Aubergine & Pasta Bake
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A vegan bake of aubergine (eggplant) layers with a pasta in tomato basil sauce filling and a topping of vegan bechamel sauce
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2-3 Medium aubergines, sliced into approx 7-8 mm thick
  • 250g Pasta Shells (or use whatever pasta you need)
For the tomato Sauce
  • 1 medium onion, chopped finely
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • ½ tsp tomato puree
  • ½ tsp sundried tomato puree
  • ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • ½ cup marsala (optional)
  • ½ cup vegetable stock
  • 350g Tomato passata
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ¾ tsp dried oregano
  • Large handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ tsp brown or white sugar (if not using marsala)
For the Vegan Bechamel
  • 2 tbsp coffee whitener
  • 400ml boiling water
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled (whole)
  • 2 bay leafs
  • 5-6 whole pepper corns
  • a pinch of nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp
  • 3-4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
  1. Rub the aubergine slices with olive oil (liberally as they want to semi-fry while grilling) and salt and black pepper (a sprinkle on one side of each).
  2. Heat your griddle plan till hot and in batches fry the aubergine slices until cooked. Press them down with a fish slice to get good contact with the pan.
  3. Once all the aubergine "layers" are cooked set aside First Step: Fry the aubergines for the aubergine pasta bake recipe
For the Tomato Basil Sauce
  1. Fry the chopped onion in 2 tbsp olive oil until soft, around 5 minutes
  2. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute
  3. Add the chilli flakes and the tomato puree and sun-dried tomato puree
  4. Fry for a further 1 minute Fry the onions, garlic and tomato purees
  5. Add the Marsala and allow to burn off for a minuteAdd the Passata and Marsala
  6. Add the vegetable stock and passata, dried oregano sugar (if not using marsala) & paprikaAdd the herbs
  7. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes and in the meantime you can boil the pasta
  8. When the sauce is done, taste for seasoning, turn the heat off and add the fresh basil
Prepare the Pasta
  1. Cook the pasta to the pack instructions
  2. Mix the sauce with the pasta reserving a few tbsp for the top of the pasta and the bottom of the oven dish Cook the Pasta and mix with the tomato basil sauce
Begin Preparing the bake
  1. Line the oven dish with a spread of tomato sauce
  2. Add the first layer of Aubergine
  3. Then top with the pasta which should take about 1-1.5 inch in depth.
  4. Top the pasta with the remaining sauce
  5. Then add another layer of Aubergines Line your baking dish with aubergines, then top with pasta
Prepare the Vegan bechamel
  1. In a jug mix the coffee whitener with the hot water
  2. Add to it the clove of garlic, pepper corns and bay leafs Vegan Milk with Coffee whitener?
  3. In a non-stick pan melt the margarine
  4. When melted add the corn flour and fry in the hot butter until nutty (about 2 minutes)
  5. Then add a small amount of milk through a sieve
  6. Stir to incorporate, then add a little bit more milk, stir again
  7. Continue adding the milk bit by bit until you have a thick and creamy sauce. Tip! Adding the milk a little at a time ensure you do not get lumps in the sauce).
  8. When you have a creamy sauce then flavour with salt, nutmeg and a tiny bit of white pepper. Prepare the vegan bechamel sauce recipe
Finish the bake
  1. When the sauce is ready, pour over the pasta until it is all covered.
  2. Top with Panko breadcrumbs Top the bake with the vegan bechamel sauce then panko breadcrumbs
  3. Then bake in a pre-heated oven (180 Degrees C) for around 25-30 minutes until bubbling and the breadcrumbs have gone slightly golden.
  4. Allow to cool a little then serve and enjoy.
Notes
Tip. Vegan bechamel made out of coffee whitener can be a delicate thing. So do not try to make it in advance. Obviously this dish can be made with cheese and real creamy bechamel sauce and will be just as delicious as the vegan version.
Recipe by MongolianKitchen.com at https://mongoliankitchen.com/aubergine-pasta-bake/