Pasta al Forno Recipe for Two: Sicilian Baked Pasta with Eggplant and Provolone
A Sicilian-inspired Pasta al forno made for two, with silky roasted eggplant, sausage-tomato sauce, tender rigatoni and layers of melty provolone. This small-batch baked pasta casserole delivers all the cheesy, saucy goodness without a giant pan of leftovers.
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound eggplant, sliced crosswise about ½ inch thick
- 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage , casings removed
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 24.5 ounces passata , like Mutti Passata or use strained tomatoes, see note below.
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves , chopped
- 8 ounces rigatoni , about half of the one pound package.
- 3 ounces sharp provolone , shredded about ¾ cup
- 1 ounce fresh mozzarella ball , sliced into thin slices, about 4 slices, (optional)
- 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese about ½ cup
Instructions
Roast the Eggplant
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Spray foil generously with vegetable oil spray, then brush the foil with 1 table spoon olive oil.
- Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on prepared sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush tops of egg plan with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Flip the eggplant slices and brush with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Roast eggplant until tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through roasting. Let the eggplant cool on the baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Make ahead tip: Eggplant can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours in an air tight container. Be sure to bring the eggplant to room temperature before beginning to assemble and bake the casserole.
Make the Sausage-Tomato Pasta Sauce
- Heat about 1 Tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add sausage and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in passata, pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, stirring frequently, until bubbling throughout, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil.
Make ahead tip: Sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Warm the sauce before you begin to assemble the eggplant casserole for baking.
Parboil the Rigatoni
- Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and 1 Tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until pasta is flexible but not yet cooked through, about 7 minutes. Drain pasta and return it to the pot.
Always salt your pasta water. My general rule of thumb is to use 1 talespoon salt for every 4 quarts of water. We want it to taste like the sea.
Assemble the Eggplant Casserole
- Set aside about 1-½ cups of the sauce. Add the remaining sauce to the pasta, stirring to coat. Divide the pasta mixture evenly between the two baking dishes. Sprinkle provolone over pasta, then top with eggplant, overlapping the slices to make an even layer.
- Pour reserved sauce over eggplant, then place 2 slices of mozzarella, if using, on top of each baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan. Place baking sheets on rimmed baking sheet to catch any sauce that bubbles over. Cover with aluminum foil.
Using your hands, press lightly on eggplant to compress eggplant and pasta.
Bake the Pasta
- Bake on upper rack until bubbling, about 15 - 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake an additional 15 - 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and begins to brown. Let cool for 15 minutes and serve.