Today I am so happy to share with you a typical Italian recipe from Southern Italy where I come from: it’s called Sformato of eggplants with Pasta alla Norma inside. I cherish it particularly because I like it a lot. It’s so yummy and perfect for a family’s Sunday or dinner with friends.
Instructions:
Cut 6 eggplants in thin slices, fry them in organic cold-pressed sunflower oil. Let them turn golden. Once ready put them on some paper that will absorb part of their oil.
Cut 2 eggplants in little cubes. Put them in a colander for 2 hours so that they will lose part of their natural water and bitterness. Press them gently with your hands at the end of the two hours for helping the water come out. Cut the red onion in very thin slices. In a large pan add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion; let it turn golden on lower heat. Add the eggplants. Add the tomato sauce. Salt and pepper and let it all cook gently until the sauce is cooked and the eggplants too. Turn the heat off.
Cook the pasta al dente: it is very important that they are al dente as you will finish to cook them in the oven.
In a big bowl mix the pasta, the sauce, basil leaves, marjoram, grated parmigiano reggiano and Italian smoked provola cut in small cubes. it is important that you keep the provola 2 days in the fridge before using it as it has to loose water.
Place the fried eggplants in the tin, add the pasta and the cover it all up with the remaining friend eggplants.
Bake the sformato in a pre-heated static oven at 175C for 25/30 minutes.
Take it out of the tin and eat hot.
Ingredients
For 6 people
– 6 eggplants for the tin and 2 eggplants for the sauce
– 1 bottle of organic tomate sauce – no added sugar or salt
– 200 gr mezze penne gluten free
– 1 red onion
– 100gr Italian smoked provola cheese
– 60 gr grated parmigiano reggiano
– extra virgin olive oil
– pepper and salt
– fresh basil
– marjoram
