This dish screams comfort!

The combination of Calabria’s prized ingredients is so rich and complex, this recipe requires not just good planning, but a hearty appetite too which is why I’m sharing this recipe. It consists of pasta tossed with a delicious mix of lamb and pork ragù, then sandwiched between slices of fried eggplant alongside meatballs, provolone cheese, spicy soppressata and hard-boiled eggs. It’s then baked until it all turns into a decadent saucy-cheesy-veggie-meaty-spicy delight. A dish for the weekend that feeds 6-8 hungry people.

INGREDIENTS

(SERVES 6-8)

1 lb rigatoni pasta, or any short-shaped, tubular pasta
1 cup provolone cheese, diced
1/4 lb spicy soppressata (or sweet), thinly sliced
4 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and sliced
pecorino cheese, as needed

RAGÙ

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground lamb
1 lb crushed tomatoes
sea salt, as needed
freshly ground black pepper as needed

MEATBALLS

4-5 slices white stale bread
1 lb ground pork
1 tbsp pecorino, grated
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 eggs
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
sea salt, as needed
freshly ground black pepper, as needed
olive oil, for frying

EGGPLANT

2 large eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick, patted dry

PREPARATION

Start with the ragù. In a large saucepan, fry the onion in oil over medium heat until softened. Increase the heat and add the pork and lamb to brown evenly, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. Once browned, add the crushed tomatoes, cover and cook over low heat for about 2 hours. Check often and stir if needed!

While the ragù is bubbling away, prepare the meatballs. Soak the bread in a little water to soften it. Leave it there for 10 minutes, then drain, squeeze out any excess liquid and crumble in a large bowl. Add pork, pecorino, parsley, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Stir to combine until everything is evenly mixed. Shape the meatballs using your hands – try and make them all the same size. Use a tablespoon to help shape even sizes.

Fill three-quarters of a frying pan with olive oil and set over medium heat. When the oil is hot (350°F if you have a cooking thermometer), add the meatballs (you might want to work in batches). Fry until cooked through, for 4-5 minutes. Drain with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

Use the same oil (check that the temperature is still around 350°F) to cook the eggplant slices. Fry in batches until tender and golden in color, then drain and set aside.

When the ragù is almost ready, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a rolling boil, then add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and toss with a few spoonfuls of the ragù (reserve most of it for later).

Preheat the oven to 400°F

In a rectangular baking dish, arrange the eggplant slices so as to cover the bottom and edges of the dish. Add a few spoonfuls of the ragù, then a layer of pasta. Top the pasta with some diced provolone, slices of soppressata and a few egg slices. Cover with some more ragù, then dust with grated pecorino. Repeat in layers until you get to the top of the dish, finishing with ragù and pecorino.

Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the dish looks bubbly on the top and edges. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.