Baked Macaroni, Eggplant, and Broccoli
Region: Italy
Category: Pasta-Baked
Season: Fall
Difficulty: Labor Intensive

This baked macaroni dish can be assembled over time making it an easy dish to make.  Each element gets cooked separately and then it is tossed and placed in a casserole for baking. The steak is used in such a little quantity to give flavor rather than dominate the dish which is really about eggplant and broccoli.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation Time: 1:15 hours

1 pound broccoli

1 pound eggplant, sliced into 3/8-inch thick rounds

6 to 8 cups olive oil for frying

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 pound skirt steak, flank, sirloin tip, or rib eye steak, sliced in 1 x 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 pound macaroni

1 1/2 teaspoons red chile flakes

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/3 cup dry or fresh bread crumbs

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/3 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat, then cook the broccoli until tender, 7 to 8 minutes.  Break the broccoli into florets and slice the stem and set aside.

2. Lay the eggplant pieces on some paper towels and sprinkle with salt.  Leave them to drain of their bitter juices for 30 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.

3. In a deep-fryer or an eight-inch saucepan with a wire fry basket, preheat the frying oil to 375 degrees F.

4. Deep-fry the eggplant slices until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side.  Drain on a platter covered with paper towels.  Set aside.

5. In a skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over high heat, then cook the steak until brown on both sides, about 2 minutes.  Remove and set aside.

6. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt abundantly then cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is half-cooked.  Drain without rinsing.

7. Toss the macaroni, steak, broccoli, eggplant, red chile flakes, garlic, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof casserole that has been oiled with 2 teaspoons of oil.  Using a spatula or your hands press down on the macaroni so the top is even and flat.

8. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

9. In a bowl, mix the bread crumbs, parmigiano, and pecorino cheeses together and sprinkle on top of the macaroni.  Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and bake until the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Serve hot.

Variation: 

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Posted: 12/27/2006