Ziti al Mulignan (Baked Pasta with Eggplant)

Name: Ziti al Mulignan (Baked Pasta with Eggplant)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 eggplant, washed; 500 g ziti pasta or 500 g penne; 500 g ricotta cheese; 500 g mozzarella cheese; 1/3 cup parmigiano; 2 cups tomatoes or 2 cups pasta sauce; 3 cloves garlic, minced; salt; pepper; oregano; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 10 liters water

Submitted by Zaphod Beeblebrox

"This is a good way to get kids to eat eggplant. It doesn't have to be eggplant, either. I have made it with artichokes, and with capsicums (bell peppers) of different colours."

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Ready In:: 1hr 30mins
Ingredients:: 12
Serves:: 4-6

ingredients

1 eggplant, washed
500 g ziti pasta or 500 g penne
500 g ricotta cheese
500 g mozzarella cheese
¹⁄₃ cup parmigiano
2 cups tomatoes or 2 cups pasta sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper
oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 liters water

directions

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
In a large pot, boil the water.
When it boils, add the salt and pasta.
Stir for thirty seconds.
Boil the pasta for eight minutes and drain.
Cut the eggplant into 1 cm cubes.
In a large bowl, using your hands, toss with the olive oil, garlic, and parmigiano cheese.
Add salt, pepper, and oregano and toss.
Grate the mozzarella.
Toss 2/3 of the mozzarella cheese with the eggplant mixture.
Reserve the other third.
Using a spoon, flick bits of the ricotta into the bowl.
Toss gently with your hands, using a folding technique- start at the bottom and fold it over the top so you don't spread the ricotta too much.
Oil a 23 cm (9 in) square pan.
When the pasta is cool enough to handle, add it to the bowl and toss quickly.
Spread the mixture in the baking pan.
Cover with the tomato sauce.
Bang the pan on the counter a few times to get everything to settle and the air bubbles out.
Cover with the remaining mozzarella.
Cover LOOSELY with a"tent" of tin foil- do not let the foil touch the food!
Bake for 35 minutes.
Remove the tin foil and bake for 10 minutes more.
Rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

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Reviews

This was quite an interesting dish, it came together really well, and it tasted quite good. However, next time I will make the following adjustments: 1. I cut the entire recipe in half and it I still had trouble fitting into a 9-inch square pan. Next time I will use a 13- x 9-inch casserole dish. 2. It could have used less macaroni and more sauce. Next time I will use 6 ounces of macaroni and 3 cups of sauce. 3. 1/3 of the mozzarella was not enough to cover the top of the casserole. Next time I will use 500 g in the mixture and 250 g as the topping. I would also consider adding a cup of Panko crumbs to the topping.

Thomas G.
Great Tasting! Although it was a little cheesy for my taste, the kids loved it and I added mushrooms and spinach to give it an extra boost of nutrients. My mother felt like she was eating at a restaurant. All in all, a great easy, simple meal that incorporates vegetables beautifully.

Mama Jojo
great tasting,although added A LOT more ital.spice+used 1%cottage cheese for 1/2 the ricotta,+cut down on mozzarala,all to eliminate fat-AL IN ALL TASTED WONDERFUL!!

larry 2