Sicilian pasta alla Norma is a beautifully simple 20-minute eggplant pasta dish that features crispy eggplant, rich tomato sauce and salty ricotta cheese.
255mlextra-virgin olive oilapprox 1 cup + 1 tablespoon
1garlic clove
5whole canned plum tomatoes
120mlwater or the juice of the canned tomatoesapprox ½ cup
4basil leaves
a pinch of brown sugar or a bay leaf
Sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
350gpastapenne, spaghetti, rigatoni, etc
3tablespoonricotta salata cheesegrated
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Finely cube the eggplant, and pat the cubes dry with paper towels.
Heat 1 cup (240 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fold in the eggplant in a single layer and fry it until it’s crispy and golden on both sides, about 4 minutes.
Remove the eggplant with a slotted spoon and arrange the cubes in a single layer on a dish covered with paper towels. Dab the slices with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
Slice the tomatoes into half and remove their seeds. Heat a large pan with 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the garlic over medium heat. Fold in the tomatoes and stir-fry them for 5 minutes. Stir in ½ cup of warm water , 2 basil leaves and a pinch of sugar (or bay leaf), cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes. Discard the garlic (and bay leaf if using) and season the sauce with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Lightly salt the boiling water, fold in the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and add it into the pan with the tomato sauce, followed by the fried eggplant cubes and the remaining basil leaves.
Stir all the ingredients together, sprinkle the ricotta salata all over the pasta and serve.
Notes
If you have a bit of extra time, place the eggplant cubes in a colander and sprinkle them with a little salt, cover with a plate then put a weight on top.Let it rest for 20-30 minutes. This process will make them sweat off their water (and a bit of their bitterness) so that you don't end up soggy when baked or fried.