First, wash and slice the eggplants lengthwise, using a mandoline if you have one.

I fried the eggplant slices without salting or breading them, but you can prepare them however you prefer. Fry the slices, then drain them well on paper towels to remove excess oil. Let them cool.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. I used mezzi rigatoni, but penne, mezze maniche, or any short pasta shape will work.

Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan with a clove of garlic and finely chopped onion. Sauté until golden, remove the garlic, then add the tomato purée or peeled tomatoes. Season with salt and let it cook.

You can also use fresh tomatoes or cherry tomatoes instead of purée or peeled tomatoes.

Now, return to the eggplants. Line a baking dish with the eggplant slices, slightly overlapping them and making sure to cover the sides, leaving some slices hanging over the edges to fold over the top later. Reserve a few slices to cover the timballo at the end.

Drain the pasta. Toss it quickly with the tomato sauce, add diced mozzarella, chopped cooked ham, plenty of grated cheese (Grana Padano, Pecorino, or Parmesan), and fresh basil.

Spread the pasta evenly in the baking dish, pressing it down gently with a wooden spoon.

Fold the overhanging eggplant slices over the pasta, then cover the top completely with the reserved eggplant slices.

Bake for about 10 minutes. Let it cool—this timballo is best served warm or even at room temperature.