Skillet Spaghetti Pie with Eggplant and Tomatoes
Serves 6
When everyone decides to descend on your house this summer, serve them this big spaghetti pie baked in a skillet. It’s one way to use up leftover pasta while taking advantage of seasonal eggplant, tomatoes, and basil at farmers’ markets. (If you don’t have leftover spaghetti on hand, just cook up a little from your pantry.) First roast eggplant cubes, onion slices, and cherry tomatoes in a hot oven, and mix them with cooked whole-wheat spaghetti, chunks of mozzarella, some grated Parmesan, a touch of lemon rind, and a good handful or two of fresh basil leaves. Fold in a couple of beaten eggs to stick everything together and spread it in a big skillet with a heatproof handle. Pop it back into the oven and bake until the top shows crispy bits of pasta and golden cheese. Make a salad, set out a sliced baguette, and Sunday lunch is ready.
1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
7 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion (Vidalia, Oso Sweet, Texas Sweet), halved and thickly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes Salt and pepper, to taste
½ pound whole-wheat spaghetti, or 3 to 4 cups cooked spaghetti
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch pieces Grated rind of 1 lemon
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 eggs, lightly beaten Extra fresh basil leaves (for garnish)
1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Have on hand a 12-inch skillet with an ovenproof handle.
2. With a large knife, trim the top and bottom of the eggplant. Cut a thin slice from all four sides to square it off, leaving some skin intact. Cut the square eggplant into ½-inch planks. Stack them and cut into ½-inch cubes.
3. Mound the eggplant on 1 baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and toss with your hands. Spread the cubes in an even layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 25 minutes, turning once or twice (they will cook more later).
4. Mound the onions on the other baking sheet. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Spread the slices in an even layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, or until soft and starting to brown.
5. Push the eggplant to one side of the baking sheet to make space for the tomatoes. Spread the tomatoes on the other side, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Return the sheet to the oven. Roast for 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and the eggplant is golden brown. (Total roasting time for the eggplant is 40 minutes.) Remove from the oven and let the vegetables cool on the pans for 5 minutes. Leave the oven on.
6. While the vegetables roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti for 10 minutes, or until it is tender but still has some bite. Drain into a colander. Shake well and transfer to a large bowl.
7. Add the tomatoes, eggplant, and onions to the spaghetti. Toss with tongs.
8. Stir in ½ cup of the Parmesan, the mozzarella, lemon rind, and basil. Toss again. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. Fold in the beaten eggs.
9. Set the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spread the spaghetti mixture over the bottom in a thick, even layer. Sprinkle the top with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan.
10. Transfer the pan to the oven. Immediately, turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees. Bake the pasta for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with more fresh basil leaves. Cut into wedges.