Baked Rigatoni with Eggplant, Tomatoes & Ricotta

More eggplant! This dish is a great vegetarian alternative to a traditional baked ziti. A crowd-pleasing weeknight comfort-food pasta casserole. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Jonathan Waxman of Barbuto in NYC. I used San Marzano tomatoes instead of beefsteak and modified the proportions and method. I loved that it incorporated pesto.

To make the dish more healthy, Waxman replaces the traditional béchamel sauce with eggplant. The original recipe even suggests using whole-wheat pasta, if desired. Don’t worry… it is still an indulgent baked pasta dish with butter and plenty of cheese. 😉

Yield: Serves 8

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
• 1 pound rigatoni (whole wheat pasta can be used, if desired)
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium eggplants (2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch dice
• coarse salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 medium to large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 beefsteak tomatoes (2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch dice or 28-oz can San Marzano tomatoes, with juice, cut into pieces with kitchen shears
• 1/3 cup prepared pesto
• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn or shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375°, preferably on convection.
2. Butter a 9-by-13-inch ovenproof baking dish. (I used cooking oil spray.)
3. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the rigatoni until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, then transfer to a large bowl.
4. Toss the pasta with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
5. Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet or sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add half of the eggplant and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant to the pasta. Repeat with another 1/4 cup of olive oil and the remaining eggplant.
6. Add the onion, garlic and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have broken down and thickened to a sauce consistency, 7 to 8 minutes.
8. Stir in the 4 tablespoons of butter.
9. Add the tomato sauce to the pasta and eggplant along with the pesto and ricotta; season with salt and pepper and toss well.
10. Transfer the rigatoni to the prepared baking dish. Top with the mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano and bake for about 20 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top.
11. Let the pasta stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Ziti with Cauliflower

Adding vegetables to a baked pasta dish is a wonderful way to slim it down and make it a little bit healthier. My son enjoyed this version as much as our standard super cheesy baked ziti. Not only does this version incorporate cauliflower, it is also upgraded by adding flavor from saffron and anchovies.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Martha Rose Shulman. The dish was inspired by another Sicilian cauliflower dish in Clifford A. Wright’s “Cucinia Paradiso.” I modified the recipe by roasting the cauliflower, increasing the garlic and tomatoes, using whole wheat pasta, and incorporating mozzarella cheese. Great.

Yield: Serves 6

• 1 medium cauliflower, about 2 pounds, leaves and stem trimmed, cut into florets
• coarse salt, to taste
• pinch of saffron threads
• 2-4 T extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped
• 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 T chopped flat leaf parsley
• ¾ pound ziti or penne rigate (I used whole wheat penne)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
• 1/2 pound part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection roast.
2. On a parchment paper lined, rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower florets with 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until tender.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees, on convection.
4. Place the saffron in a small bowl and add 3 tablespoons warm water. Let steep for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Combine the grated cheeses in a bowl.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it smells fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, and add the anchovies and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt (remembering that the anchovies will contribute a lot of salt) and freshly ground pepper.
7. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes.
8. Stir in the roasted cauliflower, saffron with its soaking water, and parsley, cover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.
9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the pasta. Cook until just al dente, a few minutes less than you would cook it to serve. It will soften further when it bakes. (I cooked the whole wheat penne noodles for 5 minutes, 2 minutes shy of al dente.) Drain and transfer to a bowl.
10. Oil a 3-quart baking dish. Toss the pasta with half the cauliflower mixture and half the cheese and spoon into the baking dish.
11. Combine the remaining cauliflower mixture with half of the remaining cheese and spoon over the pasta.
12. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of oil.
13. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling. Garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve hot.

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Creamy Ricotta, Fresh Corn & Tomato Baked Ziti

Yes! More tomatoes. They are taking over my kitchen! 🙂 I loved that this dish also incorporated sweet summer corn- and basil.

This is a wonderful summertime version of one of my favorite winter casseroles. Cheesy but not too rich. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

The recipe was adapted from TheKitchn.com, contributed by Christine Gallary. I modified the proportions, reduced the pasta cooking time, and used Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in the sauce. Great.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

• cooking spray
• 1 pound dried penne or ziti pasta
• 15 to 16 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes (about 4 to 5 medium), diced
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (I used kernels from 3 ears of corn)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F, preferably on convection. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
3. Add the pasta to the water and cook about 2 minutes shy of al dente, about 8 minutes, or adjust according to package directions.
4. Meanwhile, place the ricotta cheese, milk, Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until very smooth; set aside. (I used a Vitamix.)
5. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add the tomatoes, corn, and ricotta sauce and stir until thoroughly combined.
6. Transfer to the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil.
7. Bake until bubbling around the edges, 30 minutes. Uncover and stir to evenly coat with sauce.
8. Taste and season with salt as needed. Sprinkle with the basil. Serve.

Note: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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Shortcut Baked Rigatoni with Meatballs

There are so many end-of-the-school-year parties this time of year. A great time to share a crowd-pleasing casserole! I brought this baked pasta dish to my son’s pre-County Championship Swim Meet pasta dinner. I was thrilled when my friend’s husband asked for the recipe. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from such a fun book- Mad Genius Tips: Over 90 Expert Hacks + 100 Delicious Recipes by Justin Chapple and the Editors of Food and Wine. I love Chapple’s column in the printed magazine and knew I would enjoy this book as well. The pasta and the meatballs cook in the oven. Truly genius!

• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground beef or ground turkey
• 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup lightly packed basil, torn or chiffonade, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ziti, rigatoni, rotini, fusilli, shells, or campanelle pasta
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 28 oz (about 3 cups) prepared marinara sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. In a large bowl, combine the pork, beef/turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, 1/3 cup torn basil, 1/4 cup of Parmesan and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper; mix well.
3. Using a cookie scoop, form the meat mixture into one-inch balls.
4. In a 9-by-13-inch ceramic baking dish, spread half of the pasta in an even layer.
5. Arrange half of the meatballs (about 16) and mozzarella on the pasta.
6. Spoon half of the marinara on top and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
7. Repeat with the remaining pasta, meatballs, cheese, and marinara. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
8. Place baking dish on a rimmed cookie sheet. Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the baking dish and cover tightly with foil.
9. Bake for about 1 hour, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
10. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes longer, until lightly browned.
11. Let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with basil and parmesan and serve.

Make Ahead: The baked pasta can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently.

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