This is actually an eggplant timbale…….but most people never heard of a timbale so I am calling this eggplant wrapped baked ziti because it is closest to that. A timbale might be layers of food or a combination of pasta, and or custard, rice, potatoes, eggs, cheese, meat, or vegetables held together with egg and usually baked and is traditionally covered with bread crumbs. A timbale is usually molded but also can be covered in pastry. Serving size is always difficult to judge because some people want a tiny slice and other people want a great big wedge. This made 9 (what I consider large) portions. I’ll post 8 portions.
Ingredients for around 8 portions
8oz of a tube shaped pasta – cooked in salty water, drained and set to the side
2 eggplants -peeled – sliced thin (I sliced most longways but slicing across is easier….it doesn’t really matter)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I had to guesstimate this…I used an oil squirt bottle to oil eggplants lightly)
1 cup Localtelli cheese – shredded ( you can substitute any hard Italian cheese)
16 oz ricotta cheese (preferably home made and drained…if not a good quality one drained)
8 oz provalone cheese – I used slices and grated around half the cheese reserved (1/2 the provolone mixed with the other cheeses and the slices I used near the bottom (just under the eggplant.
2 eggs – lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
Optional 1/2 cup green beans (mine were cooked and chopped up) (can substitute peas, a different vegetable like drained spinach, or a cooked meat)
2 Tablespoons fresh basil chopped
1 cup tomato sauce (preferably home made plus extra for serving)
non stick spray
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Either set oven to broil or heat up your grill but NOTE*****on an outdoor grill you will not be able to get your eggplant slices as thin…..so things will be slightly off. If you are broiling your eggplant slices you need to sprinkle them with oil and the smallest amount of salt and pepper (you hardly need any here because it condenses) Take the eggplant out when they look slightly charred and golden and set to the side.
All the filling gets mixed together in a big bowl….cheeses, eggs, black pepper, nutmeg, green beans, basil…(maybe a small amount of the tomato sauce….(I used a small amount so my pasta wouldn’t stick)
Spray springform pan with non stick spray. Line your pan with eggplant in a thin layer and have ends of eggplant hanging off the ends.
Then you put a thin layer of provolone above the eggplant. Next a thin layer of tomato sauce.
Filling goes in next.
Top the filling with a layer of provolone and a thing layer of tomato sauce. Top that with remaining eggplant.
Fold up the ends of the eggplant.
Springform pans usually leak so put a lined sheet pan under to collect to mess.
Spray some aluminum foil with non stick spray……Cover the dish spray side down so it doesn’t stick.
This goes on the middle rack of a 350 degree preheated oven for 90 minutes.
This needs to set up over night.
Cut serving size and reheat and serve with more sauce and extra grated cheese and maybe some crumbled tarallini crackers for some crumbs.
Enjoy!
