Cheese

Eggplant, Mushroom, and Gorgonzola Cheese Pasta

by:
March  3, 2011
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Eggplant, Mushroom, and Gorgonzola Cheese Pasta
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This started from a recipe I created for stuffed mushrooms. The stuffing was so good, I thought it had to be even better over pasta as long as you also captured the mushrooms flavor and dressed it up with some other veggies and wine. If you find Gorgonzola Cheese too strong, try a Gorgonzola Dulce, which is sweeter. Or, you can easily use your favorite Goat Cheese. It melts well, gives you that tangy flavor, and still provides a creamy sauce. This recipe comes together very quickly, and all it needs is salad, good bread, and great wine. This makes a great "Meatless Monday" or everyday standard vegetarian dish, and you won't miss any flavor - promise.

Photo credit: Serious Eats —Burnt Offerings

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 ounce Dried Porcini mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup Red wine
  • 2 tablespoons Extra virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Large shallots, chopped fine
  • 3 Large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 Red or Yellow pepper, chopped
  • 8 ounces Cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Sun Dried Tomato Olive Oil from the drained tomatoes
  • 1 Large, or 2 small eggplants, skin on, finely diced
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 6 ounces Crumbled Gorgonzola or Goat Cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • Parmesan cheese to serve
  • 16 ounces Favorite pasta: penne, fusili, etc. Boiled according to directions and drained.
Directions
  1. Add the Porcini mushrooms to the red wine and let them reconstitute for 30 minutes. Strain through a coffee filter or fine mesh strainer to remove the grit and reserve the wine.
  2. Over medium heat, sweat the shallots, yellow pepper, and garlic in the olive oil for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the Sun dried tomato oil, sun dried tomatoes, chopped porcini and cremini mushrooms, eggplant, salt,and peppers and saute for 10-12 minutes over medium heat until the eggplant is soft and the liquid is nearly evaporated.
  4. Turn the heat down to med-low, add the wine and let it evaporate - 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Add the cheese, stir until melted and turn off the heat.
  6. Add the basil, adjust seasonings, and spoon over pasta.
  7. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan to serve.
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1 Review

marynn
marynn January 13, 2012
This is ringing my bell for a delicious switch up for lunch! I love your nod to stuffed mushrooms--a favorite--but this feels more at home in January. Thank you!