Pasta alla Norma is a basic and timeless Italian dish, hailing from the Sicilian metropolis of Catania. It options eggplant — numerous it — in a easy marinara-style tomato sauce. Whereas the elements technically qualify it as a late summer season dish, it may be ready year-round, which is sweet information for us. For one thing so easy, the flavors are heat, wealthy and comforting — which gives an ideal balm, Italian-style, throughout the frenzied holidays.
For an genuine pasta alla Norma, the eggplant is fried till mushy, golden and barely caramelized, then tumbled with a brief tubular pasta, a bathe of sharp and salty ricotta salata cheese and contemporary basil leaves. On this recipe, I’ve made just a few minor changes.
First, I oven-roast the eggplant to scale back the quantity of oil wanted to coax them into squidgy goodness. Eggplants are primarily sponges and can take in all of the oil by which they cook dinner. Roasting the eggplant reduces the required quantity of oil a notch, whereas nonetheless offering an excellent shellack for meltingly mushy and flavorful outcomes. As for the sauce, within the peak of tomato season, it’s greatest to make use of the pulp of contemporary tomatoes. Out of season (and for comfort), I exploit canned crushed Italian plum tomatoes or passata. And, lastly, for the standard end with a beneficiant sprinkling of the aforementioned ricotta salata, I substitute Pecorino Romano cheese, one other Italian sheep cheese that can also be sharp and salty, since I nearly all the time have it in my fridge.
And for these inquiring minds who wish to know who Norma is, the title is a reference to the Italian opera “Norma” by Vincenzo Bellini. Legend has it that this dish was created for the world premiere of the opera on the twenty sixth of December in 1831, which affirms that even the Italians can take pleasure in this summery dish year-round.
Rigatoni alla Norma
Yield: Serves 4 to five
INGREDIENTS:
- Additional-virgin olive oil
- 2 kilos eggplant, halved lengthwise, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- Kosher salt
- Freshly floor black pepper
- 2 giant garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed purple pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed Italian plum tomatoes or passata
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 1/4 cup torn contemporary basil leaves
- 1/2 cup coarsely grated Pecorino Romano or ricotta salata cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1. Warmth the oven to 400 levels. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
2. Unfold 3 to 4 tablespoons oil on the parchment. Add the eggplant slices and switch to completely coat. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Switch to the oven and roast till the eggplant is golden brown and really mushy, about 40 minutes, turning a couple of times.
4. Whereas the eggplant is roasting, warmth 1 tablespoon oil in a big, deep skillet over medium warmth. Add the garlic, crushed purple pepper flakes and oregano and saute till the garlic is mushy and aromatic with out coloring, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir within the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Deliver a big pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook dinner for 1 minute lower than al dente per package deal directions. Scoop out 1/4 cup cooking water and drain the pasta.
6. Add the roasted eggplant and pasta to the sauce and stir to mix over medium-low warmth for about 30 seconds. If too thick, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons reserved cooking water. Stir in half of the basil.
7. Serve the pasta heat, sprinkled with the cheese and remaining basil.
Lynda Balslev is an award-winning meals and wine author, cookbook creator and recipe developer. She additionally authors the weblog TasteFood, a compilation of greater than 600 unique recipes, pictures and tales.
