Baked Eggplant with Pasta, Mozzarella and Tomatoes
This recipe was taught to me by a woman in Sicily when I was twenty-one. I was a student at the time and couldn’t believe the patience it took to complete each step, being much more of an instant gratification sort of cook in those days. But once assembling the involtini (rolls) was underway, it became a pleasantly meditative process. When it came out of the oven it was so delicious that I have never looked back and often make it for gatherings. This dish really benefits from having a very thin pasta, such as angel hair, capellini or vermicelli; linguine works too, but I find it slightly throws off the balance of textures. 3 large eggplants sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 80 ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 garlic clove, peeled and lightly squashed with the edge of a knife 2 good handfuls of basil leaves 2 x 400 grams tins peeled plum tomatoes 200 grams Capelli d’angelo, capellini, vermicelli or any extremely thin long pasta 80 grams parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve 3 large balls of fior di latte mozzarella, sliced
Trim the ends off the eggplants, then cut lengthways into slices no thicker than 1 cm. Sprinkle generously with salt on both sides, place in a colander in the sink and leave for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the garlic, a few basil leaves and a pinch of salt in a large saucepan over a medium heat until gently sizzling. Add the tinned tomatoes, then half-fill the empty tins with water and swish it around to pick up any remaining tomato and pour the tomatoey water into the pan. Gently break up the peeled tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by a third. Remove and discard the garlic clove. Add an extra drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and set aside.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta, give it a good stir so it doesn’t stick together, and cook for 1 minute less than the packet instructions specify for al dente (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain the pasta, and toss it with the remaining 50 ml olive oil, a handful of torn basil leaves, the grated parmesan and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Pat the eggplant slices with paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Place a chargrill pan over high heat and let it get piping hot. Working in batches, grill the eggplant slices for about 3 minutes each side until nicely browned with noticeable char lines in the flesh. Transfer the grilled slices to a plate and drizzle with a little extra olive oil. Repeat until you’ve cooked all the eggplant.
Alternatively, spread out the eggplant on a large baking tray lined with baking paper, brush with olive oil and roast in a preheated 180°C fan-forced oven for 25 minutes.
Before you assemble the involtini, preheat the oven to 180°C fan-bake.
Get a medium baking dish that will snugly fit all the involtini (about 30 x 20 cm). Lay a slice of eggplant on a chopping board and put a tablespoon of the pasta in the centre. Roll up the eggplant to enclose the pasta and place it in the dish, tucking the ends together underneath. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and pasta. Cover the parcels with the tomato sauce, and scatter generously with extra parmesan and, if you would like, a few more torn basil leaves. Finish with a layer of mozzarella slices and a little more parmesan. Bake for 15–20 minutes until the mozzarella begins to bubble and brown on top. Leave to rest for 5–10 minutes, then take the dish to the table and invite people to help themselves. SERVES 6