Baked Pasta with Eggplant

This is a great casserole-like dish to keep for lunches. It will yield 1 dinner (for 2) and 4 lunch servings.

1 lb tube-like pasta
Olive Oil
2 Medium Eggplant 1/2" cubes
2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
5 cloves Garlic, minced
28 oz Pasta Sauce
1 Cup shredded Mozzerella cheese
1/2 Cup shredded Parmagiano cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta per the box's instruction.

Lay paper towels on your kitchen counter and spread the cubed eggplant out. Sprinkle generously with salt and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Place the eggplant in a colander and rinse. Dry on the paper towels. In the mean time, preheat the over to 375 degrees and heat 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil over medium heat in the large pot used to cook the pasta. Simmer the red pepper flakes in the oil for 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add 1 tsp of salt and the minced garlic. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the pasta sauce and stir. Bring the sauce up to a simmer and stir in the pasta. Pour the pasta mixtore into a 9" x 13" glass casserole dish and sprinkle the mozzerella and parmagiano cheeses on top. Bake in the over for 20 minutes.

The Enlightened Palate

Baked Pasta with Eggplant