Pasta ‘ncasciata (Aubergine Wrapped Pasta Dome)

October 13, 2024 by Crock Recipes , Updated October 13, 2024

A delightful Sicilian dish, Pasta ‘ncasciata combines rich flavors of aubergine and pasta. Perfect for entertaining!

Ingredients

1 kg very ripe tomatoes or 2 x 400g cans peeled plum tomatoes, drained
1 garlic clove
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
150g mozzarella cheese, diced
50g salami (Milano recommended), finely chopped
5 medium aubergines
85g minced veal or pork
85g chicken livers, cleaned and chopped
85g frozen peas
A handful of fresh basil leaves
500g short pasta (such as mezze penne)
100g pecorino or parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for serving

Instructions

Skin and seed the fresh tomatoes; roughly chop them. If using canned tomatoes, chop them as well.
Fry the garlic clove in 3 tbsp olive oil over gentle heat for 3-4 minutes until pale gold. Remove and discard the garlic.
Add the tomatoes to the oil and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes until well blended, stirring occasionally and adding a tablespoon of water if it dries out.
While the sauce cooks, dice the mozzarella into small pieces and finely chop the salami. Trim the stalks from the aubergines and slice them lengthwise into even slices about 5mm thick.
When the sauce is nearly done, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a deep frying pan. Brown the minced meat and livers for 4-5 minutes until well cooked.
Lift out the meat with a slotted spoon and add it to the tomato sauce along with the peas. Cook for an additional 10 minutes until thickened, then stir in the basil.
Boil a large pan of water for the pasta and preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas 4, Fan 160°C).
Dry the aubergine slices with kitchen towels. Grill them on a heavy ridged griddle pan without oil for 2-3 minutes on each side until tender. Brush each slice with olive oil and use them to line an oiled 2-litre heatproof pudding basin, slightly overlapping the slices.
If any aubergine is left, finely chop it and set aside. Cook the pasta in boiling water for 3 minutes less than the package instructions, then drain well and gently mix with the sauce.
Stir in the cheeses, salami, and any extra chopped aubergine. Spoon the filling into the aubergine-lined bowl, pressing down gently to eliminate any gaps. Fold over the ends of the aubergine to cover the filling.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then let it rest for 10 minutes to set. To serve, place a large plate on top of the bowl and quickly invert both the bowl and plate to turn it out.
Serve hot with extra grated cheese and black pepper.