Baked Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

• 8 oz Fusilli
• 1 oz Julienned Sun-Dried
• Tomatoes
• 1 Eggplant
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 6 oz Chef’s Heavy Cream
• 3 Tbsp. Pesto
• 3 oz Shredded Mozzarella
• Olive Oil
• Salt Pepper
• water, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and rehydrate

Instructions

1. 1

   Baked Pesto Pasta: with eggplant and sun-dried tomatoes 1 oz. Julienned Sun-Dried 6 oz. Chef’s Heavy Cream 3 oz. Shredded Mozzarella

2. 2

   Cooking Spray: Medium Casserole Dish (Oven

3. 3

   Cook Within: When pasta is drained from cooking water, it will still be slightly firmer than al dente. Don’t worry, it will finish cooking in the Eggplant soaks up olive oil like a sponge when cooked. Be sure to stir immediately after adding to pan to coat evenly. The word fusilli comes from the Italian word fuso, which means spun.

4. 4

   Cook the Pasta: reserve for next step. Place fusilli into boiling water and cook 9 minutes. Drain in colander and return to pot. Pasta will not be fully tender, but will finish cooking in a later step.

5. 5

   Transfer pasta to prepared casserole dish and top: with shredded mozzarella. Put casserole dish on top is hot and cheese is golden brown.

6. 6

   Add sun-dried tomatoes to small bowl with boiled: water, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and rehydrate at least 5 minutes. Trim ends off eggplant and cut into ½” dice. Mince garlic.

7. 7

   Cook the Eggplant: Working in two batches if necessary, add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and eggplant to hot pan. Cook, stirring occasion- ally, 5-6 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender. Remove from heat. To pot with fusilli, add eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes and steeping liquid, cream, garlic, and pesto. Stir to combine and season with ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. recipe–it has bigger grains and is easier to pinch than table salt, allowing more control over flavor. If using regular table salt, reduce measured amounts • Once water is boiling, carefully scoop out ½ cup. This water will be used to re-hydrate (steep) sun-dried tomatoes. • Don’t have a medium casserole dish? We recommend using an 8” pie pan or 8” x 8” square the recipe before you start–we promise it will be time • Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil • Prepare a casserole dish with • Place a colander in the sink

8. 8

   Add sun-dried tomatoes to small bowl with boiled