Fagottini Pasta with Eggplant and Mozzarella in a Cherry Tomato Sauce

Method9 steps · about 2 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel and cube the eggplant (1 large) and cube the mozzarella. Wash the mint, keeping a few leaves aside for serving. Cook the eggplant gently in a non-stick pan with a drizzle of the filling olive oil for about 15 minutes, until tender. Let it cool, then blend it with the mozzarella, breadcrumbs (4 tablespoons), filling salt and pepper, and some of the mint to make the filling.

   Cook eggplant · 15 minUses 1 large eggplant or 2 medium, peeled and cubed · A drizzle of oil for cooking eggplant · 200 g cubed mozzarella · 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs · Some fresh mint; keep a few washed leaves for serving · Salt for the eggplant and mozzarella filling, to taste · Pepper for the eggplant and mozzarella filling, to taste

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Sift the 00 flour and semolina flour into a bowl, add the dough salt and mix. Make a well in the centre, crack in all 3 eggs and beat them lightly with a fork. Gradually incorporate the flour to form a rough dough.

   Uses 200 g Italian 00 flour · 100 g durum wheat semolina flour · 3 eggs · Salt for the pasta dough, to taste

   
3. 3

   Step 3: If the rough dough is too dry, add tepid water one tablespoon at a time until it comes together; this is conditional, not a fixed total quantity. Transfer to a lightly flour-dusted surface and knead for 5–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

   Uses All the rough dough from step 2 · Tepid water only if needed, one tablespoon at a time · A little extra flour for the work surface

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Roll the kneaded dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it to rest for at least 30 minutes.

   Rest dough · 30 minUses All the smooth kneaded dough

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Roll the rested dough on a flour-dusted surface with a rolling pin or pasta machine into sheets about 1.5 mm thick. Cut squares measuring 5–6 cm on each side with a pastry cutter.

   Uses All the rested dough · A little extra flour for the work surface

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Put the cooled filling in a piping bag with a smooth nozzle. Pipe a grape-sized portion into the centre of each pasta square. First join two opposite corners, then bring in the two side triangles and pinch the edges firmly to seal. Repeat with the squares and filling, placing the formed fagottini on a flour-dusted tray.

   Uses The cut pasta squares · The cooled blended filling · Extra flour for the tray, as needed

7. 7

   Step 7: Peel and cut the garlic (2) into thick slices. Wash and cut the tomatoes into pieces. Heat the sauce olive oil with the garlic in a large pan, add the tomatoes and season with the sauce salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes soften and start to break down, leaving a sauce that is still fluid.

   Uses Extra virgin olive oil for the cherry tomato sauce, as needed · 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thickly sliced · 300 g cherry or datterini tomatoes, cut into pieces · Salt for the cherry tomato sauce, to taste · Pepper for the cherry tomato sauce, to taste

8. 8

   Step 8: Bring a pot of water to the boil, salt it and return it to the boil. Cook the formed fagottini until they rise to the surface and the pasta is tender; the source guide is 1–2 minutes. Before lifting them out, keep a little cooking water in case the sauce needs thinning. Lift the cooked fagottini gently with a slotted spoon and add them to the tomato sauce.

   Cook fagottini · 2 minUses Water for cooking the fagottini, as needed · Salt for the pasta cooking water, as needed · The sealed filled fagottini · The cooked cherry tomato sauce

9. 9

   Step 9: Sauté the fagottini briefly in the sauce, stirring gently. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a little of the reserved pasta cooking water. Transfer to plates, add grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the mint leaves kept aside earlier, and serve immediately. Use vegetarian parmesan instead of traditional Parmigiano Reggiano for the vegetarian variation.

   Uses The cooked fagottini and tomato sauce · A little reserved cooking water only if the sauce is too thick · Grated parmesan for serving, as desired · The few washed mint leaves kept aside in step 1