Eggplant, Sausage, and Angel Hair Pie

I found this recipe browsing the FN website about a month ago. I originally wanted to make it for my lunch club, but I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. Well, after thinking about it for some time I decided to give it a go. I am very talented in the pastry crust dept. so this was going to be a challenge. I just wish I could have seen a picture of the final product to have something to go on since I didn't see Giada make it on her show.

Well it turned out great even though I forgot to add the cheese (I have no idea how I could have forgotten one of my favorite ingredients) but I just added it at the end. This recipe is very versatile in that you can play around with the vegetables, even the type of pasta and meat.


One downside to it is that it was a bit time consuming, so I may prepare some of it ahead of time. And my pie only took 45 minutes in the oven. No where near the hour and a half recommended.
Baked Angel Hair with Eggplant

• 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 to 6 Japanese eggplants (about 2 pounds total), cut into 1-inch cubes (I used 1 regular)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 pound mild Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (I used mild italian)
• 1/3 cup dry red wine (I only had a dry white on hand)
• 3 cups marinara sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces angel hair pasta
• 1 pound mozzarella, diced
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 (17 1/4-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
  

Heat 1/3 cup of oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the eggplant and toss to coat in the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute the eggplant until it is golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium. Add half of the garlic and saute until it is tender, about 2 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggplant mixture to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the remaining eggplant and garlic.
Add the sausage and wine to the same frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the wine evaporates and the sausage is brown, breaking the sausage into pieces with the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Add the sausage, marinara sauce, and crushed red pepper to the eggplant mixture, and toss to combine.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the angel hair and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until pasta is still slightly crunchy and undercooked. Drain. Toss the angel hair with the eggplant mixture. Cool completely. Add the mozzarella and Parmesan and toss to combine.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll out 1 pastry sheet on a floured surface to a 13 1/2-inch square. Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan, allowing the excess pastry to hang over the rim. Spoon the pasta mixture into the pan. Place the second pastry sheet atop the pasta filling. Pinch the edges of the pastry sheets together to seal. Trim the overhanging pastry edges to about 1-inch. Fold the pastry edges in to form a decorative border. Cut a slit in the center of the top pastry to allow the steam to escape.
Bake until the pastry is brown and puffed on top, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes. Remove the pan sides and serve.