Pasta al Forno (Penne Pasta Bake)

glass casserole dish of baked penne pasta with eggplant sprinkled with parsley on a countertop.

5 from 1 vote

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This Pasta al Forno, or oven-baked pasta, combines tender eggplant, penne pasta, marinara sauce, and all your favorite cheeses, all baked to perfection without the fussiness of layering. It's comfort food at its best and a great way to sneak extra veggies into your diet.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Salting time30

Total Time2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 826kcal

Author: Joanne Stekler

Equipment

1 9 inch by 13 inch casserole dish

Ingredients

Roasted eggplant

1 medium eggplant
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil divided

Pasta

16 ounces penne or other dried, tubular-shaped pasta (e.g. ziti, rigatoni)

Marinara sauce

½ medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
28 ounces canned whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon white or red wine or dry vermouth
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
salt and pepper to taste red pepper flakes, if desired

Assembly ingredients

1 cup basil, coarsely chopped plus additional for garnish
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, coarsely chopped
2 ounces Parmesan, grated

Instructions

Cut the eggplant into one-half inch cubes, smear with salt, and let drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
1 medium eggplant, 1 tablespoon salt
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Rinse off and dry the eggplant. Toss them with two tablespoons of the olive oil then put them into the 9 by 13 inch casserole dish you will use for the penne pasta bake. Bake them for about 20 minutes until they have softened.
3 tablespoons olive oil
Meanwhile, start a pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta to al dente. Drain and return it to the pasta pot.
16 ounces penne
Also make the tomato sauce while the eggplants are cooking. In a large sauce or saute pan with a lid, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and carrot and saute until softened.
3 tablespoons olive oil, ½ medium onion, finely chopped, 1 carrot, finely chopped
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2 cloves garlic, minced
Add the tomatoes, wine or vermouth, and sugar and cover. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally to break up the tomatoes.
28 ounces canned whole tomatoes, ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon white or red wine or dry vermouth
Add salt and pepper to taste.
salt and pepper to taste
Add the eggplant and tomato sauce to the pasta pot and stir to combine. Then mix in the basil and chopped mozzarella.
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, coarsely chopped, 1 cup basil, coarsely chopped
Turn the mixture out into a 9 by 13 inch pyrex pan or other baking dish, top with Parmesan cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the dish is bubbling and the Parmesan has browned.
2 ounces Parmesan, grated
Garnish with the reserved basil and serve hot!
1 cup basil, coarsely chopped

Notes

Pasta al forno just refers to a baked pasta dish. This baked penne pasta can be made with any short pasta shape.

When picking eggplants, pick one with smooth skin that feels heavy for its size. You can skip the salting stage, but salting does help to reduce the amount of oil absorbed by the eggplant.

When using canned tomatoes, whole tomatoes are generally the best option because only perfect tomatoes can be canned whole. Be sure to discard any sad basil in those cans.

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