Sicilian Spaghetti

Submitted by Annetty

"This recipe is from the Australian Womens Weekly 'Italian' Cookbook. I made it for the first time the other week, its absolutely delicous. It may look a little fiddly but the end result is worth it. Serve it with a nice salad. It also keeps well, we had it for lunch during the week as well."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 3 large eggplants
• 1 1⁄2 cups oil
• 500 g minced steak
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (400 g) can chopped or crushed tomatoes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• salt
• pepper
• 250 g spaghetti
• 250 g frozen peas
• 90 g cheddar cheese
• 90 g grated parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs

directions

1. Cut eggplant in 3mm (1/8in) thick.
2. Heat about 1/2 the oil in shallow pan, add a single layer of eggplant, cook over medium heat until eggplant is a light golden brown turn and brown other side.
3. Remove from pan and place on absorbent paper to drain.
4. Repeat with remaining eggplant.
5. Add minced steak to pan, cook until browned.
6. Add onion and garlic cook for a few moments.
7. Add undrained tomatoes, oregano, tomato paste, season with salt& pepper.
8. Simmer uncovered for about 20-30min or until liquid is reduced by about half.
9. While minced steak in cooking, add spaghetti to a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook until tender about 15min- when cooked drain spaghetti.
10. Microwave Peas for 2 minutes.
11. Mix together minced steak mixture with spaghetti, peas and grated cheeses using two forks- combine well.
12. Grease a 23cm (9in) round cake tin (I used a springform round cake tin), sprinkle evenly with 1/2 the breadcrumbs Place large slices of eggplant in cente of tin, arrange overlapping slices over the base until covered and then continue up the sides of the tin.
13. Use spoonfuls of the filling to support the slices as you work around the side of the tin.
14. Spoon remaining filling into cake tin, pack down well.
15. Arrange the remaining slices of eggplant, overlapping each slice to cover the top of the filling completely.
16. Sprinkle with remaining breadcrumbs.
17. Bake uncovered in a mderate over 25-30 minutes.
18. Stand for 5 minutes turn onto a serving plate and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Reviews

[scimietta99]

Ottimo!!! i have been making a similar dish for years for my sicilian husband and.... he prefers this one. thankyou.

 

[Brenda in Winnipeg]

This is one of my favourite recipes for pasta. I have been using it for years. I find the eggplant absorbs a lot of oil, so what I do is spray the slices with non-stick spray and broil them on each side for a little while. You have to watch them carefully as they will burn if you leave them too long. I have also used mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar and it is great.