Pasta alla Norma (Eggplant Pasta)

plate of pasta alla norma topped with shredded ricotta salata and basil.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

You'll love this pasta with eggplants and tomato sauce!

Prep Time17

Cook Time43

Total Time1

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: -8

Calories: 786kcal

Author: Mamma C

Equipment

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

¼ cup olive oil (preferably regular, not extra-virgin)
¾ cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic
28 ounces can of whole, peeled tomatoes
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 fresh basil leaves

Eggplant Pasta

2 pounds eggplants (Preferably 2 long & skinny ones, each weighing a pound. See notes.)
1 cup olive oil (preferably regular, not extra-virgin)
6 cloves garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 pound medium pasta (penne, rigatoni or ziti)
4 ounces ricotta salata (Or more, to taste. See notes.)

Instructions

Make the sauce

Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet (or large sauce pan) on medium high. Add the chopped onions and cook around four minutes, stirring occasionally. While the onions are cooking, peel and slice two cloves of garlic.
Add the garlic to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring a couple of times. When the onions are soft, pour in the peeled tomatoes with their liquid. Use a potato masher to gently smash the tomatoes and break them up. Add the bay leaf, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper flakes and stir to combine.
When the sauce starts to boil, lower the temperature and loosely cover the pan with a lid, using a wooden spoon resting on the rim of the pan to keep the lid propped open. Set a timer and cook the sauce for another 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Start making the eggplants while the sauce is cooking.

Make the Eggplant Pasta

Rinse the eggplants and pat them dry. Peel the skin off with a vegetable peeler or use a paring knife to slice off the skin. Use a chef's knife to slice off the root and stem ends. Cut each eggplant in half the long way. Cut each half into long strips that are 1-inch wide. Cut the strips into 1-inch cubes.
Heat ½ cup of olive oil in a 12-inch, non-stick skillet on medium-high. Add half of the cubed eggplant in a single layer without crowding it. Don't move the eggplant until it browns on the first side. It could take up to 10 minutes.
While the eggplant is browning, peel six cloves of garlic and slice them.
When the eggplant is browned on the first side, stir it, add half of the garlic slices (from three cloves) and stir to combine. Continue sautéeing the eggplant until it's done, for another five minutes or so. Turn off the heat and stir in ¼ teaspoon of salt and sprinkle on red pepper flakes. Transfer the cooked eggplant to a bowl.
Before you start cooking the rest of the eggplant, fill a pasta pot ⅔ full with hot water. Add a couple of teaspoons of salt, cover the pot and heat it on high.
Sauté the remaining eggplant cubes as before. (Add ½ cup of olive oil to the pan, and add the cubes without stirring. When browned, add the remaining slices of garlic to the pan, stir to combine and cook until done. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and some red pepper flakes.)
When the pot of water is boiling, add one pound of pasta and stir to prevent sticking. Cook the pasta according to the al dente directions on the package, stirring occasionally.
When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander in the sink. Transfer the drained pasta back to the pot. Stir in all of the cooked eggplants. Stir in a few ladles of tomato sauce.
To serve, scoop some eggplant pasta into each dish, top with more sauce and grate some ricotta salata into shards on top using a hand grater or a vegetable peeler. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days. Store leftover ricotta salata wrapped in wax paper in the refrigerator. It will keep until the date on the package, but don't use it if you see any mold.

Notes

Choose long and skinny eggplants, if possible, because they will have fewer seeds than bulkier ones and won't be as bitter.
Make sure the eggplants are firm, not bruised and have green tops, not brown. If you don't see any that look good at the store, ask a produce worker to check in the back room for better ones.
Ricotta salata comes in triangles or wedges (see the ingredients photo in the post.) You'll most likely have to buy it at an Italian import store, so call ahead first to make sure it's available.
If you need a substitute for ricotta salata, you can try shavings of Pecorino Romano
If you want to halve this recipe, still make the full amount of sauce and save the extra for another use.

Nutrition