On the Table: Stuffed Eggplant Casserole

I love stuffed eggplant, but sometimes the skin can be a little tough.  It needs to be sturdy, to hold the whole operation together, but sturdy/tough eggplant skin isn't always the most appetizing thing to eat.  The best way to soften eggplant skin is to stew it or braise it - cook it in liquid - but soft skin won't hold in the filling.  I decided to make a casserole using traditional stuffed eggplant components, but do it such that the eggplant skin could get nice and tender.  It was delicious!  To prepare:

Cook 1/4 of a pound of pasta (I used penne - you want a short-ish pasta) according to the package directions, but pull the pasta out of the water a minute or two short of the total cooking time.  You want it to be slightly firm.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Dice up one large onion and two small or one large eggplant.  You could peel the eggplant if you really want to get rid of the skin - but that defeats the purpose of the dish, in my opinion :).

Dice up about 2-4 ounces of mushrooms (optional).

Put a medium-sized pot (ideally one that is oven-proof, though you could transfer the ingredients to an oven-proof casserole dish later) over medium/low heat.  Thinly coat the bottom of the pan with canola oil.  When the oil gets hot, add the onions to the pot.  Cook, stirring often, until the onions become translucent.

Add a pound of sausage to the pot (remove the casing first, if applicable).  Cook, stirring often and breaking up the sausage, until the sausage is browned.

Add the eggplant and mushrooms (if using) to the pot.

Stir well to combine, and cook for a few minutes.  Add to the pot a cup of chicken stock, the cooked pasta, 1/4 of a cup of grated parmesan cheese, 1/4 of a cup of bread crumbs, and salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Stir well to combine and cook briefly on the stovetop. 

Cover the pot (or transfer the mixture to an oven-proof casserole dish and cover it) and put it into the preheated oven.  Cook for 15-20 minutes, then remove the cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the top is slightly browned.

Enjoy!