Home

Pasta Timbale Lined with Eggplants

17/11/2023

The pasta timbale lined with eggplants is a tasty recipe that combines baked pasta with fried eggplants to create a rich and flavorful dish. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

  • 400 g of short pasta (penne, rigatoni, or macaroni)
  • 2-3 medium eggplants
  • 500 ml of tomato purée
  • 250-300 g of mozzarella
  • 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 small onion
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Oil for frying (seed or olive)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh basil
  • Breadcrumbs (optional)
  • Butter to grease the pan (optional)

Preparation

  1. Begin by slicing the eggplants into slices about half a centimeter thick, salt them and let them drain in a colander for 30 minutes to lose their bitterness.
  2. In the meantime, sauté the finely chopped onion in a stream of extra virgin olive oil, then add the tomato purée and cook for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add hand-torn basil leaves.
  3. After the eggplants have released their water, dry them with a kitchen towel and fry them in hot oil until golden brown. Then place them on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
  4. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for about 2/3 of the time indicated on the package (it should be very al dente) and drain it.
  5. In a bowl, mix the pasta with the sauce, grated Parmesan cheese, beaten eggs, and diced mozzarella.
  6. Grease a round baking dish with butter and, if you like, sprinkle it with breadcrumbs. Line the bottom and sides of the dish with the slices of eggplant, letting them hang over the edges.
  7. Pour the pasta mixture into the dish, leveling it well, and cover the surface with the ends of the eggplants that hang over.
  8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (356 °F) for about 20-30 minutes, until the surface of the timbale is golden brown and crispy.
  9. Let the timbale rest for a couple of minutes, then overturn it onto a serving dish and serve hot.

Did You Know?

The pasta timbale with eggplants is a great one-dish meal that encompasses the flavors and aromas of Mediterranean cuisine. It’s perfect for preparing in advance and represents an original idea to delight guests during a Sunday lunch or a festive occasion.

Pasta Timbale Lined with Eggplants