Rigatoni With Eggplant And Sausage Recipes

RIGATONI WITH SPICY CHICKEN SAUSAGE, ASPARAGUS, EGGPLANT, AND ROASTED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the oven 6 inches below the broiler and preheat the broiler.
• Put the peppers on a baking sheet and put it under the broiler. Roast, turning the peppers with tongs a quarter turn every couple of minutes, until charred on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let the peppers steam for 10 minutes to loosen the skins.
• Using a paper towel, rub the charred skins off the peppers. Carefully remove the cores, stems, and seeds, and slice the pieces lengthwise into thin strips. Reserve any liquid the peppers release.
• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute; drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and return the pasta to the warm pot.
• Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet, add the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and cook until brown and just tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the roasted peppers with any reserved liquid, asparagus, sausage, and vinegar and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.
• Transfer the sausage mixture to the warm rigatoni and add the Parmesan, parsley, and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir to combine.
• Taste the pasta and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a large bowl and serve immediately.

RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE & FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and saute for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and cook for one minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and tomato paste. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and cook the rigatoni according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat the pasta. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on the side.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the topping: Add the ricotta, basil, and salt to a small bowl. Stir together with a rubber spatula. Set aside.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season well with salt and cook the rigatoni for 5 minutes. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
• Meanwhile, heat a large braiser or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and sausage to the pan. Cook, stirring often and breaking apart the meat with the back of a spoon, until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the broccoli and garlic and cook to marry the flavors, about 3 minutes. Stir in the marinara and 1/4 teaspoon salt until fully combined. Add the pasta to the pan and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Toss well to coat. Add the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce slightly.
• Dollop the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the top. Nestle the ricotta mixture into the pasta and cover with some of the pasta. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for the pasta.
• Oil a 9x13 pan with olive oil.
• Heat a 3 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the sausages and toss in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes, you want them nicely browned on the outside but still rare on the inside. Put the sausages in the baking dish.
• Turn the heat down to medium.
• Add 1/3 cup of oil to the skillet and get it hot. Add as many eggplant pieces as you can comfortably fit in a single layer and sprinkle well with salt. Cook, turning, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant is nice and browned, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Use a spatula to put the eggplant into the baking dish with the sausage. Cook the rest of the eggplant pieces, adding more oil to the pan, as needed, and putting the finished eggplant into the baking dish.
• Add another 3 Tbsp olive oil to the skillet, then the onion and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent.
• Dump the whole can of tomatoes and their juices into a bowl and crush the tomatoes with your hands to break them up; add that to the pan with the basil and cook it down until pulpy and relatively thick. This will take about 15 minutes.
• Add the rigatoni to the boiling pasta water, give it a stir, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, it should be slightly firm as it will cook further in the oven. Ladle out 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve; the drain the rigatoni.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Chop the sausages into nice big, bite-size chunky pieces and return the pieces to the baking dish. Add the tomato sauce, rigatoni, and the reserved pasta water.
• Break up half the mozzarella over the mixture, season with salt and pepper, and gently mix with your hands or a spatula until combined.
• Dust with the Parmigiano and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Spread the remaining mozzarella in an even layer over the top and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

TOMATO, EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE PASTA

Steps:

• In a medium/large bowl add the cubed eggplant toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt, leave for about 20-30 minutes, drain any excess liquid but do not rinse before adding to the pan.
• In a large frying pan on low to medium heat, add the olive oil, the eggplant, chopped sausage, fresh tomatoes*, spices, and water, stir and continue to cook on low to medium heat, (stirring often, so the mixture does not burn) until sausage, tomatoes & eggplant are cooked (we like the tomatoes slightly dried). Toss with 3 -4 cups cooked pasta and 1/2 a ladle of pasta water, cook on high heat for about 45-60 seconds stirring constantly. Top with fresh chopped basil leaves and freshly grated parmesan cheese, serve immediately. Enjoy!

RIGATONI WITH ITALIAN EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook. Continue stirring until softened, about 3 more minutes.
• Add tomatoes, with liquid, breaking them up with the back of spoon. Stir in wine, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
• Bring large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta until al dente; drain. Toss pasta with sauce in pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Serve on a large platter and top with grated Romano cheese.

EGGPLANT AND MUSHROOM RIGATONI

Steps:

• In a large deep saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add eggplant and mushrooms. Cook for 10-14 minutes, occasionally stirring.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the tomato pasta and stir. Cook for one minute.
• Add the oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
• Deglaze the pan with the red wine; cook until most of the wine has been absorbed.
• Add the balsamic vinegar and tomatoes. Use the back of a spoon the break apart the tomatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
• While the sauce is cooking, make the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water.
• Cook the pasta according to package direction.
• Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Set aside.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the tomato sauce. Pour in the reserved cooking liquid. Gently toss to combine.
• Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
• Serve with fresh herbs.

RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT, PEPPERS, AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the diced eggplant in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the red pepper and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, and bring to a simmer; season with fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the tomatoes have reduced slightly, about 15 minutes.
• bring a large pot of lightly-salted water to a boil; stir in the rigatoni and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 13 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
• Stir the eggplant mixture into the pasta along with the basil and olives. Spoon the tomato sauce overtop to serve.

RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT, TOMATO, AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Fill a 5-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for pasta.
• Chop onion and cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Mince garlic. In a large deep heavy skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add eggplant and salt and sauté, stirring frequently, until eggplant is lightly browned.
• Add 1/2 cup water to eggplant mixture and cook, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, adding more water, 1/4 cup at a time, if mixture becomes dry, until eggplant is tender, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice and simmer, stirring vigorously to break up tomatoes, 5 minutes, or until mixture has a sauce-like consistency. Stir in garlic and basil and season with salt.
• While sauce is simmering, cook pasta in boiling water until al dente and drain well in a colander. Add pasta to sauce and toss to coat.
• Divide pasta between 2 bowls and serve with dollops of ricotta on top.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for the pasta. Get yourself a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
• Heat a 2 count of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages and toss in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes, you want them nicely browned on the outside but still rare on the inside. Put the sausages in the baking dish.
• Turn the heat down to medium. Add a generous 1/3 cup of oil to the skillet and get it hot. Add as many eggplant pieces as you can comfortably fit in a single layer and sprinkle well with salt. Cook, turning, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant is nice and browned, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Use a spatula to put the eggplant into the baking dish with the sausage. Cook the rest of the eggplant pieces, adding more oil to the pan, as needed, and putting the finished eggplant into the baking dish.
• Add another 2 count of oil to the skillet, then your onion and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Dump the whole can of tomatoes and their juices into a bowl and crush the tomatoes with your hands to break them up; add that to the pan with the basil and cook it down until pulpy and relatively thick. This will take about 15 minutes.
• By this time your pasta water will be boiling. Add the rigatoni, give it a stir, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, it should be slightly firm as it will cook further in the oven. Ladle out 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve; the drain the rigatoni.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Chop the sausages into nice big, bite-size chunky pieces and return the pieces to the baking dish. Add the tomato sauce, rigatoni, and the reserved pasta water. Break up half the mozzarella over the mixture, season with salt and pepper, and gently mix with your hands or a spatula. Dust with the Parmigiano and drizzle with more olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Spread the remaining mozzarella in an even layer over the top and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for pasta. Get yourself a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Heat a 2 count of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausages and toss in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes, so they're nicely browned on the outside but still rare on the inside. Put sausages in baking dish. Turn heat down to medium. Add a generous 1/3 cup of oil to skillet and get it hot. Add as many eggplant pieces as you can comfortably fit in a single layer and sprinkle well with salt. Cook, turning, for 7 to 8 minutes, until eggplant is nice and browned, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Use a spatula to put eggplant into baking dish with sausage. Cook the rest of eggplant pieces, adding more oil to the pan, as needed, and putting finished eggplant into baking dish. Add another 2 count of oil to skillet, then your onion and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Dump the whole can of tomatoes and their juices into a bowl and crush tomatoes with your hands to break them up; add that to the pan with basil and cook it down until pulpy and relatively thick. This will take about 15 minutes. By this time your pasta water will be boiling. Add rigatoni, give it a stir, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, it should be slightly firm as it will cook further in the oven. Ladle out 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and reserve; drain the rigatoni. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Chop sausages into nice big, bite-size chunky pieces and return pieces to baking dish. Add tomato sauce, rigatoni, and reserved pasta water. Break up half the mozzarella over the mixture, season with salt and pepper, and gently mix with your hands or a spatula. Dust with Parmigiano and drizzle with more olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Spread remaining mozzarella in an even layer over the top and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Add another 2 count of oil to the skillet, then your onion and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Dump the whole can of tomatoes and their juices into a bowl and crush the tomatoes with your hands to break them up; add that to the pan with the basil and cook it down until pulpy and relatively thick. This will take about 15 minutes. By this time your pasta water will be boiling. Add the rigatoni, give it a stir, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, it should be slightly firm as it will cook further in the oven. Ladle out 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve; the drain the rigatoni. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Chop the sausages into nice big, bite-size chunky pieces and return the pieces to the baking dish. Add the tomato sauce, rigatoni, and the reserved pasta water. Break up half the mozzarella over the mixture, season with salt and pepper, and gently mix with your hands or a spatula. Dust with the Parmigiano and drizzle with more olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. Spread the remaining mozzarella in an even layer over the top and continue to bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly

RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANT, ITALIAN SAUSAGE, AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Put the eggplant cubes in a colander set over a bowl. Add 2 teaspoons salt and toss well. Let drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze the eggplant cubes vigorously to release additional moisture, then set aside on paper towels.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and sauté until browned in spots and tender, about 10 minutes. (Taste to be sure.)
• In a large pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it is finely crumbled and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté briefly to release its fragrance. Add the tomatoes, Parmesan rind, and basil. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Stir in the eggplant. Season with salt and pepper and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Remove the Parmesan rind.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Set aside 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss well, add the cheese, and toss again, moistening with reserved pasta water if needed. Serve immediately in 8 warm bowls and pass additional Parmesan cheese.
• Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Zinfandel or another robust red wine.