Warm Lasagnette with Roasted Eggplant, Raisins, Pine Nuts, Tomatoes and Squaquerone

Ingredients

1 eggplant
4 tomatoes
100g sultanas
30mls port
100g pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 sprig basil
200mls good quality olive oil
¼ cup vegetable stock
150g Squaquerone
2tbls butter, melted
Salt
¼ cup grated parmesan

Pasta Dough:

460g plain flour
40g semolina
4 whole eggs plus 5 egg yolks
A pinch of salt

Method

1. Dice eggplant into 1cm cubes and quickly fry in very hot pan that has been coated with a little olive oil. Remove from heat when browned and drain on paper towel. Allow to cool.
2. Place the sultanas in the port to macerate.
3. Remove the core of the tomatoes and lightly score a ‘cross’ on the bottom of each.
4. Plunge the tomatoes in boiling, salted water for 10 seconds then remove and allow to cool on a baking tray. When tomatoes are at room temperature, remove the skins, cut into quarters & remove the seeds. Slice the tomato flesh into ½ cm lengths.
5. Drain the sultanas and combine with the cooled eggplant, tomato strips, pine nuts and basil sprig. Pour over the oil and set aside to marinate (overnight if possible).
6. For the pasta, sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the semolina and salt.
7. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and yolks. Mix together until mixture is combined and comes together. Turn out onto the bench and knead until mixture is smooth. Wrap tightly in cling film and allow to rest for 30mins.
8. Roll dough through pasta machine, slowly getting thinner and thinner till it is almost transparent. It’s importantly to continually dust the pasta with flour so that it doesn’t stick to the rollers.
9. Once you have the pasta nice and thin (about 2-3mm) lay on a floured surface. Cut out 5cm discs (you can use a scone cutter or any round the right size). You’ll need 20 discs in total.
10. Blanch the discs in boiling, lightly salted water for 30 seconds, then plunge in iced water to chill. It’s easiest to work in batches of 4-5 discs at a time. Once the discs are cool, remove from the iced water and lay on a clean tea towel to dry.

To assemble:


1. Take the filling that has been marinating and strain through a fine sieve, removing most of the oil. While the mixture is draining, take a large baking dish (about 1-2cms deep) and lay four discs, keeping them well spaced apart.
2. On top of the discs place 2tbls of the vegetable mixture, followed by a generous teaspoon of squaquerone. Repeat with 5 discs for each lasagnette, finishing with pasta. As you work, fan out the discs slightly so that they overlay but are not stacked, as such. Brush the top discs with a little melted butter, sprinkle with a little salt and the grated parmesan.
3. Pour around the stock so that base of the tray is just covered. Bake for 10mins at 180°C.
4. Remove from the oven and gently lift out each lasagnette and place in a shallow serving bowl. Spoon a little of the remaining stock around the lasagnette and serve.

Recipe provided by Bottega