Unstuffed Eggplant Pecorino Romano Pasta Shells Recipe for a Mediterranean Summer Pasta Mediterranean Diet Recipes Italian Recipes Vegetarian Vegetables

Dreaming of a Mediterranean summer? We are too! That’s why we created zesty and nutritious recipes using our Pecorino Romano PDO, perfect for these upcoming summer months.

These protein-rich recipes are sure to keep you satiated and energized this summer, whether you need an herbaceous morning pick me up before the beach with frittata sandwich, a picnic perfect hummus bowl (recipe coming soon) or this cozy unstuffed eggplant and pasta shells recipe for those classic rainy summer nights.

To add a bit of Mediterranean right to your kitchen, start with this incredible pasta recipe. To make these unstuffed shells, you will need Pecorino Romano, salt, jumbo pasta shells, whole-milk cottage cheese, fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes, mozzarella cheese, black pepper, extra-virgin olive oil, a globe eggplant and a jar of marina sauce. Serve this rich unstuffed shells and eggplant dish for dinner with your favorite side dishes.

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Cuisine: Italian / Mediterranean 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time:  50 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 ounce Pecorino Romano PDO, grated (about 1/2 cup), divided
• kosher salt
• 6 ounces jumbo pasta shells (about 24 shells)
• 1 cup whole-milk cottage cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup), divided
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium globe eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 24 ounces (1 jar) marinara sauce

Recipe Notes

• If you're not a fan of cottage cheese, use ricotta cheese instead.

• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Here's how to make it: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 3 minutes less than al dente, about 9 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Drain pasta. 
3. Meanwhile, combine the cottage cheese, basil, red pepper flakes, half of the mozzarella, half of the Pecorino Romano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper in a large bowl. Set aside. 
4. Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the eggplant and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until browned in spots, about 3 to 4 minutes (it will not be completely tender). Add the sauce and a splash of the pasta water and toss to coat. Remove from the heat. 
5. Add the cooked pasta and toss again. Dollop the cheese mixture all around the skillet, tucking it in so it gets into all the nooks and crannies. Sprinkle the skillet with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino Romano cheeses. 
6. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is browned in spots, 18 to 20 minutes. Top with more basil before serving.
    

Recipe and photo courtesy of Pecorino Romano PDO.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by HappyForks. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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