Best Eggplant Timballo With Cavatelli Recipes

EGGPLANT TIMBALE-TIMBALLO DI MELANZANE

Steps:

• MAKE THE SAUCE:
• In medium size sauce pan or a Dutch oven heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes more. Next, add the beef and sauté, stirring frequently.
• Break up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and stir together and let it evaporate. Add the tomatoes and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens. Add in the peas and stir together. Season with salt and pepper and simmer.
• I simmer my ragu' (Bolognese sauce/meat sauce) for about 2 hours. Add additional water if necessary for desired consistency while it's simmering to thin it out a little. You could make this a day (or two) ahead.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the pasta water and boil the pasta until it's about 2 minutes from al dente.
• If you cooked the sauce a day or two ahead, remove from the refrigerator and reheat it (this will make it much easier to combine with the cooked pasta).
• While the sauce is simmering, prep the eggplant slices.
• EGGPLANT:
• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or pre-heat a gas or charcoal grill.
• Slice the eggplants vertically to about 1/4-inch thick slices. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Grill the eggplants until colored with grill marks and tender, about 4-5 minutes per side. You want nice golden slices.
• Set aside the grilled eggplant slices on a baking sheet or a large dish spaced out nicely.
• If you are using sauce that was cooked a day or two before, heat it in a sauce pan on a low simmer while you grill the eggplant.
• Once the pasta is ready, drain it and add to the bowl. Spoon enough sauce onto the pasta enough to cover and stir together to combine. If you are adding any cheese (regular or dairy-free), add it in now. Toss everything to coat (and if you're using cheese, make sure the cheese is distributed everywhere).
• ASSEMBLE:
• Brush a springform pan with olive oil.
• Layer the bottom of the pan with the longest eggplant slices from the bottom and going over the edge of the spring form pan (so it can be folded over the top later), hanging outside of the pan (make sure there are no open spaces, should be covered with eggplant).
• Spoon the pasta mixture on top of the layered eggplant slices.
• Next, fold over the draped slices of eggplant to cover the pasta making sure the whole top is covered. You will have some extra eggplant slices, so use any extra pieces to cover up any open spaces.
• Place the springform pan on a baking dish (this is just in case of any drips through the pan and also makes it easier to take out of oven). Bake for 30 minute.
• Remove the tray from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes or so. As soon as it cools down enough, put on some kitchen gloves, and release the side of the pan.
• Next, place your serving plate over the top of the timblale and carefully flip it over (it's one swift move, so make sure you're steady when you flip).
• Remove the bottom of the springform pan. Use a very sharp knife and slice into portions and serve. Enjoy!

A DRUM OF EGGPLANT AND BUCATINI (TIMBALLO DI MELANZANE E BUCATIN

Steps:

• Cut off the stems of the eggplants and discard. Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Salt and layer the eggplant slices in a colander set over a bowl.
• Place a large bowl of water on top of the slices to act as a weight. Let the eggplant "sweat" for at least 1 hour to remove the excess water.
• Butter a 9 x 3 1/2-inch-deep round mold or cake pan and coat the inside evenly with the 1/2 cup bread crumbs.
• Shake out the excess crumbs and refrigerate the mold until ready to fill.
• To make the sauce:
• In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and cook, stirring, the onions, carrot, and celery until they soften.
• Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens.
• Stir in the tomatoes, red wine, and bay leaf.
• Cover the pan and simmer the sauce for 30 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Remove the bay leaf before using.
• Cook the bucatini according to the directions.
• Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a medium-size bowl, combine the veal, egg, white wine, the 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino, bread crumbs, and salt. Mix gently to just combine the ingredients. Form marble-sized meatballs with your hands.
• Note: Instead of frying the meatballs, bake Bake the meatball on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 350ºF until nicely browned, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer the meatballs to the bowl with the bucatini. Add the mozzarella, parsley, and 2 cups of the tomato sauce. Stir to combine the ingredients well and set aside.
• Rinse and dry the eggplant slices.
• Heat the peanut oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant slices a few at a time until they soften, about 2 minutes on each side.
• Drain the slices on brown paper.
• Use additional oil if the pan seems dry.
• Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
• Line the prepared mold with the eggplant slices, draping them lengthwise over the bottom and overlapping them up the sides of the mold. There should be about a 3-inch overhang over the top edges of the mold. Make sure there are no open spots and that the mold is completely lined with the slices.
• Spoon the bucatini mixture evenly in the mold, packing it down with a wooden spoon all the way around.
• Fold the overhanging slices of eggplant in over the top of the mold; the mixture should be completely encased by the eggplant.
• Spread 1/2 cup of the remaining tomato sauce over the top of the mold and sprinkle with the 1/4 cup Pecorino.
• Bake the timballo, uncovered, for 45 minutes. It is done when the timballo shrinks a bit along the sides and a knife will easily move along the sides.
• Remove the mold from the oven and loosely cover the top with a sheet of aluminum foil. Let the mold stand for 20 minutes.
• Heat the remaining tomato sauce. Remove the foil from the timballo and run a butter knife around the inside edges to loosen it. Place a serving dish larger than the mold over the top and carefully invert it onto the dish.
• Cut the timballo into wedges and serve with additional sauce on the side.
• Tip: Use fresh mozzarella cheese, but if it is not available, substitute pasteurized.

EGGPLANT TIMBALE

Steps:

• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or pre-heat a gas or charcoal grill. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the eggplant slices with 1/3 cup olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Grill the eggplant until tender and colored with grill marks, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
• Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
• Meanwhile, warm the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet.
• Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the beef and pork, and brown the meat, breaking it into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.
• Add the Marsala and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Add the peas and marinara sauce and stir to combine.
• Add the cheeses, basil, and cooked pasta. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line the springform pan with the grilled eggplant.
• Be sure that the slices overlap and hang over the edge of the pan.
• Fill the pan with the pasta mixture, pressing down to make sure the pan is filling up evenly.
• Fold the eggplant slices up over the top of the pasta and add a few more slices on top to completely enclose the timbale.
• Bake the timbale until warmed through and the cheese has melted, about 30 minutes. Let rest on the counter for 10 minutes to set.
• To serve, invert the timbale onto a serving plate and remove the springform pan.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese over the top.
• Slice and serve.