Rye Trumpet with Eggplant Parmesan Sauce

Eggplant Parmigiana is a traditional Italian dish made by layering fried eggplant with parmesan cheese, mozzarella, and marinara sauce, similar to lasagna. In this recipe, we’ve taken its key elements and combined them with Sfoglini’s Rye Trumpets to make a hearty, flavorful pasta dish whose taste belies the simplicity of its preparation. The warm, earthy rye pasta compliments the deeply roasted and mildly sweet tomatoes, eggplants, garlic, and onion and the pockets and ruffles cling perfectly to the chunky sauce.

INGREDIENTS

MAKES FOUR - SIX SERVINGS

• 2-4 large cloves of garlic, unpeeled 
• 1/2-3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 large eggplants (approximately 2 pounds total), diced into 1.5” cubes
• 4 pounds Roma tomatoes, cut into 4-6 pieces each
• 2 large yellow onions, quartered
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1 pound Sfoglini Rye Trumpets
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, to serve
• 1/2 cup minced parsley, to serve

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 450° F.

Leave the garlic cloves unpeeled and place them in a foil packet. Drizzle them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and loosely crimp the packet closed.

Toss all the vegetables together with the 1/2 cup olive oil, more if needed to coat evenly, and spread over two rimmed baking sheets. Sprinkle with the salt, then place the foil packet in the center of one of the sheets. 

Roast for 30 minutes, placing the sheet with the garlic on the lower rack. Remove the garlic, rotate the sheets, and roast for an additional 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 350°F if the eggplant browns too quickly.

Remove the vegetables from the oven and allow them to cool while you bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. 

Transfer the vegetables and garlic to a food processor and pulse for five quick pulses. Transfer the sauce from the food processor to a large skillet or saute pan, taste and add more salt if desired, and bring the heat to medium low. 

Cook the rye trumpets for 5 minutes, then transfer them, using a slotted spoon, directly from the boiling water to the sauce and gently stir them in. Let the pasta simmer in the sauce until they’re fully cooked to al dente, about 1-2 more minutes. Transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls. 

Combine parsley and parmesan in a small bowl, stirring until evenly mixed, and serve alongside the trumpets.

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Chef’s Note: This sauce can be very chunky or quite smooth, depending on how long it’s processed. We like the texture from five quick pulses in a food processor, as it’s perfect for the shape of the rye trumpets, but a longer blend can result in a deliciously smooth, creamy sauce suitable for almost any other pasta shape. Be sure to monitor the roasting process carefully, adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid excessive browning.

Pasta Swaps: This recipe would also work well with Sfoglini Whole Grain Reginetti, Porcini trumpets, or Einkorn Ziti.