Timballo Di Anelletti Siciliani Con Melanzane

Cut the eggplants in long thin slices and salt lightly. Fry them in a frypan with olive oil and cook until lightly brown.

Remove and place on plate. Set aside.

Prepare a 24cm springform baking tin and grease well.

Using the fried eggplant line the bottom and sides, leaving 5 slices for the top for later.

In a medium saucepan bring water to boil and add Anelletti and cook for 10 mins or until al dente.

Drain and add ragu' sauce to pasta and mix well until all pasta is well combined. Set aside.

Prepare bechamel sauce: using a small saucepan on medium heat add salted butter and melt. Then add plain flour, keep stirring and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add whole milk and stir continuously for 5 minutes using a hand whisk until you get a smooth consistency. Then add grated nutmeg, grated cheese and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir and combine well and continue to cook for a further 1 minute. Set aside.

Begin to fill springform baking tin with pasta up to 3/4 full and reserve the rest of the pasta for the top.

Cover the top of the pasta with slices of ham, then add béchamel sauce and smooth all over the ham until it is completely covered with sauce. Then cover the whole top of the bechamel sauce with the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese evenly on top.

Add remaining pasta and smooth over on top.

Add remaining bechamel sauce over the top of the pasta and evenly distribute the rest of the grated parmesan cheese over the bechamel sauce..

Now you can begin to close the pasta with the sides the are hanging of the eggplant and put on top the pasta the remaining eggplant.

Cook in preheated oven at 180 Celsius for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and leave in springform tin until completely cooled.

When ready to serve remove from tin and slice in desired pieces. Enjoy!