The pasta filling on its own was delicious, but adding the eggplant was amazing. It is like you are eating a lasagne without the bechamel, but with the cheese it makes you feel it is still there.
When I made this for the first time when my kids were all under 10, my older two kids would not generally eat eggplant on its own, so they chopped it up into their pasta and loved it. My youngest didn't want the eggplant, but that was okay as I was happy to take it. Some foods they are more likely to like later on.
Well later on happened, two of my kids are now in their 20s and my youngest is 17 and now they all absolutely loved this , eggplant and all. One thing I took out of the recipe was the peas, I just don't love them and don't feel they are needed, but if you love peas, keep them in.
This is a delicious family meal that suits both adults and kids, is super yummy and will definitely be made again in my house.
Recipe
Serves 6-8
3 eggplant, sliced thinly lengthwise
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil, as needed
Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
500g pork and beef mince
2 tablespoons tomato paste
400g can tomatoes
125g macaroni
1/2 cup frozen peas, optional
1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Grease and line the base of a deep 23cm round springform tin.
Arrange eggplant on trays, sprinkle with a little salt. Allow to stand for 20 minutes. Rinse well. Pat dry with paper towels. (This only needs to be done if your eggplant, when sliced, has a lot of black seeds inside).
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan. Cook the eggplant in batches in a single layer until golden on each side. They need to be cooked and pliable. Add more oil as required. Drain on paper towels.
Make the sauce: Add onion and crushed garlic to the same pan and stir over low heat until onion is tender. Add mince and brown, breaking up any lumps with a spoon or fork as it cooks. Add the tomato paste, stir for 30 seconds, then add the tinned tomatoes, salt and pepper and stir well. I like to rinse the tomato tins with about 1/3 cup water and add that to the sauce. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened. You don't want a wet sauce, it needs to be thick. Set aside.
Add macaroni to a large pan of rapidly boiling water and cook until just tender. Drain and place in a bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil, if you are not using it straight away, to ensure pasta does not clump together, if you are using it straight away, no need to oil it.
In a large bowl, place the peas, if using, macaroni, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, egg and half of the parmesan. Use a spoon to mix, set aside.
Preheat oven to moderate 180C/160C fan forced.
Place an eggplant slice in the centre on the base of your prepared tin. Arrange three-quarters of the remaining eggplant in an overlapping pattern to completely cover the base and sides of the tin.
Combine the mince mixture with the macaroni mixture, mix well to combine.
Carefully spoon the filling into the eggplant case, packing down well.
Serve with a salad, if desired.
Enjoy!
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