Baked Fusilli with Eggplant and Tomato, a really super tasty first course that everyone always loves. The beauty of this dish is that it can be prepared well in advance because it keeps raw in the fridge for at least two or three days. It can also be frozen both raw and cooked. At first glance, it might seem difficult, but I assure you it is not. You just need to have some time available because the procedure involves several steps. So don’t be afraid and get to work immediately.
If you like baked pasta, don’t miss the next recipes:
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6/8 people
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 14.1 oz fusilli
- 1 red onion
- 21.2 oz eggplant
- 28.2 oz tomato pulp
- 5.3 oz mortadella
- 10.5 oz béchamel
- 3.5 oz grated Parmigiano
- 8 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Pan non-stick with high sides
- 1 Baking Dish
Preparation
Chop the onion and eggplant into small pieces. Place everything in a non-stick pan with high sides along with 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
Adjust the salt, mix, let it brown for a few minutes, and finally add the tomato (add only the water needed to clean the jar). Cook until the eggplants are soft and the sauce has thickened.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta, drain it very al dente, and immediately cool it under cold running water. This will stop the cooking process. Once completely cooled, place it in a large bowl and add a tablespoon of oil to prevent it from sticking. At this point, coarsely chop the mortadella.
Now all we have to do is season our fusilli with the eggplant sauce, the chopped mortadella, the béchamel (saving a few tablespoons), and the grated Parmigiano.
After mixing all the ingredients well, place the pasta inside a baking dish previously greased with the last tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Then distribute the remaining béchamel on the surface and sprinkle with grated Parmigiano. Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) and cook for about 30 minutes, or until a golden crust forms.
Serve our Baked Fusilli with Eggplant and Tomato immediately, piping hot.
Tips
To make this baked pasta richer, you can add some melting cheese. I don’t recommend mozzarella, unless it’s well-drained, because it releases too much water.
You can store it in the fridge, either raw or cooked, for about three days but keep it covered.
If you want to prepare in advance for an event, or if you have leftovers, you can freeze it, both raw and cooked. However, remember to defrost in the fridge and never at room temperature, to avoid food poisoning, which can sometimes be very serious.
