Pasta 'Ncasciata - Eggplant Pasta Bake
Pasta 'ncasciata is a Sicilian eggplant pasta bake combining pasta with fried eggplant, bolognese sauce and cheese - Perfect for family gatherings!
Serving: 6
Calories: 568kcal
Ingredients
- 500 g pasta, such as rigatoni or ziti
- 2 eggplants, cubed
- 240 ml vegetable oil, for frying
- 400 g bolognese sauce, approx 1½ cups
- 5 tablespoons bechamel sauce, optional
- 4 tablespoons ricotta salata or caciocavallo cheese, grated
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C (360°F) or 160°C (with fan option on) or gas mark 4.
- Place a large pan of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Lightly season with sea salt, then add the pasta and cook for about 7-8 minutes.
- Check the cooking time on the pasta packaging, and cook the pasta very al dente, approximately 5 minutes before recommended cooking time.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan oil until it reaches a temperature of 350°F / 175°C. Fry a few eggplant cubes at a time until golden, then remove them and place them on kitchen paper to absorb the oil in excess. Repeat with the remaining cubed eggplant.
- Drain the pasta and transfer it back into the pan. Add in the bolognese sauce and fried eggplant, and mix all the ingredients.
- Transfer the pasta to a 6x8 inches baking dish or an oven-friendly pan, and spoon the béchamel sauce over the top, then sprinkle the grated caciocavallo cheese or ricotta salata over the pasta.
- Bake the pasta 'ncasciata for around 15-20 minutes. If you want some nice crunchy brown spots, set the baking dish under the grill for 2-3 minutes extra. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly and serve.
Notes
Traditionally, pasta 'ncasciata is topped with grated or cubed caciocavallo. However, ricotta salata, Pecorino cheese, Parmigiano or Grana Padano are great alternatives.
If you skip the béchamel sauce, I recommend adding an extra layer of melty cheese such as mozzarella or provolone cheese.
For a vegetarian version, swap the bolognese sauce with tomato sauce.
For a richer version, add chopped boiled eggs, slices of cooked ham, sliced salami or tiny mortadella cubes.
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Nutrition
Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 736mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 98IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.