Pasta gratin with eggplant and spinach

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250g penne
• 250 g leaf spinach, thawed
• 1 pkt. cream cheese, light
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup milk
• 4 tbsp cream
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• 1 small eggplant(s)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• herbs, Italian
• 100 g gratin cheese or pizza cheese, grated

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

very filling

Cook the penne al dente. Slice the onion and then halve these again. Chop the garlic. Also cut the eggplant into slices about 1 cm thick. Heat a pan with plenty of olive oil and fry the onions and garlic until crispy. Remove from the pan and fry the eggplant slices in it, adding more oil occasionally. Then place on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil. Mix the cream cheese with the milk, tomato paste, and cream until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, garlic, herbs, and onion. Place one layer of eggplant on the bottom of a baking dish. Top with half the pasta, then spread the spinach evenly. Spread half of the sauce on top, then more eggplant, the remaining pasta, the remaining sauce, and finally the cheese. Bake in the oven at 180°C until the cheese has reached the desired color.