Stuffed shells with eggplant parmigiana is a very tasty and inviting Mediterranean recipe, a dish of the summer season, although eggplants are now available all year round!
It seems like a somewhat elaborate first course, but it is actually easy to prepare and highly appreciated by both adults and children.
The shells have a rich and savory filling: they are stuffed with fried or baked eggplant cubes dipped in tomato sauce, provolone, ham, plenty of cheese, and fresh basil that taste like parmigiana.
Once gratinated in the oven, the pasta shells can be enjoyed hot or cold, also great the next day after resting, as with eggplant parmigiana, releasing more flavors and aromas.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 3 People
- Cooking methods: Stove, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients for the Stuffed Shells
- 12 shells
- 1 eggplant (large)
- 600 g tomato sauce or pulp
- 150 g provolone
- 2 slices cooked ham
- 100 g grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1 sprig fresh basil
- 1 clove garlic
- to taste olive or seed oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 Colander
- 1 Baking Dish
- 1 stove
- 1 oven
Steps for Eggplant Parmigiana Shells
Wash the eggplants, remove some of the skin, and cut into cubes if they are out of season, put them in a bowl with a little salt for about 20 – 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the simple tomato sauce. Pour a drizzle of olive oil into a pan and add and brown a clove of garlic, add the tomato sauce or pulp, a pinch of salt and cook, over low heat, for about 20 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the basil leaves.
After the resting time, drain the eggplants from the water thoroughly under running water.
Dry the eggplant cubes well with a clean tea towel or paper towel.
Fry the eggplant cubes in a pan with plenty of seed oil for about 5-6 minutes and once they are golden brown, place them on absorbent paper to remove the excess oil.
If you want, you can bake the eggplant cubes in the oven or air fryer with a drizzle of oil for about 15 minutes.
Also cook the shells in salted water, making sure to drain them 3-4 minutes before the cooking time indicated on the package. Once drained, stop the cooking under a stream of cold water.
Set aside a little tomato sauce and pour the remaining in the pan with a little grated parmesan, cubed provolone, chopped ham, and torn basil leaves. Mix and blend all the ingredients well.
Take a baking dish and pour a little tomato sauce on the bottom, sprinkle with a little parmesan, start filling the shells and lay them in the baking dish. Cover them with tomato sauce, add parmesan and breadcrumbs, and transfer the dish to the oven.
Bake the shells in a static oven at 356°F for about 25-30 minutes or in a fan oven for 20 minutes.
The eggplant parmigiana shells are ready when they form a light crust.
Adjust according to your oven’s power for the cooking minutes, if necessary, extend the cooking time by a few minutes, and additionally, finish with a few minutes of grill.
Bring the shells to the table, let them cool for about 5 minutes, and then serve!
Storage, Tips, and Variations
The shells can be stored in the fridge for 2 days, great when reheated!
Stuffed shells with eggplant parmigiana can also be prepared and assembled in advance, then baked just before serving.
Stuffed shells with eggplant parmigiana can also be prepared and assembled in advance, then baked just before serving.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What can I use if I don’t have shells?
You can also use lumaconi, cannelloni, or paccheri to stuff.
Can I substitute the parmesan with something else?
You can use grated salted ricotta or pecorino.
What can I use instead of provolone?
You can use scamorza, mozzarella, or another cheese to your liking.
