INGREDIENTS
Serves 10
1 kg / 2 lb. 2 oz. capellini
200 g / 7 oz. grated
Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
500 ml / 17 fl. oz. tomato sauce
300 g / 11 oz. peeled tomato fillets
500 g / 1 lb. 1 oz. Primosale cheese
2 kg / 2 lb. 2 oz. eggplants, sliced
200 g / 7 oz. breadcrumbs
100 g / 3 ½ oz. basil leaves
100 g / 3 ½ oz. butter
extra-virgin olive oil

DIFFICULTY 3/5 | PREPARATION TIME 1 ½ hours

Grease a large baking dish and coat with breadcrumbs. Slice the eggplants and fry them in extra-virgin olive oil.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil and cook the capellini until al dente. Then drain and season with cold tomato sauce, butter and some of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Cut the Primosale cheese into thin slices. Cover the bottom and sides of the baking dish with the seasoned capellini. At the center of the capellini, arrange the eggplants, Primosale cheese, grated Parmigiano, basil leaves, tomato fillets, alternating the ingredients until you have used them all up. Use mozzarella for the middle layer to get a “stringy” effect.
Cover the filling with the remaining capellini, sprinkle with Parmigiano and breadcrumbs, cover with foil, and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake a further 10 minutes until a crust forms.
When the timballo is ready, set it aside for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a platter. Serve sliced, preferably accompanied by hot tomato sauce and basil leaves.