🍝 Pasta alla Norma
🕒 Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
⸻
🧾 Ingredients:
• 400g (14 oz) pasta (traditionally spaghetti or rigatoni)
• 2 medium eggplants (aubergines), diced into ~1-inch cubes
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for frying
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 800g (28 oz) canned whole tomatoes (or passata)
• 1 pinch chili flakes (optional)
• Salt & black pepper, to taste
• Fresh basil, a handful of leaves
• Ricotta salata, grated or crumbled (about 100g / 3.5 oz)
⸻
🔪 Instructions:
1. Prep and fry the eggplant:
• Salt the diced eggplant and let sit for 20–30 minutes in a colander (this helps draw out bitterness).
• Rinse and pat dry.
• Heat olive oil in a frying pan and fry the eggplant in batches until golden brown. Set on paper towels to drain excess oil.
2. Make the tomato sauce:
• In a large saucepan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil and gently sauté the sliced garlic.
• Add chili flakes (if using), then the canned tomatoes. Break them up with a spoon.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Let simmer for 15–20 minutes, until thickened.
• Stir in basil leaves at the end.
3. Cook the pasta:
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions.
• Drain, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water.
4. Combine:
• Add the fried eggplant to the tomato sauce.
• Toss the pasta into the sauce, adding a bit of reserved pasta water if needed to coat.
5. Serve:
• Plate the pasta, top with grated or crumbled ricotta salata.
• Garnish with extra basil.
#italy #creatorsearchinsights #food #fouryou #indian #italyfood #recipe #srilanka #trending #ukfood #pasta