step 1
In a skillet heat up Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (2 Tbsp). Add Onion (1/2) and cook on low heat until onion is soft.
step 2
Pour in the bottle of Tomato Passata (1 bottle), season with Salt (to taste), Ground Black Pepper (to taste), and Fresh Basil Leaves (3). Cover with a lid and let cook on low heat for 2 hours. The sauce should be thick and flavourful.
step 3
Put a pot of water on the stove to boil. This will be for the eggplant skins.
step 4
Meanwhile using a rounded-tip knife, cut Eggplants (4) in half then curve out the internal part, leaving a few millimeters of thickness around the skin.
step 5
Drop the eggplant cups in the boiling water and cook them for 10 minutes.
step 6
Chop up the internal part and place it in a skillet with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (2 Tbsp), Garlic (1 clove), Salt (to taste), Ground Black Pepper (to taste), and Fresh Basil Leaves (to taste). Cook the filling on medium-high until softened.
step 7
Next, we need to make the meatballs. Just gather the Ground Pork (6.5 oz), Eggland's Best Classic Egg (1), Grated Parmesan Cheese (2 Tbsp), Fresh Parsley (1 Tbsp), Fresh Basil (1 Tbsp), Breadcrumbs (1/3 cup), Garlic (1 clove), Salt (to taste), Ground Black Pepper (to taste) to a bowl and mix them together, adding enough Milk (to taste) to get a soft but not sticky mixture.
step 8
Heat up a few inches of Frying Oil (as needed) on the stove (I used a deep fryer for this, which made it fast and hassle-free). While it's heating up roll the mixture into mini meatballs.
step 9
Fry the meatballs until golden brown.
step 10
Cook the Fusilli Pasta (5.5 oz) in boiling, salty water until al dente. Drain and dress with a few tbsp of the tomato sauce, the cooked diced eggplants and the Grated Parmesan Cheese (1/3 cup).
step 11
Preheat your oven to 390 degrees F (200 degrees C).
step 12
Now, on to assembling our casserole! Pour a few tbsp of tomato sauce at the bottom of your casserole dish, lay the eggplant cups, drizzle them with oil and a few tbsp of tomato sauce and fill them with pasta, a few meatballs and some Stracciatella Cheese (1 2/3 cups). Add some Cherry Tomato (1 cup), a few leaves of Fresh Basil Leaves (to taste), and the remaining Grated Parmesan Cheese (3 Tbsp).
step 13
Bake in preheated oven for about 20-30 min or until golden in color and cheese is melted.
step 14
Remove from the oven and let your casserole dish cool down for 10-15 min. This is best served warm with cheese still running, but not super hot.
