Best 5 Eggplant Pasta Timbale Recipes

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Indulge in a culinary journey with our exquisite Eggplant Pasta Timbale, a delightful fusion of flavors and textures that will tantalize your taste buds. This enticing dish features layers of tender eggplant, savory pasta, and a delectable tomato sauce, all baked to perfection in a ramekin. The eggplant, with its soft and spongy texture, absorbs the rich flavors of the sauce, while the pasta provides a hearty and satisfying bite. Topped with melted cheese, this timbale is a true masterpiece that combines the best of Italian cuisine.

In addition to the classic Eggplant Pasta Timbale, this article offers a tempting array of variations to suit every palate. Explore the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean with our Greek-inspired Moussaka Timbale, where layers of eggplant, potatoes, and ground beef are smothered in a creamy béchamel sauce. For a lighter option, try the Vegetarian Timbale, a colorful medley of vegetables such as zucchini, bell peppers, and spinach, encased in a delicate tomato sauce and topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Seafood enthusiasts will delight in the Shrimp and Crab Timbale, where succulent shrimp and crab meat are combined with a creamy seafood sauce and nestled within a flaky pastry crust. And for a taste of classic Italian comfort food, the Sausage and Peppers Timbale offers a hearty combination of Italian sausage, roasted peppers, and tangy tomato sauce, all wrapped in a savory pasta shell.

No matter your preference, our collection of Eggplant Pasta Timbale recipes promises a culinary adventure that will leave you craving for more. Get ready to impress your family and friends with these delectable dishes that are sure to become favorites in your kitchen.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

EGGPLANT TIMBALE-TIMBALLO DI MELANZANE



Eggplant Timbale-Timballo di Melanzane image

Eggplant Timbale-Timballo di Melanzane is made with pasta and a meat sauce made with peas. Delicious slices of grilled eggplant wrap around the pasta and it is baked together. A beloved family recipe perfect for the holidays or a special occasion.

Provided by Lora

Categories     Dinner

Number Of Ingredients 18

For the Meat Sauce:
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup of onion chopped you can use sweet onion or yellow onion
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef you could do a mixture of pork/beef or however you prefer
1 cup dry white wine
2-28 ounce can of whole tomatoes (I use San Marzano, remove the tough inside and puree' in a blender)
6 fresh basil leaves (torn into small pieces)
1 cup of fresh or frozen baby peas (canned does not work for this recipe)
2 ½ teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Eggplants
2 huge (or 3 medium eggplants)
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil (maybe more (if needed))
salt
freshly ground pepper
Pasta
1 lb penne (or rigatoni)
a few handfuls of fresh basil (roughly chopped or hand torn)

Steps:

  • MAKE THE SAUCE:
  • In medium size sauce pan or a Dutch oven heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes more. Next, add the beef and sauté, stirring frequently.
  • Break up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and stir together and let it evaporate. Add the tomatoes and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens. Add in the peas and stir together. Season with salt and pepper and simmer.
  • I simmer my ragu' (Bolognese sauce/meat sauce) for about 2 hours. Add additional water if necessary for desired consistency while it's simmering to thin it out a little. You could make this a day (or two) ahead.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the pasta water and boil the pasta until it's about 2 minutes from al dente.
  • If you cooked the sauce a day or two ahead, remove from the refrigerator and reheat it (this will make it much easier to combine with the cooked pasta).
  • While the sauce is simmering, prep the eggplant slices.
  • EGGPLANT:
  • Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or pre-heat a gas or charcoal grill.
  • Slice the eggplants vertically to about 1/4-inch thick slices. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Grill the eggplants until colored with grill marks and tender, about 4-5 minutes per side. You want nice golden slices.
  • Set aside the grilled eggplant slices on a baking sheet or a large dish spaced out nicely.
  • If you are using sauce that was cooked a day or two before, heat it in a sauce pan on a low simmer while you grill the eggplant.
  • Once the pasta is ready, drain it and add to the bowl. Spoon enough sauce onto the pasta enough to cover and stir together to combine. If you are adding any cheese (regular or dairy-free), add it in now. Toss everything to coat (and if you're using cheese, make sure the cheese is distributed everywhere).
  • ASSEMBLE:
  • Brush a springform pan with olive oil.
  • Layer the bottom of the pan with the longest eggplant slices from the bottom and going over the edge of the spring form pan (so it can be folded over the top later), hanging outside of the pan (make sure there are no open spaces, should be covered with eggplant).
  • Spoon the pasta mixture on top of the layered eggplant slices.
  • Next, fold over the draped slices of eggplant to cover the pasta making sure the whole top is covered. You will have some extra eggplant slices, so use any extra pieces to cover up any open spaces.
  • Place the springform pan on a baking dish (this is just in case of any drips through the pan and also makes it easier to take out of oven). Bake for 30 minute.
  • Remove the tray from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes or so. As soon as it cools down enough, put on some kitchen gloves, and release the side of the pan.
  • Next, place your serving plate over the top of the timblale and carefully flip it over (it's one swift move, so make sure you're steady when you flip).
  • Remove the bottom of the springform pan. Use a very sharp knife and slice into portions and serve. Enjoy!

EGGPLANT TIMBALLO WITH CAVATELLI



Eggplant Timballo with Cavatelli image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

3 large eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch slices lengthwise
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups tomato sauce, recipe follows
1 pound fresh cavatelli pasta
1 (1 pound) ball fresh mozzarella, chopped
1 cup grated pecorino, plus extra, for sprinkling on top
1/4 cup basil chiffonade, plus basil leaves, for garnish
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried basil, crumbled
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 (28 to 32-ounce) cans whole Italian tomatoes, drained, reserving juice, and chopped into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Place the eggplant slices on top of a sheet tray lined with parchment or waxed paper. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven until it turns golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool.
  • Oil the bottoms and sides of 6 souffle dishes and layer 4 to 5 pieces of eggplant in a circular pattern into each souffle dish, letting excess drape out over the edge.
  • Heat up the tomato sauce in a large saucepan. Then turn off flame. Reserve some tomato sauce for plating in a smaller pot.
  • In a large pot with boiling salted water, cook the cavatelli pasta for 3 to 4 minutes, and drain.
  • In the pot with the sauce, add the partially cooked cavatelli, mozzarella, and pecorino to the tomato sauce and cook over medium heat just to blend well. When hot, stir in the basil chiffonade. Spoon the pasta-sauce mixture into the souffle dishes and fold over the top with excess eggplant. Bake in oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • To serve, spoon the remaining tomato sauce onto individual plates. Turn a finished timballo upside down onto a large spatula to remove it from the souffle dish, then carefully slide it onto the plates. Sprinkle with pecorino and garnish with a basil leaf.
  • In a heavy 5-quart saucepan cook onion, carrot, celery, garlic, basil, bay leaf, and salt and pepper, to taste, in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until vegetables are softened. Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes with reserved juice.
  • Simmer sauce, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, 35 minutes and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened. Discard bay leaf. Sauce may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled.

EGGPLANT PASTA TIMBALE



Eggplant Pasta Timbale image

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 medium eggplant (about 1 pound each)
salt
olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
8 ounces ground beef
8 ounces Italian pork sausages, skinned and chopped
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 (28-ounce) can imported Italian peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound perciatelli or bucatini pasta
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, chopped
1 cup freshly grated caciocavallo or Pecorino Romano cheese
3 ounces salami, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 hard cooked eggs, sliced

Steps:

  • 1 Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Sprinkle the slices generously with salt and place them in a colander to drain at least 30 minutes. Rinse the slices and blot dry. 2 Heat 1/4-inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the slices a few at a time until lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. 3 Pour the oil into a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and sausage meat. Cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. 4 Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low heat 20 minutes. Add the peas and cook 10 minutes more or until the sauce is thickened. 5 Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the pasta. Stir well. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender but still very firm. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Toss the pasta with the sauce. Let cool 5 minutes. 6 Line a 4-quart ovenproof bowl or baking dish with foil, pressing it smoothly against the sides. Brush the foil with olive oil. Starting in the center of the bowl, arrange half the eggplant slices, overlapping slightly against the inside and reserving a few slices for the top. 7 Add the mozzarella, grated cheese, salami, and basil to the pan with the pasta and toss well. Add half the pasta to the prepared bowl, being careful not to disturb the eggplant. Arrange the egg slices over the pasta. Top with the remaining pasta and the reserved eggplant slices. Press down lightly. 8 Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake 45 to 60 minutes, or until hot in the center, 140°F measured on an instantread thermometer. (Exact baking time will depend on the diameter of the bowl.) 9 Let the timbale stand 15 minutes. Invert the bowl onto a serving plate. Remove the bowl and gently peel off the foil. Serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutrition Facts : Nutritional Facts Serves

EGGPLANT PASTA BAKE



Eggplant Pasta Bake image

Layers of eggplant, pasta, and a puree of vegetables called a sofrito create a dense, creamy casserole that is filling and nutritious.

Provided by John Stine

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Casserole Recipes     Noodles

Time 1h20m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 large eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
½ pound dry penne pasta
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 ancho chile pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 (12 ounce) package vegetarian burger crumbles
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly oil a large, deep casserole dish. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  • Arrange the sliced eggplant on a greased cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
  • In a food processor, puree the onion, bell pepper, garlic and optional ancho chile pepper. If the mixture is too thick add a tablespoon of water. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Pour the onion mixture into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Add milk, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
  • Arrange half of the baked eggplant in the greased casserole dish. Spoon in half of the white sauce, covering the eggplant. Spread the veggie crumbles over the white sauce, followed by the pasta, and a layer of the bell pepper puree. Cover the the onion and pepper mixture with remaining eggplant and spoon the remaining white sauce over the eggplant. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the casserole.
  • Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 420.2 calories, Carbohydrate 40.9 g, Cholesterol 41.3 mg, Fat 19.5 g, Fiber 6.7 g, Protein 21 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, Sodium 382.7 mg, Sugar 7.8 g

EGGPLANT TIMBALE



Eggplant Timbale image

I saw this recipe on the foodnetwork channel, courtesy of Giada De Laurentis. You need a 9 in. springform pan.

Provided by Chef Mean Green

Categories     Vegetable

Time 1h45m

Yield 1 pan, 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 medium eggplants, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/3 cup olive oil, plus
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 lb penne pasta
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb Italian pork sausage
1/4 cup marsala wine
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 cups store-bought marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups diced smoked mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese, plus 1/4 cup
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaf

Steps:

  • Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or pre-heat a gas or charcoal grill. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the eggplant slices with 1/3 cup olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Grill the eggplant until tender and colored with grill marks, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
  • Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
  • Meanwhile, warm the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet.
  • Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the beef and pork, and brown the meat, breaking it into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the Marsala and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  • Add the peas and marinara sauce and stir to combine.
  • Add the cheeses, basil, and cooked pasta. Set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Line the springform pan with the grilled eggplant.
  • Be sure that the slices overlap and hang over the edge of the pan.
  • Fill the pan with the pasta mixture, pressing down to make sure the pan is filling up evenly.
  • Fold the eggplant slices up over the top of the pasta and add a few more slices on top to completely enclose the timbale.
  • Bake the timbale until warmed through and the cheese has melted, about 30 minutes. Let rest on the counter for 10 minutes to set.
  • To serve, invert the timbale onto a serving plate and remove the springform pan.
  • Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese over the top.
  • Slice and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 992.7, Fat 55.7, SaturatedFat 16.1, Cholesterol 77.6, Sodium 1316.6, Carbohydrate 85, Fiber 20.9, Sugar 17.7, Protein 29.8

Tips:

  • Choose the right eggplant. Look for eggplants that are firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, unblemished skin. Avoid eggplants that are soft, wrinkled, or have brown spots.
  • Slice the eggplant evenly. This will help it cook evenly. If the slices are too thick, they will not cook through, and if they are too thin, they will become mushy.
  • Salt the eggplant slices. This will help to draw out the moisture and prevent them from becoming bitter.
  • Brown the eggplant slices. This will help to caramelize them and give them a nice flavor.
  • Use a good quality pasta sauce. This will make a big difference in the flavor of the dish.
  • Don't overcook the pasta. It should be cooked al dente, or slightly firm to the bite.
  • Layer the ingredients carefully. This will help to ensure that the dish cooks evenly and looks its best.
  • Bake the timbale until it is golden brown and bubbly. This will take about 30 minutes.
  • Let the timbale cool slightly before serving. This will help it to set and make it easier to slice.

Conclusion:

Eggplant pasta timbale is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, main course, or side dish. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste. With its colorful layers and rich flavor, eggplant pasta timbale is sure to impress your guests.

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