Rachael’s Charred Eggplant and Meat Sauce with Paccheri

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free, while grana padano is a more affordable cheese alternative.

Preheat the oven to broil, with the rack one range below the top of the oven.

Brush the eggplant liberally with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Flip the eggplant cut side down and place it in the oven to quick roast.

Bring a large pot of well-seasoned water to a full rolling boil.

Add the paccheri to the boiling water and cook until al dente.

In a skillet, combine half a pound of hot Italian sausage and half a pound of lean ground beef.

Add two cloves of minced garlic to the meat mixture.

Stir in fennel seed, allspice, and cumin to the meat mixture.

Remove the eggplant from the oven; it should be charred and look like a flat tire.

Use a kitchen towel to hold the eggplant and scrape the flesh away from the charred skin with a knife.

Add sun-dried tomato paste and chicken stock to the meat mixture.

Stir in a can of crushed or diced Italian tomatoes and the roasted eggplant.

Drain the paccheri and return it to the hot pot to evaporate excess water.

Reserve a mug full of the starchy cooking water from the pasta.

Add grated Pecorino cheese or Parmigiano cheese to the pasta.

Combine half of the sauce with the pasta, using the reserved starchy water to help marry the sauce and pasta together.

Top the pasta with the remaining beef and eggplant mixture.

Garnish with additional grated cheese before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens