Pasta alla Norma
This classic Sicilian pasta dish makes for a satisfying vegetarian dinner, and it can be thrown together in under an hour.
Ingredients
- 1½ lb eggplants (~2 medium eggplants), sliced ½-inch thick
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 28-oz can of whole tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1½ lb spaghetti, tagliatelle, bucatini or other long pasta
- salt
- pepper
- 1/2 cup ricotta salata, grated
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Heat a quarter of the olive oil over medium-high in a large saute pan. In batches, add a layer of eggplant to the pan and sprinkle with salt. Cook ~4 minutes on each side, or until the eggplant is brown and soft. Once it's done cooking, transfer the eggplant to a plate or wire rack, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Roughly chop the sauteed eggplant and set it aside. Reserve the pan.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the eggplant cooks, there should be about 1 tbsp of oil left in the pan. If not, add or drain the oil. Over medium heat, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for about a minute until the garlic is golden brown. Add the tomatoes, sugar and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the sauce is thick but still pourable. Add the chopped eggplant, stirring to combine. Let the sauce simmer over low heat while you cook the pasta.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add some reserved cooking water until you get the consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the pasta between the bowls and top with the grated cheese and fresh basil. Enjoy!