These eggplant boats are a standard recipe from Sicily. They use fashionable Italian flavors like tomato, garlic, basil, and Parmigiano with a particular Sicilian cheese including a novel, scrumptious taste. Related in taste to pasta alla norma and harking back to Sicilian annelleti timbalo, these pasta stuffed egglant boats make a superb starter!
Historical past
Eggplants, additionally referred to as aubergines or brinjal, are a highly regarded vegetable (really they’re categorised as berries!) in lots of cuisines, particularly Mediterranean, Asian and Center Japanese. Right here in Italy, eggplants are a widely-used ingredient within the Southern areas, notably Sicily.
Do you know that the identify ‘eggplant’ was really coined in 18th century? Initially, it referred to white eggplants which, clearly, seemed a bit like eggs!
Nevertheless, it was the Arabs who launched eggplants to Sicily within the Center Ages after which, I suppose, their cultivation unfold to different components of Southern Italy. Well-known Southern Italian recipes for eggplant embody parmigiana (melanzane alla parmigiana) from Naples and caponata and pasta alla Norma from Sicily. One other recipe I like is stuffed eggplant boats from Puglia.
Nevertheless, Italians put together eggplants in many various methods and these anelletti pasta eggplant boats is one in every of my favorites! In Italian, these are referred to as ‘barchette di melanzane ripene di anelletti’.
The pasta.
Anelletti or anelli is a typical Sicilian pasta most frequently utilized in baked pasta recipes like anelletti timballo, a sort of pasta cake from Palermo. These small rings of dried pasta are literally the inspiration for spaghettiOs! However, in fact they arrive from Italy. I’d like to understand how Campbells found them!
The pasta I used for these anelletti pasta eggplant boats was made by Garofalo, one in every of my favourite producers of pasta di Gragnano. In my view, dried pasta from the city of Gragnano close to Naples is among the greatest in Italy.
The truth is, for pasta makers to label their product ‘pasta di Gragnano’, the pasta must be produced in a legally outlined space in and across the Bay of Naples. It should even be made utilizing Italian durum wheat flour and the calcium poor water of the Monti Lattari. The dough is extruded by means of bronze dies and dried at low temperatures within the mountain air. The consequence? Nice pasta! So, look out for it! There’s a couple of producer.
Substances
Pasta: This recipe requires Sicilian anelletti/anelli pasta rings. If these usually are not out there, you can use different small pasta reminiscent of orzo or very small pasta shells.
Eggplants: Choose massive, agency eggplants as they make a superb measurement for the eggplant boats. The flesh scooped from inside is used within the sauce, making certain no waste.
Cherry Tomatoes: Non-obligatory however advisable for including a recent burst of sweetness and texture.
Tomato Passata: A clean tomato puree that gives a wealthy and velvety base for the sauce. Generally tomato passata is known as tomato purée or sieved tomatoes.
Primo Sale Cheese: Primo Sale is an Italian sheep’s milk cheese from Sicily and Sardinia. It has a brilliant white colour and a barely salty milky taste. If unavailable, you can too use ricotta salata or feta in its place. Mozzarella would even be a superb different though it has a milder taste.
NB Historically these cheeses are made with animal rennet (even mozzarella) however yow will discover vegetarian variations.
Parmigiano Reggiano: Grated excessive earlier than baking, this cheese provides a wealthy, nutty taste. For a vegetarian model, use parmesan cheese with out animal rennet.
Breadcrumbs: Sprinkled on high earlier than baking, they add a crispy texture that contrasts with the creamy, comfortable filling of the eggplant boats.
Peperoncino Flakes: Non-obligatory for a spicy kick, these chili flakes may be adjusted in accordance with style so as to add warmth to the dish.
Recent Basil Leaves: Used as a garnish, basil provides a closing contact of freshness to the recipe.
Knowledgeable Suggestions
Making ready the Eggplant: When hollowing out the eggplants to create boats, make certain to go away some eggplant flesh across the edges. This helps preserve the integrity of the boats, making certain they do not collapse or break whereas they cook dinner.
Sauce Consistency: It is essential to be sure to simmer the sauce till it has thickened. A thicker sauce will cling higher to the pasta and can permit the breadcrumb topping to develop into crunchy.
Step by Step Directions
1) Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F) and produce a big pot of salted water to a boil. Wash the eggplants, reduce them in half, and thoroughly scoop out the flesh, chopping it into small cubes. Set the hollowed shells apart.
2) Boil the eggplant shells for about 5 minutes. Take away, drain, and allow them to cool. Maintain the water simmering for cooking the pasta.
3) In a non-stick pan, warmth 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium warmth. Fry the entire garlic cloves till aromatic. Add the cubed eggplant flesh and cook dinner till it begins to brown.
4) Take away the garlic cloves, add the cherry tomatoes and peperoncino flakes if utilizing, and cook dinner till the tomatoes begin to soften. Stir within the tomato passata and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add the primo sale cheese to the eggplant and tomato sauce.
5) In the meantime cook dinner the pasta in the identical boiling water used for the eggplant shells till al dente, in accordance with the bundle directions.
6) Drain the pasta and blend totally with the eggplant and tomato sauce.
7) Fill every eggplant shell with the pasta. Grease a baking dish (or line it with baking paper) and place the stuffed eggplants on it. Sprinkle them generously with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and breadcrumbs.
8) Bake within the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or till the tops are golden brown and crispy.
9) Serve the eggplant boats instantly, garnished with recent basil leaves.
Storage and Leftovers
Enable the eggplant boats to chill to room temperature after baking. Switch the cooled eggplant boats to an hermetic container and retailer them within the fridge. They’ll preserve properly for as much as 3 days.
Reheating:
Oven: For optimum texture, reheat the eggplant boats within the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-Quarter-hour till totally scorching.
Microwave: If you happen to want a faster reheating methodology, microwave the eggplant boats on excessive for two minutes, then test and proceed heating in 30 to 60-second intervals till totally scorching.
FAQs
Right here in Italy, pasta is commonly served as a primary course (primo), moderately than a predominant course. Consequently, one in every of these eggplant boats makes an ideal starter. For a predominant course, I might recommend two per individual. The substances on this recipe are for 4 anelletti pasta eggplant boats. Double the portions if you wish to make 4 predominant programs.
Sure, you’ll be able to put together these eggplant boats forward of time. Assemble every little thing as much as the purpose of baking and retailer the ready boats within the fridge. When able to eat, merely bake as directed.
Eggplants tend to begin to flip brown as soon as the flesh is uncovered to the air. Subsequently, it’s greatest to have a pot of water on the boil and a few olive oil able to warmth in a skillet or deep frying pan earlier than getting ready them. You’ll be able to then begin cooking the flesh and boiling the shells fairly rapidly.
Alternatively, you’ll be able to soak the eggplant flesh and shells in a bowl of water with a few tablespoons of salt till you might be prepared to make use of them. Then rinse properly and pat the flesh dry earlier than frying. This additionally helps to stop it absorbing lots of oil when frying it. Nevertheless, I didn’t do that for these anelletti pasta eggplant boats.
Extra eggplant pasta/anellini recipes
If you happen to love the look of this recipe, take a look at my favourite Italian eggplant recipes.
If you happen to do that stuffed eggplant boats recipe at residence, I would love to listen to the way it seems. Write a remark right here on the weblog or be part of and submit a remark and photograph on my Pastaliciousness Fb group.
Buon appetito!
Italian Stuffed Eggplant Boats
These eggplant boats are a standard recipe from Sicily. They use fashionable Italian flavors like tomato, garlic, basil, and Parmigiano with a particular Sicilian cheese including a novel, scrumptious taste.
Substances
- 6 ½ oz anelletti pasta
- 2 eggplants (massive)
- 8-10 cherry tomatoes (you’ll be able to omit these)
- 10 ½ oz tomato passata I used Mutti
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 5 ¼ oz primo sale cheese or ricotta salata, mozzarella or feta
- Parmigiano reggiano grated – or vegetarian parmesan
- 1 teaspoon peperoncino flakes (non-obligatory)
- 2-3 tablespoon additional virgin olive oil (it’s possible you’ll want extra as eggplant absorbs the oil)
- salt for pasta and to style
- black pepper to style
- basil leaves (for presentation)
- breadcrumbs as required
Directions
-
Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F) and produce a big pot of salted water to a boil. Wash the eggplants, reduce them in half, and thoroughly scoop out the flesh, chopping it into small cubes. Set the hollowed shells apart.
-
Boil the eggplant shells for about 5 minutes. Take away, drain, and allow them to cool. Maintain the water simmering for cooking the pasta.
-
In a non-stick pan, warmth 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium warmth. Fry the entire garlic cloves till aromatic. Add the cubed eggplant flesh and cook dinner till it begins to brown.
-
Take away the garlic cloves, add the cherry tomatoes and peperoncino flakes if utilizing, and cook dinner till the tomatoes begin to soften. Stir within the tomato passata and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add the primo sale cheese to the eggplant and tomato sauce.
-
In the meantime cook dinner the pasta in the identical boiling water used for the eggplant shells till al dente, in accordance with the bundle directions.
-
Drain the pasta and blend totally with the eggplant and tomato sauce.
-
Fill every eggplant shell with the pasta. Grease a baking dish (or line it with baking paper) and place the stuffed eggplants on it. Sprinkle them generously with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and breadcrumbs.
-
Bake within the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or till the tops are golden brown and crispy.
-
Serve the eggplant boats instantly, garnished with recent basil leaves.
Forestall your display from going darkish
Notes
In case you have leftover pasta and sauce it is going to preserve within the fridge for a day or two and you may bake it or warmth within the microwave for an additional meal (we bake ours!)
Parmigiano Reggiano and Primo Sale cheese aren’t vegetarian as a result of they’re made with animal rennet. To make this recipe vegetarian, use vegetarian parmesan and mozzarella.
Omit the cheeses or substitute them with vegan cheese options to make this recipe vegan.
Substitute the anelletti pasta with a gluten-free pasta selection to make this recipe gluten-free.
Diet
Energy: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 14gFats: 13gSaturated Fats: 4gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gMonounsaturated Fats: 7gLdl cholesterol: 19mgSodium: 64mgPotassium: 1074mgFiber: 10gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 768IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 128mgIron: 3mg
Pin for Later:
If you’re considering shopping for some conventional pasta making instruments try my store web page (affliate hyperlinks). Plus when you’re there why not order a duplicate of one in every of my pasta recipe cookbooks? They make nice prezzies for pasta lovers!
Reader Interactions
