The pasta and eggplant casserole is a very rich and tasty first course, prepared with layers of pasta and slices of fried eggplant, stuffed with cheese and lots of melted provola.
I don’t know about you, but I love it just like eggplant parmigiana, because the procedure is the same, but here there’s pasta as well.
It’s a somewhat elaborate recipe in terms of preparation, but it’s worth it; it’s a very tasty dish and this type of casserole is delicious both hot and cold.
It’s perfect for days out, for lunch breaks at work, and for picnics.
You can use the pasta shape you prefer and enrich it with other ingredients to your liking.
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for the Pasta and Eggplant Casserole
- 3 Round eggplants (large)
- 700 ml Tomato sauce
- 10.5 oz Penne Rigate
- 7 oz Provola
- 1.75 oz Breadcrumbs (dry, seasoned)
- 1.75 oz Grated Grana Padano
- to taste Salt
- to taste Peanut oil (for frying)
- 1 sprig Basil
- 1 Fresh spring onion
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
Preparation for the Pasta and Eggplant Casserole
Wash and slice the eggplants, salt them, and let them rest in a colander for about 30 minutes to remove excess water.
Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce: in a pan, sauté the chopped spring onion, add the tomato sauce, salt, and cook for about 10 minutes.Then rinse the eggplant slices under running water, dry them with a cloth and fry them in plenty of peanut oil, drain and pat them with kitchen paper. Cut and fry one slice into thin strips for the final decoration.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, drain it al dente, then place it in a container and season it with some cooked tomato sauce, basil leaves, and a little grated Grana, mix and blend everything well.
Take a baking dish and sprinkle it with a little seasoned breadcrumbs, then place a light layer of tomato on the bottom.
On top of this tomato, place a layer of seasoned pasta, cover with the eggplant slices, add a layer of tomato sauce, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, Grana, and the provola cut into pieces.
Now repeat the layers, continue with pasta, eggplant, tomato, parmesan, and provola.
Complete with pasta, plenty of tomato, parmesan, and breadcrumbs, provola pieces, and then decorate the center with thin fried eggplant sticks.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest a bit before serving.
Storage
The pasta casserole keeps well in the fridge for a few days, reheat before serving.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use another type of pasta?
Yes, certainly, short pasta like rigatoni, tortiglioni, mezzemaniche, or fusilli is excellent.
What can I substitute for provola?
You can use mozzarella, burrata, scamorza, or another cheese of your choice.
