Description
Pasta Alla Norma is a traditional Sicilian pasta dish featuring a rich tomato sauce, tender fried eggplant, and topped with salty ricotta salata cheese. This recipe highlights the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and aromatic flavors with fresh basil and a hint of oregano, delivering an authentic taste of Sicily in just over an hour.
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 10 fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving (optional)
Eggplant
- 1 (2-pound) eggplant
Pasta
- 1 pound rigatoni or penne pasta
Toppings
- Freshly grated ricotta salata or Parmesan
- Flakey salt
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a large pot, combine the whole peeled tomatoes with their juices, crushing them slightly by hand. Add ⅓ cup of the olive oil, kosher salt, smashed garlic, dried oregano, and fresh basil leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens, about 30 to 45 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce to your preferred consistency directly in the pot, or transfer to a blender, blend, and return to the pot. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Slice the eggplant: While the sauce simmers, slice the eggplant into ½-inch-thick rounds, then further slice each round into ½-inch-wide sticks.
- Cook the eggplant: With about 15 minutes left on the sauce, heat ½ cup of the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add about one-third of the eggplant sticks in a single layer, frying undisturbed until golden brown on one side, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and fry the other side until tender and browned, about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and lightly season with salt. Repeat in batches with the remaining eggplant, adding about 3 tablespoons of olive oil per batch.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the rigatoni or penne and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain well.
- Combine ingredients: Add the cooked pasta and fried eggplant to the tomato sauce and toss gently to coat thoroughly.
- Serve: Plate the pasta topped generously with freshly grated ricotta salata or Parmesan, additional fresh basil leaves if desired, a sprinkle of flaky salt, and optional red pepper flakes for heat.
Notes
- Ricotta salata is a traditional cheese used in this dish, but Parmesan can be used as a substitute.
- For a spicier kick, add more red pepper flakes.
- Ensure the eggplant oil is hot enough before frying to get a crispy exterior.
- Draining the pasta well helps the sauce cling better.
- Use fresh basil for the best aromatic flavor, added at the end of cooking.
- This dish is best enjoyed immediately for optimal texture and flavor.
