Eggplant & Chickpea Baked Pasta

Eggplant & Chickpea Baked Pasta Recipe Turn leftover Eggplant & Chickpea Stew into a comforting vegetarian baked-pasta dish. We love the taste of mint with the other Mediterranean flavors, but you can use parsley or basil if you prefer.


From EatingWell:  January/February 2011

Yield: 4 servings, about 1 2/3 cups each

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces whole-wheat fusilli
  • 1/2 cup coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Note)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups Eggplant & Chickpea Stew (recipe follows)
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint or basil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch-square (or similar 2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
  3. Combine breadcrumbs and oil in a small bowl. Toss the pasta with stew, feta, 1/4 cup mint (or basil) and lemon juice in a large bowl. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with the breadcrumb mixture.
  4. Bake until the topping is golden and crispy, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mint (or basil).

Tips & Notes
  • Make Ahead Tip: Assemble the casserole in the baking dish (through Step 3). Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats. Finish with Step 4.
  • Note: To make your own breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until dry, about 10 to 15 minutes. One slice of bread makes about 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs. For store-bought coarse dry breadcrumbs we like Ian’s brand, labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them at well-stocked supermarkets.

Nutrition Per serving:

496 calories; 17 g fat (7 g sat, 7 g mono); 33 mg cholesterol; 71 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 21 g protein; 13 g fiber; 686 mg sodium; 612 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Iron (33% daily value), Folate (30% dv), Calcium (28% dv), Vitamin C (26% dv), Magnesium (25% dv), Zinc (22% dv), Potassium (17% dv), Vitamin A (16% dv)

4 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 4 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 high-fat meat, 2 fat

This recipe calls for:

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