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), 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 (10 tsp).
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.
