Baked Pasta with Eggplant (Timballo)
Gather up, pasta lovers, because I am about to share with you a dish that combines technique and delicious ingredients to make a true showstopper, pasta baked with a hearty meat ragu and surrounded in an eggplant…shell, if you will.
This dish might sound complicated and fancy, but never fear because your pal Scotty is here. I am going to break down this stunning dish step by step and show you that this incredible looking dish is simpler to make than it might sound.
The classic recipe from Palermo uses a small horseshoe shaped pasta called Anelletti, and if you are feeling daring then you could certainly try to make this pasta from scratch, and I will be dropping instructions on how to do so, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with saving a bit of time and effort by using dried anelletti.
Serves 8
Difficulty: Intermediate
Time: 3 hours
For the Anelletti (if making from scratch)
400g (14oz) finely milled semolina flour
185-200 ml (6 1/2-7 fl oz) warm water
A pinch of salt, plus more for cooking
(If using dried Anelletti then a 1 pound box should do the trick. Can’t find Anelletti? Then any small round pasta like Ditalini will work for this.)
For the Meat Ragu:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely choppped
2 carrots, 1 finely chopped and 1 whole
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 oz each of ground beef and pork
3 whole cloves
Salt and pepper
2 1/4 pounds canned crushed tomatoes/passata
5 oz thawed frozen peas
For the eggplant:
2 or 3 eggplants/aubergines
Vegetable oil, for frying
Butter, for greasing the pan
1 3/4 oz fine dry breadcrumbs (not panko)
7 oz grated provolone or caciocavallo cheese
7 oz primo sale cheese (or feta)
Step 1: Make the Pasta
(Skip if using dried)
Combine the semolina flour and salt in a bowl, then add enough warm water to get a somewhat tacky dough. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth, then cover with a damp cloth and let it rest at room temp for about 20 minutes. It should be somewhat tacky.
To make the Anelletti, take a small piece of dough and roll it out into a thin string, ideally about 2mm thick. Wrap the string around your index finger and use your opposing thumb nail to trim the end.
Use your thumb and index finger to overlap and press the two ends of dough together to form a circular shape. Repeat until you’ve used up all of your dough.
I suggest you clear up your afternoon if you’re planning on doing this, because it’s going to take a few hours at least.
It’s a good idea to keep a spray bottle filled with water nearby, you want the dough to be tacky but not wet. Also, don’t be tempted to roll the dough into long strands or it will dry out and be difficult to roll.
You can let this relax while you work on the filling and eggplant.
Step 2: Make the Ragu
Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over low heat, then add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery and let it all sizzle away for about 10 minutes, or until the veggies are very soft.
Add both meats, the tomato paste and a teaspoon of salt, then cook for another 5-8 minutes, breaking up the meat as you go, until the meat is no longer pink.
Jab the 3 cloves into the whole carrot, then add that along with the crushed tomatoes. Let everything simmer away for about 45 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced.
Stir in the peas, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside while you work on the eggplant.
Step 3: Cook the pasta
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
(If using fresh pasta)-Lower the pasta into the water and cook until it just starts to float to the surface of the water. Depending on the size of your pot, you may want to do this in batches to keep the pasta from sticking together.
(If using dried pasta)-Boil about 1-2 minutes less than what the package recommends for al dente, keep in mind that the pasta will continue to cook as it bakes.
Step 4: Prepare the eggplant
(Depending on the size of your eggplant, you may or may not need all 3)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Pour enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a wide pot, then heat until the oil starts to shimmer.
Cut one eggplant into 3/4-1 inch cubes, season with salt then, working in batches if necessary, fry the eggplant pieces for about 5 minutes, or until they start to turn brown and go soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Slice the other eggplant lengthwise, making a slipper shape about 1/2 inch thick. Season the slices with salt then fry in the same oil as the cubes, until the eggplant just starts to become bendable. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Step 5: Assemble and bake
Grease the inside of a 9-inch springform cake pan with butter, then line with an even layer of breadcrumbs.
Lay eggplant slices along the bottom and sides of the pan, making sure they overlap and save a few slices for the top.
Combine the pasta with the ragu, eggplant cubes, and both cheeses. Be generous with the sauce as the pasta will absorb some of the liquid during baking. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Pour the pasta mixture into the eggplant lined pan and spread into an even layer.
Finally, lay eggplant slices on top of the pasta, ensuring they overlap and cover the pasta completely. Brush the top with some oil or melted butter then sprinkle some more breadcrumbs over the top.
Bake it all for about 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let it cool for about 20 minutes before removing the sides of the springform pan and slicing into that glory.
