Baked Ziti With Italian Sausage and Eggplant
Blue Ribbon Recipe
Baked ziti is delicious with layers of marinara, pasta, and cheese. This recipe uses a homemade Italian sausage meat sauce that's hearty and perfectly seasoned. We love adding pan-fried eggplant to the layers. The eggplant and pasta absorb the meat sauces Italian flavor. Super cheesy, serve this baked ziti with garlic bread for a tasty family meal.
Ingredients
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1 largeeggplant, sliced into about 1/3 inch thick circles
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1/2 colive oil (plus more)
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1 lbItalian sausage, hot or mild
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1 cchopped onion
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1 can(s)Italian style tomatoes (28 oz)
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2 Tbsptomato paste
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1 tspItalian seasoning
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4 Tbspbutter
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4 Tbspall-purpose flour
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1/4 tspcruhed red pepper flakes
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8 ozcooked ziti, drained
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2 cmilk
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1 cshredded mozzarella
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1/8 tspnutmeg
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1/2 cshredded/grated Parmesan cheese
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1/4 cbasil, dried or 1/2 c fresh basil minced
How to Make Baked Ziti With Italian Sausage and Eggplant
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/4 cup of the oil.
- Add the eggplant in batches, seasoning on both sides with salt and pepper, and cook until golden, adding more oil as needed.
- Transfer to a plate when each batch is done.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot but not smoking, add the onion and sausage.
- Cook, stirring until the sausage is browned and the onion is soft about 6 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown.
- Add the tomatoes, their juices, the Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the crushed red pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, until the flavors marry and the sauce slightly thickens, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Add the basil and adjust seasoning, to taste.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and forms a light roux, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the milk and, whisking frequently, cook until the sauce is thickened and smooth, about 4 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Arrange half of the eggplant slices on the bottom of the casserole, overlapping as necessary.
- Top with half of the cooked pasta; then half of the sausage-tomato sauce.
- Place another layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce.
- Then layers of pasta and sausage-tomato sauce.
- Pour on the white sauce.
- Then top with the grated mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown on top.
