Three Cheese Eggplant Caponata Pasta Bake
A twist on the classic Caponata di Melanzane, this pasta bake is full of savory, tangy and sweet flavors and topped with a trio of cheeses then baked to gooey, golden perfection.
Equipment
- Parchment paper (optional, but makes cleanup much simpler)
Ingredients
Eggplant Caponata
- 1 large red bell pepper, halved (see Note 1)
- 1 large eggplant, diced
- 1 ¼ tsp salt, or more to taste
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, divided
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ of a medium red onion, diced (about ⅔ cup)
- 2 ribs celery, diced (about â…” cup)
- 1 tsp chili flakes optional
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (see Note 2)
- 1 Parmesan rind, optional (see Note 3)
- 1 cup Castelvetrano olives, chopped (or other green olives of choice)
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped and divided
Pasta Bake
- 1 lb dry pasta of choice (I used rigatoni but any short noodles work)
- ½ cup pasta water
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 ½ cups provolone cheese, shredded
- â…“ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Add the eggplant pieces to a mixing bowl and season with 1 tsp salt, tossing to ensure all pieces are well coated
- Set aside for 20 minutes (this helps to draw out moisture and remove bitterness)
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Drain and rinse eggplant well to remove excess salt then pat very dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and season with ½ tsp black pepper; add the red pepper and press flat then toss everything with 1 tbsp olive oil
- Roast for 30 minutes or until lightly charred then remove the eggplant from the baking sheet and return the red pepper to the oven; broil for 1 minute or until the skin is charred and blistered then set the oven back to 400℉ (see Note 1)
- While the eggplant and pepper are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente; set aside, reserving ½ cup pasta water
- Once the red pepper has cooled, peel and remove the skin and dice
- Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil (you can even wipe and reuse the pot you cooked the pasta in to save dishes)
- Add the onion and celery and sauté for 3-4 minutes, then add the chili flakes and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant
- Add the tomatoes, Parmesan rind and olives and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tomatoes have started to break down and the consistency is saucy (see Note 2)
- Stir in the roasted eggplant and roasted red pepper along with the capers, honey, red wine vinegar, the remaining ½ tsp black pepper and salt to taste
- Remove the Parmesan rind and discard, then stir in the cooked pasta, pasta water and 2 tbsp fresh parsley, then transfer to a large broiler safe baking dish
- Top with the cheeses and bake for 7-8 minutes or until melted, then broil for 1-2 minutes until bubbly and golden
- Top with the remaining tbsp of parsley and serve
Notes
Note 1: I make a roasted red pepper for this recipe at the same time as I roast the eggplant because it’s super simple and I already have the oven on. If you prefer, you can just used jarred roasted red peppers.
Note 2: I prefer ripe fresh tomatoes here, but you can definitely substitute for canned diced tomatoes; just make sure to drain them or the caponata will be saucier.
Note 3: I only use freshly grated cheeses, so I cut off the rind from my Parmesan and throw it in. I also keep extra rinds in my freezer (which I highly recommend doing because they add great flavor to soups and sauces). If you don’t have a Parmesan rind on hand, you can skip it.
Nutrition Facts are calculated automatically and may be inaccurate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 servingCalories: 509kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 23gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 1099mgPotassium: 605mgFiber: 6gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1909IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 412mgIron: 2mg
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