Homemade Pasta + Eggplant Parmesan

Homemade Pasta + Eggplant Parmesan

Pasta Ingredients:

2 cups Flourish Flour

3 large eggs

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Pasta Instructions:

1. To prepare the pasta dough, start by creating a well in the middle of the flour on a clean work surface. Add the eggs, olive oil, and salt into the well, and gently break up the eggs with a fork while keeping the flour walls intact. Next, use your hands to bring the flour inward and incorporate it with the egg mixture. Continue working the dough with your hands until it comes together in a shaggy ball, ready to be kneaded and shaped into delicious pasta.

2. To achieve perfectly smooth and elastic pasta dough, knead it for 8 to 10 minutes. While kneading, you might feel like the dough is too dry at the beginning, but don't worry. Keep going until the dough becomes cohesive and smooth. If it still feels too dry, add a few drops of water to your fingers to incorporate. Conversely, if it's too sticky, simply dust your work surface with flour. Once the dough is smooth and pliable, shape it into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

3. Prepare for the next step by dusting two large baking sheets with flour and setting them aside. This will prevent the pasta from sticking and make it easier to transfer the pasta to the pot later on.

4. Now it's time to shape the pasta! Begin by slicing the pasta dough into four equal pieces. Take one piece and gently flatten it into an oval disk. To achieve the perfect thickness, pass the dough through a Pasta Roller Attachment or a pasta maker three times on level 1, which is the widest setting. This will ensure that the pasta is the correct thickness for the chosen pasta shape.

5. To shape it, fold both short ends inwards until they meet at the center, then fold the dough in half to create a rectangle. 

6. Now you will pass the dough through the pasta roller three times on level 2, three times on level 3 and one time each on levels 4, 5, and 6.

7. To prevent the pasta noodles from sticking together, carefully transfer half of the pasta sheet onto the floured baking sheet and sprinkle it with more flour before folding the other half on top. Be sure to sprinkle additional flour on top of the second half and on all sides to avoid sticking. 

8. Repeat with remaining dough.

9. Run the pasta sheets through the Pasta Cutter Attachment (pictured is the fettuccine cutter). Repeat with remaining dough. 

10. Now it's time to cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes.

Recipe found on: https://www.loveandlemons.com/

Eggplant Ingredients:

2 medium eggplant (about 2 1/4 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices

Kosher salt, as needed, plus 1 tablespoon

5 cups fresh breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

Flourish Flour for dredging

6 large eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons whole milk

Olive oil, as needed

7 cups Quick Marinara Sauce, recipe follows

2/3 cup grated Parmesan, divided

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Quick Marinara Sauce Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced (about 1/3 cup)

5 cloves garlic, chopped

7 cups whole, peeled, canned tomatoes in puree (about two 28-ounce can), roughly chopped

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 sprigs of fresh basil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Eggplant Instructions:

1. Lay out the eggplant slices on multiple baking sheets and evenly sprinkle kosher salt   over them. Allow them to sit undisturbed for approximately one hour to draw out any bitter juices.

2. Place the eggplant in a colander over the sink and rinse thoroughly with cold running water. Next, transfer the eggplant to a work surface and pat it dry with paper towels, ensuring it is thoroughly dried.

3. Combine breadcrumbs, oregano, thyme, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt to combine.

4. Coat the eggplant slices by first dredging them in flour on a medium lipped plate or bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Dip each slice in the egg mixture, then coat it in the breadcrumb mixture. Gently shake off any excess breading and transfer the coated eggplant slices onto a baking sheet. Repeat until all the eggplant is coated.

5. In a large, straight-sided skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 400°F on a deep-frying thermometer. This temperature ensures that the breaded eggplant will bring down the oil temperature to the ideal frying temperature of 375°F.

6. In small batches, fry eggplant slices until golden brown, turning once for even cooking, about 3 minutes per batch. Once cooked, transfer them onto a baking sheet lined with paper towel to remove excess oil and season with salt to taste. Repeat the process with remaining eggplant slices.

7. Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush baking dish with olive oil. Add 1/3 marinara sauce to cover bottom. Layer half of the eggplant over the sauce. Add another 1/3 of sauce, half of the Parmesan and mozzarella on top. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes until hot and slightly browned. Serve immediately.

Quick Marinara Sauce Instructions:

Yield: about 3 1/2 cups

1. In a medium saucepan, heat up the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and stir until lightly browned for about 3 minutes. Then, add the tomatoes and herb sprigs, and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer, covered, for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. 

2. Once the sauce has simmered, remove and discard the herb sprigs. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Use the sauce now or store for later (Lasts in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to three days, or freeze the sauce for up to two months)

Recipe found on: https://www.foodnetwork.com/