While my mother wouldn’t be caught dead serving jarred marinara sauce, I’ve found quality organic brands speed up prep time and taste as good as homemade. Sometimes I’ll doctor the sauce with fresh tomatoes, zucchini, or green peppers from the garden. Or I’ll add roasted green chiles (available frozen, canned, or fresh in the fall) or red pepper flakes for a flavor boost. If using a nondairy cheese, be aware that brands containing casein retain more of the creaminess associated with real cheese than those without. While the presence of casein shouldn’t affect most lactose-intolerant people, it is an animal product and could cause those allergic to dairy to have a reaction. Instead of using prepared marinara sauce, you could stir the herbs directly into a can of crushed tomatoes and pour this mixture over the layers of eggplant.

　　

Ingredients

serves 2

　　Olive oil spray

　　1 cup elbow macaroni

　　3 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

　　1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

　　1/4 teaspoon dried basil, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh

　　Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　8 to 12 ounces prepared marinara sauce

　　1 small eggplant, peeled or not, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

　　8 to 10 ounces mozzarella and/or provolone cheeses, shredded or sliced

　　4 or 5 cremini mushrooms, sliced

　　Spinach, artichoke hearts, black olives, or other veggies, optional

　　Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

　　Bread crumbs, optional

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

　　

Step 2

Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.

　　

Step 3

Place the pasta in the pot and add 1/3 cup water. Stir to coat the noodles and spread them in an even layer.

　　

Step 4

Mix the garlic, oregano, basil, and salt and pepper into the jar of marinara sauce. Layer about half the eggplant in the pot and cover it in marinara sauce.

　　

Step 5

Next distribute a light blanket of cheese (about half) over the sauce. Add a layer of the mushrooms and other veggies such as artichoke hearts and olives, if desired.

　　

Step 6

Repeat, beginning with the eggplant layer, until the pot is full. Sprinkle with Parmesan and/or bread crumbs, if desired.

　　

Step 7

Cover and bake for about 40 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.

　　

nutrition information

Step 8

Calories: 442

　　

Step 9

Protein: 27g

　　

Step 10

Carbohydrates: 21g

　　

Step 11

Fat: 28g

　　

Step 12

Cholesterol: 10mg

　　

Step 13

Sodium: 1143mg

　　

Step 14

Fiber: 3mg

　　Glorious One-Pot Meals