Official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m torn! Love the cheeses and love the sauce, but really why would you think it goes with vegetables?  Stuff it in a steak and I’m in!  3 paws for the lack of meat

 

Capture 3a

 

 

 

 

 

If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site.  It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .  

Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.

 

copyright © rantsravesandrecipes 2013 all rights reserved

 

 

Eggplant Rollatini
Serves 6
an easy to prepare great tasting main course
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 min
Ingredients
  1. 3 -4 Large Eggplants sliced into 1/8 - 1/4 inch lengthwise slices
  2. 2 Tbs vegetable oil for pan
  3. 18 ounces ricotta cheese
  4. 1/2 pound grated mozzarella cheese
  5. 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese + 1/4 - 1/2 cup for topping
  6. 1 large jar your favorite sauce
  7. salt & pepper
  8. 1 Tbs dried oregano
  9. 2 eggs
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°
  2. Take the sliced eggplant and salt both sides to remove excess water and avert a bitter taste, place into a colander and allow to drain for about 15 minutes. Then take the eggplant, rinse off the salt and pat dry. Each eggplant should leave you with a few small slices from the sides that won't be large enough to roll, take these and finely dice them and in a small fry pan with a little olive oil and 1 clove of garlic sauté until tender, place cooked eggplant into a bowl and allow to cool.
  3. Take a large cast iron fry pan and put on medium high heat, brush lightly with oil and place a few of the eggplant slices at a time into the pan and allow to slightly char on both sides, remove to a wire rack to cool and continue to cook all the eggplant slices.
  4. While the eggplant cools in a large bowl place the ricotta, mozzarella, 1/4 cup of Parmesan, the salt and pepper, the oregano, and eggs,and the sautéd diced eggplant and mix thoroughly.
  5. Take the eggplant and place a spoonful of the filling on the thin end and roll gently up. Place in a baking pan that has a little sauce spread on the bottom to keep the eggplant from sticking to the pan. continue until all the slices are done and in the pan. Spoon sauce over the top of the rolls and sprinkle the Parmesan over the top. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
  1. If you don't use all the filling save it for the next day add a little more cheese and use in baked Ziti or some other cheesy recipe!
Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/