Pasta with eggplants and melty provola cheese ready in 30 minutes, easy and economical. A good first dish with eggplants is never refused, especially if it is well seasoned and irresistibly melty.
I had been promising myself to prepare it for a while: my husband Massimiliano, the man of the house, loves eggplants, he would eat them all the time! I promise I’m not exaggerating.
The recipe is extremely simple and the combination is well-tested. It’s a very rich and tasty dish that I prepare when I have guests for lunch and want to bring everyone together around the table.
The inspiration came after a trip to Udine, at the fruit and vegetable store of our friends. I couldn’t resist buying their long black eggplants, the ones with few seeds. And then, they had freshly smoked provola cheese, a real treasure!
I tried using it and I must say I highly recommend it: unlike mozzarella, it doesn’t release water during cooking, and the result is just as melty!
Additionally, it’s a dish that keeps well: just heat it up to make it appetizing and irresistible again.
This dish is ideal to prepare when eggplants and tomatoes are in season and well-ripened. Alternatively, you can use canned tomatoes, perfect for a recipe that doesn’t require long cooking.
Follow me to discover the ingredients and preparation of this Pasta with Eggplants and Melty Provola Cheese, an easy and creamy recipe!”
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
- Energy 285.23 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 24.00 (g) of which sugars 2.92 (g)
- Proteins 11.26 (g)
- Fat 16.57 (g) of which saturated 3.60 (g)of which unsaturated 2.45 (g)
- Fibers 3.19 (g)
- Sodium 922.06 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 300 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Pasta with Eggplants and Melty Provola Cheese
- 11.28 oz pasta (short)
- 2 eggplants
- 1 package canned tomatoes (500)
- 3.5 oz smoked provola cheese
- 1 clove garlic
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- basil (leaves)
- to taste parmesan
Tools
- Frying Pan
- Pot
- Colander
- Lid
Steps
Pasta with Eggplants and Melty Provola Cheese
Wash the eggplant, trim the ends.
For this recipe, I preferred to peel the eggplant, but it’s an optional choice; if you prefer, you can leave the skin on.
Cut it into regular cubes (about 0.5-0.6 inches). Place the cubes in a colander, generously sprinkle with coarse salt, and let them rest for about an hour.
After the resting time, rinse the eggplants well under running water to remove the salt and squeeze them carefully (using a clean cloth) to eliminate as much water as possible.
In a large pan, heat a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil with the whole clove of garlic.
As soon as the garlic begins to brown, add the eggplant cubes and cook over high heat, stirring often, until they are soft and well browned.
Remove the garlic and transfer the cooked eggplants to a plate. Set aside.
In the same pan where you cooked the eggplants, using the flavorful cooking base left, add the chopped tomatoes.
Season with salt and add a few fresh basil leaves.Let the sauce cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, until it has slightly thickened.
At this point, add the eggplants set aside to the sauce and let everything blend together for another 5 minutes on low heat.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta shape of your choice. I used fusilloni, but you are free to choose your preferred short pasta shape (like penne or rigatoni).
Drain the pasta very al dente (about 2 minutes before the recommended time) and directly transfer it to the pan with the eggplant sauce.
Turn off the heat. Add the cheese (provola or scamorza) cut into small cubes and a generous handful of grated parmesan cheese.Quickly toss the pasta, stirring vigorously. The residual heat will melt the provola, creating the melty effect.
If necessary, add a tablespoon of pasta cooking water to make everything creamier.
Serve the Pasta with Eggplants and Melty Provola Cheese immediately, garnishing each plate with a fresh basil leaf.
Advice
If you desire a lighter version, you can bake the eggplants in the oven at 392°F for about 20 minutes after seasoning them with a little oil and salt, or cook them in a pan with a little water instead of frying. However, frying is the secret to the traditional flavor!
For a more intense and rustic taste, it’s advisable to use smoked provola. If you prefer a milder flavor, choose sweet provola or unsmoked scamorza.
If you don’t have provola and want to use mozzarella, remember to let it drain in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours (or even overnight) after cutting it into cubes, to avoid releasing too much water and ruining the creaminess of the dish.
Don’t be afraid to use plenty of basil! Use it both in the sauce and for garnish. To preserve its aroma, add the fresh leaves only once the heat is off or at the last moment.
As mentioned in the introduction, this dish is also great the next day. Store it in the refrigerator for up to two days and reheat it in a pan or microwave. It will become tasty and melty again!
If you enjoyed this recipe, click on many stars, thank you infinitely.
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