Pasta casserole with bacon and eggplant

Ingredients:

• 450 g dry cavatappi pasta
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 350 g pancetta, diced
• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1.2 cm cubes.
• 5.5 cups of finished marinara sauce
• 3 tbsp. grated mozzarella
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 230°C. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large serving dish.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the eggplant to the rendered pancetta fat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to the serving dish with the pancetta.
4. Cook the cavatappi in boiling salted water until almost al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain the pasta and add it to the dish with the pancetta and eggplant.
5. Add the marinara sauce, half the mozzarella, and half the Parmesan to the dish and stir thoroughly to combine. Transfer the mixture to a 3- to 3.5-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
6. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta rest for about 10 minutes before serving.