Baked Cheesy Pasta Casserole – VIDEO RECIPE

This Baked Cheesy Pasta Casserole is a tasty pasta dish with the flavors of tomatoes and eggplant, baked to perfection in the oven.

Are you in search of a delicious and satisfying lunch option for the entire family?

Look no further than this irresistible mac and cheese casserole.

We unveil a special cooking method that transforms ordinary eggplants into a delicate delicacy.

Don’t forget to sprinkle them with salt and rinse them thoroughly to eliminate any hint of bitterness.

The creamy ricotta complements nicely the juicy tomatoes and crispy eggplants! And it results in a harmonious blend of flavors.

This hearty and incredibly flavorful dish is perfect for the whole family.

The tender, fried eggplant pairs exquisitely with fragrant basil, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic cheese.

Combined with simple pasta, this dish transports you to Italy with every bite.

Prepare to effortlessly whip up a quick and tasty dinner in the oven!

Indulge in the This Baked Cheesy Pasta Casserole!

It’s a tantalizing spaghetti dish with homemade tomato sauce, fried eggplant, and melted cheese.

And here’s a little secret – if you happen to have leftover pasta from yesterday, fear not! It can surely be used into this recipe! So you can enjoy this incredibly satisfying dish time and time again.

Baked Cheesy Pasta Casserole – VIDEO RECIPE

how to cook Baked Cheesy Pasta Casserole?

STEP 1

To start, preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Give the eggplants a good wash, then remove the stems and slice them up.

STEP 2

Take the chopped eggplants and toss them in a big bowl with some salt. Let them sit for about 20 minutes to get rid of any bitterness.

TIPS: How to Remove Bitterness from Eggplants? Start by cutting the eggplants into desired shapes and sprinkle them generously with salt. Let them sit for about 10-15 minutes, allowing the salt to work its magic. After that, give them a good rinse with water, pat them dry, and continue with your recipe. Another trick is to soak the sliced eggplants in salted water for about 30 minutes, then rinse and dry them.

STEP 3

After that, rinse off the salt and pat them dry with a paper towel.

STEP 4

Next, grab those tomatoes, give them a wash, and peel them. Cut them into cubes.

TIPS: To peel tomatoes effortlessly, start by making a shallow crosswise cut on the top of each tomato. Then, place the tomatoes in a bowl of boiling water for about 15-20 seconds. Once you remove them from the hot water, give them a quick rinse with cold water. Now, the skin should easily peel off, revealing the juicy goodness of the tomatoes.

STEP 5

Heat up a frying pan over high heat and add a little vegetable oil. Toss in the chopped tomatoes and let them simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and dried basil.

TIPS: Instead of relying on dried basil, you have the option to use fresh one instead. To do so, ensure that a basil is thoroughly washed, dried, and finely chopped before using it for your dish.

STEP 6

In another hot frying pan with a bit of vegetable oil, fry up the sliced eggplants until they turn a nice golden brown on both sides. This should take about 3-5 minutes.

STEP 7

While all that’s going on, cook up some spaghetti according to the instructions on the package.

TIPS: Want some tips to enhance your pasta cooking skills? Check out my article “How to Cook Pasta Perfectly: 8 Secrets” for more detailed instructions.

TIPS: If you’re tired of using regular spaghetti pasta, there are plenty of other long pasta varieties you can experiment with. Consider trying out noodles, Capellini, or even vermicelli to add some exciting twists to your dishes.

STEP 8

Once the pasta is cooked, transfer it to a large bowl and mix in the tomato sauce.

TIPS: If you don’t want to make tomato sauce from scratch, you can easily replace it with ketchup or ready-made tomato sauce.

STEP 9

Crumble some ricotta into the pasta and gently stir it all together.

TIPS: Don’t have ricotta? No worries! You can easily replace it with a feta or a mozzarella.

STEP 10

Grease a 20 cm by 20 cm baking dish with some vegetable oil. Place the pasta with sauce and fried eggplant in layers.

STEP 11

Sprinkle some grated cheese on top of the casserole.

TIPS: Ready-made grated cheese is incredibly convenient for preparing a wide range of dishes.

STEP 12

Pop the casserole dish into the preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) and bake it for 15-20 minutes.

TIPS: Looking for some helpful advice on how to preheat your oven and prepare it for baking? Look no further than my articles “How and Why Do You Need to Preheat Oven” and “Top 7 Secrets How to Bake in Oven”.

STEP 13

Once it’s done, take the casserole dish out of the oven and let it cool down a bit.

STEP 14

Finish it off by sprinkling some chopped parsley leaves on top of the pasta casserole.

STEP 15

Now it’s time to dig in and enjoy your Baked Cheesy Pasta Casserole. Bon appétit!