Ingredients, Recipes, Traditions · 6 Settembre 2025
ANELLETTI TIMBALLO WITH AUBERGINES
Difficulty
Prep time
Cook time
Servings
Season
Anelletti Timballo with Aubergines
Anelletti timballo is one of the most precious jewels of Sicilian cooking. A rich, sumptuous dish, it brings together all the flavours of our beloved island.
In my own version, anelletti, the small ring-shaped pasta typical of Palermo, meet aubergines, the undisputed stars of our summer cooking, in a rich, enveloping combination of flavours.
This timballo embodies the pleasure of gathering around a table: a generous dish to share with family and friends, capable of bringing the people of Catania and Palermo together!
what’s
needed.
Metod:
Step by step
Prepare a gentle soffritto: finely chop the onion, carrot and celery, then soften in a large saucepan with a generous drizzle of Federica Genovese Sicily & Food Sicilia extra virgin olive oil.
When the vegetables are translucent and fragrant, add the Federica Genovese Sicily & Food datterino tomato passata and stir carefully.
Season with salt and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn off the heat, add fresh basil leaves and allow to cool.
Wash the aubergines, cutting half into evenly sized cubes of about 1 cm and the other half into slices.
Place the cubes in a colander, sprinkle lightly with salt and leave for about 30 minutes. Do the same with the slices. This essential step draws out moisture and the characteristic bitterness.
Rinse the aubergines under running water and carefully pat dry with kitchen paper.
Fry the cubes and slices separately in plenty of Federica Genovese Sicily & Food Sicilia extra virgin olive oil until golden. Work in batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature too much. Drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the Federica Genovese Sicily & Food anelletti for about 10 minutes. They should be very al dente, as they will finish cooking in the oven.
Drain the anelletti, return to the pan and immediately mix with half the sauce and the fried aubergine cubes. Stir gently to avoid breaking the pasta, then add the caciocavallo and basil and combine thoroughly.
Generously oil a baking dish, preferably round and about 28–30 cm in diameter, with Federica Genovese Sicily & Food Sicilia extra virgin olive oil.
Spread a ladleful of sauce over the base.
Add a layer of aubergine slices, then half the pasta.
Add another ladleful of sauce.
Finish with the remaining pasta and cover with a layer of aubergine slices.
Preheat a conventional oven to 180°C.
Bake the anelletti timballo for about 30–40 minutes.
Once cooked, remove from the oven and rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. This essential step allows it to firm up and hold its shape when cut.
Decorate with a few fresh basil leaves before serving, for extra colour and fragrance.
Enjoy!
FEDERICA’S TIPS
Drain the fried aubergines thoroughly and keep the pasta very al dente before assembling your timballo. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes after baking: the flavours will settle, and each slice will hold together more neatly.
― storage and serving ―