Italian cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Pasticcio di Melanzane

Southern Italian bake of fried eggplant, tomato rice and melted caciocavallo, baked golden brown in the oven.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 2 eggplants (about 600 g)
• 200 g round-grain rice
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 200 g caciocavallo (or provolone)
• 60 g Parmesan
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch basil
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the eggplants into 1 cm thick slices, salt them and let them drain for 20 min, then pat dry.
2. Brush the slices with 4 tbsp olive oil and fry in a grill pan over high heat for 3 min per side, until soft with dark grill marks.
3. Finely chop the onion and garlic, sauté in the remaining olive oil for 4 min, add the chopped tomatoes and simmer uncovered for 10 min until the sauce thickens; season with salt, pepper and half the basil.
4. Cook the rice in salted water for 12 min until just tender, drain and mix with two-thirds of the tomato sauce and the grated Parmesan.
5. Layer a greased baking dish alternately with eggplant slices, rice and sliced caciocavallo, finish with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
6. Bake at 190°C for 30–35 min until the top is bubbling golden brown, then let rest for 10 min and serve with the remaining basil.