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Pasta 'ncaciata, a Italian recipe
Italian

Pasta 'ncaciata

A classic Sicilian baked pasta dish layered with meat, cheese, tomato sauce and eggplant, baked to golden perfection.

By CuocoMitra · Published · Updated 5 June 2026

pastabakeditaliansicilian
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Total time
Prep
Cook
Serves
6
Per serving
605kcal
Difficulty
medium

Pasta 'ncaciata is a medium Italian recipe that serves 6 and takes 90 minutes (30 minutes prep, 60 minutes cooking). It uses 10 ingredients across 7 steps. Each serving provides about 604.94 calories.

Ingredients

10 ingredients for 6 servings. Open any ingredient for its nutrition detail.

  • Gurullos PastaUse a short, tubular pasta shape500 g
    Cereal Grains and PastaPasta

    In this recipe: 500 g, Use a short, tubular pasta shape

    Per 100 g

    Calories360 kcal
    Protein12g
    Carbs75g
    Fat1.5g
    Fiber3g

    Common portions

    100 g100 g
    dry 1 cup100 g
    StarchBaseNeutralMildFirmChewy
  • Raw Ground Beef, 97% Lean80/20 lean, or substitute pork500 g

    Beef, ground, 97% lean meat / 3% fat, raw

    Beef Productssr_legacy

    In this recipe: 500 g, 80/20 lean, or substitute pork

    Per 100 g

    Calories121 kcal
    Protein22g
    Carbs0g
    Fat3g
    Fiber0g

    Common portions

    oz 4 undetermined113 g
    Main proteinUmami builderBinderBeefyUmamiSavory
  • Whole Milk Ricotta CheeseFull-fat, fresh is best250 g

    Cheese, ricotta, whole milk

    Dairy and Egg Productssr_legacy

    In this recipe: 250 g, Full-fat, fresh is best

    Per 100 g

    Calories150 kcal
    Protein7.54g
    Carbs7.27g
    Fat10.2g
    Fiber0g

    Common portions

    cup 0.5 undetermined124 g
    cup 1 undetermined246 g
    Creamy elementBinderFillingMildMilkySweet
  • Canned Tomato SauceGood quality passata or crushed tomatoes700 ml

    Tomato products, canned, sauce

    Vegetables and Vegetable Productssr_legacy

    In this recipe: 700 ml, Good quality passata or crushed tomatoes

    Per 100 g

    Calories24 kcal
    Protein1.2g
    Carbs5.31g
    Fat0.3g
    Fiber1.5g

    Common portions

    cup 1 undetermined245 g
    Base sauceAcidUmami builderSweetSourUmami
  • EggplantLarge, diced into 1cm cubes1 large

    Solanum melongena

    VegetablesFruit vegetables

    In this recipe: 1 large, Large, diced into 1cm cubes

    Per 100 g

    Calories25 kcal
    Protein0.98g
    Carbs5.88g
    Fat0.18g
    Fiber3g

    Common portions

    cup, cubes 1 undetermined82 g
    eggplant, peeled (yield from 1-1/4 lb) 1 undetermined458 g
    eggplant, unpeeled (approx 1-1/4 lb) 1 undetermined548 g
    Base ingredientAbsorbentMeat substituteEarthyMildBitter
  • Romano CheeseFreshly grated, for topping100 g

    Cheese, romano

    Dairy and Egg Productssr_legacy

    In this recipe: 100 g, Freshly grated, for topping

    Per 100 g

    Calories387 kcal
    Protein31.8g
    Carbs3.63g
    Fat26.9g
    Fiber0g

    Common portions

    oz 1 undetermined28.35 g
    package (5 oz) 5 undetermined142 g
    Flavor enhancerGarnishFat sourceSaltySharpUmami
  • Olive OilExtra virgin, for cooking30 ml

    Oil, olive, salad or cooking

    Fats and Oilssr_legacy

    In this recipe: 30 ml, Extra virgin, for cooking

    Per 100 g

    Calories884 kcal
    Protein0g
    Carbs0g
    Fat100g
    Fiber0g

    Common portions

    tsp 1 undetermined4.5 g
    tablespoon 1 undetermined13.5 g
    cup 1 undetermined216 g
    Fat sourceCooking mediumFlavor enhancerFruityMildSilky
  • Raw OnionsMedium, finely chopped1 medium

    Onions, raw

    Vegetables and Vegetable Productssr_legacy

    In this recipe: 1 medium, Medium, finely chopped

    Per 100 g

    Calories40 kcal
    Protein1.1g
    Carbs9.34g
    Fat0.1g
    Fiber1.7g

    Common portions

    slice, thin 1 undetermined9 g
    tbsp chopped 1 undetermined10 g
    slice, medium (1/8" thick) 1 undetermined14 g
    slice, large (1/4" thick) 1 undetermined38 g
    AromaticFlavor enhancerBase ingredientPungentSweetSavory
  • Raw GarlicCloves, minced2 cloves

    Garlic, raw

    Vegetables and Vegetable Productssr_legacy

    In this recipe: 2 cloves, Cloves, minced

    Per 100 g

    Calories149 kcal
    Protein6.36g
    Carbs33.1g
    Fat0.5g
    Fiber2.1g

    Common portions

    tsp 1 undetermined2.8 g
    clove 1 undetermined3 g
    cloves 3 undetermined9 g
    cup 1 undetermined136 g
    AromaticFlavor enhancerSpicePungentSpicyEarthy
  • Basil LeavesChopped, for garnish15 g

    ORGANIC BASIL LEAVES

    Herbs & Spicessr_legacy

    In this recipe: 15 g, Chopped, for garnish

    Per 100 g

    Calories286 kcal
    Protein0g
    Carbs0g
    Fat0g
    Fiber142.9g
    Flavor enhancerGarnishAromaticAromaticSweetPeppery

What you’ll need

10 tools across 7 steps.

  • knife (if cutting)Essentialstep 1
  • Cutting boardEssentialstep 1
  • colanderEssentialsteps 1, 5
  • pan (optional, for hot water)Essentialsteps 2, 3
  • spoonEssentialsteps 2, 3
  • frying panEssentialstep 4
  • kitchen towelEssentialstep 4
  • mixing bowlEssentialstep 5
  • baking dish (9x13 inch)Essentialstep 6
  • bucketstep 6

Method

  1. 1

    Prepare the Eggplant

    Dice the eggplant into 1cm cubes. Salt them lightly and let them sit for 30 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Rinse and pat dry.

    Salting the eggplant helps to reduce bitterness.

    Timer: 30 minknife (if cutting)Cutting boardcolander
  2. 2

    Sauté the Meat

    Heat 1 tbsp of Olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped Onion and minced Garlic and sauté until softened. Add the Ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess fat.

    Browning the meat adds depth of flavor.

    Timer: 15 minpan (optional, for hot water)spoon
  3. 3

    Add Tomato Sauce and Simmer

    Pour in the Tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour, stirring occasionally.

    The longer the sauce simmers, the richer the flavor will be.

    Simmer: 30 minpan (optional, for hot water)spoon
  4. 4

    Fry the Eggplant

    While the sauce is simmering, fry the diced Eggplant in a separate pan with the remaining 1 tbsp of Olive oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

    Frying the eggplant separately gives it a better texture.

    Timer: 15 minfrying pankitchen towel
  5. 5

    Cook the Pasta

    Cook the Pasta (e.g., penne or rigatoni) according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.

    Al dente pasta holds its shape better when baked.

    Timer: 10 minmixing bowlcolander
  6. 6

    Assemble and Bake

    Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, meat sauce, fried eggplant, and Ricotta cheese. Mix well. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Sprinkle with Grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

    Use a baking dish that is large enough to hold all the ingredients comfortably.

    Bake: 30 minbucketbaking dish (9x13 inch)
  7. 7

    Serve

    Let the pasta 'ncaciata cool slightly before serving. Garnish with Fresh basil leaves.

    Allowing it to cool slightly helps the flavors meld together.

    Timer: 5 min

Nutrition

Per serving, across 6 servings.

Nutrition for Pasta 'ncaciata, per serving and for the whole recipe
NutrientPer servingWhole recipe
Calories604.9 kcal3629.6 kcal
Protein39.6 g237.8 g
Carbohydrates76.2 g457.3 g
Fat15.2 g91.4 g
Fibre6.6 g39.8 g
Sodium930 mg5580.1 mg

Computed from the matched ingredient data rather than entered by hand, with 100% of ingredients matched. Treat it as a close estimate, not a clinical figure.

How it tastes

SavoryUmamiSaltyToastyEarthy
Salty
3 out of 5
Sweet
1 out of 5
Sour
1 out of 5
Umami
4 out of 5
Herbal
1 out of 5
Rich
4 out of 5

Texture

ChewyTenderCreamySoft

Mood

Comfort foodIndulgentFamily styleDate night

Good for

DinnerParty

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Questions about this recipe

How long does Pasta 'ncaciata take to make?
About 90 minutes from start to finish. That is 30 minutes of preparation and 60 minutes of cooking.
How many calories are in Pasta 'ncaciata?
Roughly 604.94 calories per serving, based on 6 servings. Each serving also has 39.64g protein, 76.22g carbohydrates, 15.23g fat. These figures are computed from the matched ingredient data rather than entered by hand.
Is Pasta 'ncaciata vegetarian or vegan?
No. This recipe contains meat, poultry or seafood, so it is neither vegetarian nor vegan.
What equipment do I need for Pasta 'ncaciata?
knife (if cutting), Cutting board, colander, pan (optional, for hot water), spoon, frying pan. Every tool the recipe calls for is listed above with the steps that use it.

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