Pasta alla Norma
Ingredients (Serves 4)
400g (14 oz) pasta (rigatoni or spaghetti)
1 large eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes
400g (14 oz) canned peeled tomatoes or fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
50g (½ cup) ricotta salata, grated
Fresh basil leaves, torn
Olive oil (for frying and sauce)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: red chili flakes for heat
Instructions
Prep Eggplant: Sprinkle eggplant cubes with salt and let sit for 20 minutes to release moisture. Pat dry.
Fry Eggplant: Heat ½ inch olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry eggplant until golden and tender, about 5-7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Make Sauce: In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (1 minute). Add tomatoes, season with salt, pepper, and optional chili flakes. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until thickened.
Cook Pasta: Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, per package instructions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
Combine: Add pasta and fried eggplant to the tomato sauce. Toss, adding pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Serve: Plate pasta, top with grated ricotta salata and torn basil leaves.
Notes
If ricotta salata is unavailable, use pecorino or parmesan, but ricotta salata is traditional for its salty, tangflavor.
For a lighter version, roast eggplant at 400°F (200°C) with olive oil instead of frying.
Enjoy your Pasta alla Norma!
let’s make a pasta alanora It’s going to be so bumpy You’re going to take an eggplant Sliced very thin Just like that Take some salt olive oil extra virgin And the rest of the ingredients shallots garlic basil stems basil leaves Go in with the garlic [Music] [Music] It’s all over here Let’s