Timballo di Pollo e Melanzane

Ingredients

• 150 g All-purpose flour
• 100 g Cold butter
• 1 Egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 200 g Penne or ziti pasta
• 300 g Chicken thighs, boneless
• 400 g Crushed tomatoes
• 1 Eggplant
• 100 g Smoked scamorza cheese, diced
• 1 Onion, finely diced
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 500 ml Olive oil for frying
• 60 ml Dry white wine
• 30 g Grated Parmesan
• 8 Fresh basil leaves(optional)
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pastry: combine flour, salt, cold butter, and egg yolk; knead briefly into a dough, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Dice the eggplant, salt it, and let drain 20 minutes; pat dry, then fry in olive oil until golden and set aside on paper towels.

3. 3

   Sear diced chicken in a splash of olive oil until browned; add onion and garlic, cook 5 minutes, deglaze with wine, then add crushed tomatoes and simmer 25 minutes into a thick ragù.

4. 4

   Boil the pasta 2 minutes less than package directions; drain and toss with the ragù, Parmesan, and torn basil.

5. 5

   Roll the chilled pastry to 3mm and line a greased 15cm dome mold or bowl, trimming excess.

6. 6

   Layer half the pasta-ragù mixture, then fried eggplant, scamorza, and remaining pasta; fold pastry edges over the top and seal.

7. 7

   Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is deep golden.

8. 8

   Rest 10 minutes, invert onto a plate, unmold tableside, and serve hot.