Pasta 'ncasciata is a traditional pasta dish originating from Sicily. In order to prepare it, pasta such as penne or rigatoni is cooked in boiling water, then strained and mixed with a rich tomato sauce (in Palermo) or a beef ragu (in Messina), cubes of fried eggplant, pieces of cheese such as caciocavallo or mozzarella, and bechamel sauce.

The combination is placed in a springform cake tin, sprinkled with breadcrumbs, then baked until the filling becomes hot. The dish is inverted from the mold and served warm. It's recommended to pair it with a glass of red wine such as Nero d'Avola or Frappato.

This rich and filling piatto unico (lit. single plate; one-dish meal) is traditionally made from layers of homemade, typically spinach-flavored fresh egg lasagna pasta that is topped with béchamel sauce and a rich meat sauce called ragù alla Bolognese.

Lastly, lasagne alla Bolognese is generously sprinkled with the Emilian king of cheeses, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and baked until tender on the inside with a perfectly crisp, browned top. This oven-baked classic is a typical dish of the Emilia-Romagna region, and of the city of Bologna specifically. 

Found throughout southern Italy, parmigiana di melanzane is a type of gratinated vegetable casserole traditionally made of fried or grilled slices of eggplant layered with basil-flavored tomato sauce and topped with one or more cheeses, such as mozzarella, pecorino Siciliano, scamorza, and caciocavallo Silano.

Contrary to popular belief, parmigiana has nothing to do with parmigiano Reggiano cheese, even though it is used in many recipes as it makes for a crunchier crust. Nor, in fact, does it have any connection with the city of Parma whatsoever. In fact, the name of this scrumptious summer dish supposedly stems from parmisciana, the word for “Persian” in the Sicilian dialect, and it is often suggested that the word is rooted in the Arabic badhnajan or Turkish patlıcan, both of which mean “eggplant”. 

This version of eggplant parmigiana is the most popular outside of Italy. Hailing from Campania, this variation on a dish is made with eggplants, olive oil, onions, basil, tomatoes, mozzarella or fior di latte cheese, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

The eggplants are peeled, sliced, and shortly fried, then arranged in a baking dish over the tomato sauce along with the cheese, basil leaves, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. The layers are repeated, and the final one should end with tomato sauce and grated cheese. 

Lasagne alla parmigiana is a traditional lasagna dish originating from Emilia-Romagna. The dish is essentially a blend of two Italian classics – lasagne pasta and eggplant parmigiana. Although there are many recipes, it's usually made with a combination of lasagne sheets, eggplants, tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella, olive oil, basil, grated cheese, salt, and black pepper.

The eggplants are sliced, salted, drained, and fried in oil until golden. The tomato sauce is made with tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. It's spread on the bottom of an ovenproof dish and topped with cooked lasagna sheets, tomato sauce, eggplant slices, mozzarella, grated cheese, and basil. 

This variation on parmigiana di melanzane hails from Puglia. The recipe for this Puglia-style casserole sometimes calls for using zucchini instead of eggplant, along with olive oil, flour, eggs, tomatoes, mozzarella, cooked sausage meat, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

The eggplants or zucchinis are peeled, sliced, dredged in flour and eggs, then fried. Tomato sauce is ladled into a baking dish, followed by fried eggplant slices, mozzarella, and sausage meat. The layers are repeated, ending with tomato sauce and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

Pasta al forno is a classic Italian dish that translates to "baked pasta," and it is a hearty, comforting meal made by baking pasta with a variety of sauces, cheeses, and other ingredients. It is similar to timballo, a more elaborate and structured version, often involving additional elements and presentation.

This dish is a staple in Italian households, often prepared for family gatherings, holidays, or Sunday meals, as it is easy to make in large quantities and can be customized to suit individual tastes. Traditionally, short pasta shapes like rigatoni, penne, ziti, or fusilli are used because they hold up well during baking and trap the sauce in their ridges and hollow centers. 

Timballo di anelletti is a traditional casserole originating from Sicily, and it's particularly popular in Palermo. There are a few variations across the island, but the dish is usually made with a combination of anelletti (small ring-shaped pasta), eggplants, prosciutto cotto or mortadella, cheese such as pecorino, caciocavallo, or mozzarella, and a meat ragu consisting of beef, pork, tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, olive oil, peas, basil, salt, and pepper.

A bundt pan is typically lined with sliced of fried or baked eggplants, boiled pasta, meat sauce, grated pecorino, mortadella or cooked ham, and a final layer of mozzarella. The process is repeated one more time, and before baking, the bundt pan is flipped over. 

Lasagne di Carnevale is a traditional lasagna dish originating from Naples, usually prepared during the Carnival season (especially on Fat Tuesday). Created sometime in the early 18th century, it is especially hearty and rich, symbolizing abundance that the common folks in those days could afford only during a very short period of the year.

It was the season of celebration deeply rooted in pagan traditions, and every family honored it with such a gluttonous feast. Although there is more than one traditional recipe, the dish is usually made with a combination of lasagne pasta, ragu Napoletano juices (not the meat!), olive oil, salsiccia sausage, white wine, meatballs, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, ricotta, mozzarella, eggs, herbs, and spices.