Eggplant Involtini with Maccaruna

Eggplant Involtini with Maccaruna is a traditional pasta dish is made with key ingredients in Sicilian cooking: homemade maccaruna pasta, eggplant and ricotta salata.  A dish that’s sure to impress!

Of all the dishes I enjoyed in Sicily, (and there were lots!), Eggplant Involtini with Maccaruna is one of the most memorable.  How can you resist homemade maccaruna pasta wrapped in eggplant and topped with lots of freshly grated ricotta salata.  It’s Sicily on a plate!  

Without a doubt you’ve heard of Pasta all Norma, a recipe which I’ve previously shared.  This dish basically uses the same ingredients but presented in a totally different way. This is what Sicilians from my parents’ hometown prepare when company is coming over.  This is also what you’ll find in many local restaurants.

What are maccaruna?

Maccaruna is the traditional pasta made in my parents’ hometown of Naso, Sicily and the surrounding area.  It is made using a bronze extruder for pasta (which I purchased in Sicily) as shown:

Many of you have shared with me your photos of maccaruna from other parts of Sicily that are made differently. Some are rolled on a wire and are shorter in length.  Therefore, maccaruna can vary in themselves across the island of Sicily. 

Which pasta can I use instead of maccaruna?

I realize, of course, that most of us do not have access to freshly made maccaruna or a bronze extruder to make this type of pasta.  I recommend that you use spaghetti or even bucatini to replace the maccaruna in order to make this dish. 

How to make Eggplant Involtini with Maccaruna:

The basis of this dish is the homemade maccaruna pasta recipe from a previous post.  This recipe makes 12 eggplant involtini which is 1/2 batch of maccaruna.  Reserve the other half of the maccaruna for a simple weekday dinner with tomato sauce.  Or, double this recipe and use all the maccaruna to make 24 involtini. You use maccaruna that you made previously and froze. 

Prepare the eggplant: 

Do I have to fry the eggplant?

The traditional way of making this dish is by pan frying the eggplant.  However, it is really not necessary.  Both my mom and I stopped frying our eggplant for dishes such as eggplant parmigiana, caponata as well as these involtini long ago.  Oven roasting is much easier and just as tasty.  Here’s how I prepared it:

Salt the eggplant:

Salt the eggplant to remove the bitter juices.  I use the technique that my mom has always used as follows.  Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2 centimeter thick slices. I don’t peel the eggplant as the cooked strips will be too fragile to roll around the pasta and may fall apart. Layer the sliced eggplant in a large bowl, lightly salting each layer.  Cover with water and cover with a plate to keep the eggplant submerged in water.  Let sit for an hour. Rinse, drain and pat the eggplant slices dry.

Oven roast the eggplant: 

Preheat oven to 400F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and cover generously with olive oil.  Place the eggplant slices on the pans without overlapping them.  Make sure both sides are coated in olive oil, salt lightly and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway. 

Prepare a basic tomato sauce:

Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce.  In a large, deep skillet or saucepan, heat olive oil.  Saute onion for three minutes, add garlic and cook for a minute longer. Add a jar of tomato passata (or tomato purée).  Pour about a cup of water in the jar and swirl around to gather remaining sauce from the jar and add to the pan.  Add a few leaves of fresh basil and red pepper flakes (optional). Simmer for thirty minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Boil maccaruna (or spaghetti):

While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and cook maccaruna (or spaghetti) until just underdone.  The pasta will continue baking in the oven later. Stir half the tomato sauce in the pasta, add grated pecorino, parmigiano cheese or ricotta salata and toss to coat. 

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 350F. Cover the bottom of a rectangular baking dish with a ladle full of tomato sauce. 

Place a slice of baked eggplant on your work surface.  Add a generous forkful of pasta (about 1/4 cup) in the centre of the eggplant. 

Roll the eggplant around the pasta and place seam down in the baking dish. 

Cover each involtini with tomato sauce.  Grate ricotta salata over each involtini.

Bake for 20 minutes, until heated through and the cheese has melted.  Serve hot!

Tips for making Eggplant Involtini with Maccaruna:

• Serve 1 or 2 involtini per person if serving as a primo piatto (entrée); 3 per person as a piatto principale (main dish)
• Here are several suggestions for breaking down the process into simple steps: 
  • make your maccaruna ahead of time and freeze them;
  • prepare your sauce a day ahead;
  • roast your eggplant a day ahead;
  • assemble and bake on the day of serving;
  • or assemble the day before and bake on the day of serving.
• If you can’t find ricotta salata in your grocery store, substitute with freshly grated pecorino or parmigiano cheese. 

This is the go to dish when company’s coming over in my parents’ part of Sicily and I’m sure you’ll agree that your guests will be impressed with this dish!  Please share with me your photos of your Eggplant Involtini with Maccaruna by tagging me with @mangiabedda or #mangiabedda or Facebook or Instagram. Feel free to Pin the recipe for later.  Buon appetito!