Pasta alla Norma (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For the Pasta
01 -
23 oz (660g) Italian eggplants (approximately 2 medium eggplants)
02 -
30 oz (850g) canned peeled tomatoes
03 -
2 large garlic cloves
04 -
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
05 -
Handful of fresh basil leaves
06 -
12 oz (340g) short pasta (casarecce recommended)
07 -
Salt and black pepper to taste
08 -
1/3 cup ricotta salata cheese, grated
# Instructions:
01 -
Slice the eggplant into bite-sized cubes. If desired, separately slice a few thin strips of eggplant for garnish. Place the cubed eggplant in a colander with a plate underneath. Sprinkle generously with salt, toss, and let stand for 15-20 minutes. After this time, the eggplant should release moisture. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess water and salt.
02 -
While waiting for the eggplant, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pot or saucepan along with the garlic cloves. Once the garlic is lightly golden, add the canned tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon. Season well with salt, tear in the basil leaves, and allow it to simmer on low-medium heat with the lid on for 20 minutes.
03 -
Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan. Working in batches, add some of the eggplant cubes and fry for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the fried eggplant and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
04 -
Take the sauce off the heat and blend until smooth using an immersion blender or standard blender.
05 -
Add half of the fried eggplant to the sauce, stir through, and allow it to simmer on low-medium heat for 10 minutes with the lid on.
06 -
While the sauce is simmering, boil the pasta in a large pot of heavily salted water. Cook until 80% done (about 2 minutes less than package instructions for al dente). Reserve some pasta cooking water before draining.
07 -
Add the partially cooked pasta directly to the sauce along with a splash of the reserved pasta water and the remaining eggplant pieces (saving some for garnish). Cook everything together in the pan for 2 minutes until the pasta is perfectly al dente and has absorbed some of the sauce.
08 -
Serve the Pasta alla Norma in bowls, garnish with the reserved eggplant pieces and a generous sprinkle of grated ricotta salata cheese.
# Notes:
01 -
Salt-sweating the eggplant helps remove bitterness and excess moisture
02 -
Ricotta salata is a salted, pressed, and aged version of ricotta cheese. If unavailable, pecorino romano can be substituted