Pasta alla Norma
Recipe from Nagi & Dozer - RecipeTin Eats · original post
This is a traditional Italian pasta dish from Sicily, usually begun by cooking eggplant on the stove in a hefty amount of oil. I prefer roasting the eggplant - less oil plus the eggplant holds its shape better, especially when you roast at a high temp to caramelise the surface! Finishing with a good amount of fresh basil is traditional but even if you don't have any, there's other alternatives to add a touch of other flavour - such as fresh thyme, or extra dried herbs in the sauce. This is an excellent and satisfyingly "meaty" vegetarian main dish that will have even card-carrying carnivores asking for seconds!
Ingredients
- eggplant — cut into 2.5 cm cubes800 g
- extra virgin olive oil — 4 tbsp80 ml
- garlic cloves — finely minced2 ea
- small onion — very finely chopped0.5 ea
- dry white wine60 ml
- tomato passata700 g
- dried Italian herbs1 tsp
- chilli flakes0.5 tsp
- salt — 1 tsp6 g
- black pepper1 tsp
- spaghetti300 g
- fresh basil leaves — roughly chopped15 g
- parmesan — grated, to serve30 g
Method
- Preheat oven to 240°C / 450°F (220°C fan). Line a tray with baking / parchment paper.
- Toss eggplant with oil, salt and pepper. Spread on the tray and roast for 20 minutes.
- Flip, then roast for a further 5 minutes. Cool on tray (this helps the eggplant hold its shape when tossing).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Start cooking the pasta a couple of minutes after you start making the sauce (next section), until al dente or to your liking.
- Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 20 seconds until golden, then add onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and cooked through.
- Increase heat to medium-high and add wine, if using. Let it simmer, scraping the base of the pan to deglaze, until the wine mostly evaporates.
- Add tomato passata. Now pour the water into the passata bottle, screw on the lid, shake, and pour that in too (waste nothing!)
- Add dried herbs, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and simmer 5 minutes.
- Stir in eggplant, then add cooked and drained pasta. GENTLY toss until pasta is coated in the sauce (so the eggplant doesn't turn into complete mush!).
- Serve immediately, garnished with a good pinch of fresh basil and parmesan.
Cooking for a different diet?
Swaps that keep this dish what it is. The prices on this page are for the recipe as written.
Vegan
- 30 g Dairy-free parmesan instead of parmesan
Nothing changes in the cooking; scatter the dairy-free parmesan over just before serving.
Gluten-free
- 300 g Gluten-free spaghetti instead of spaghetti
Cook the gluten-free spaghetti for the time on its packet, usually a minute or two less, and toss very gently as it breaks more easily.
Dairy-free
- 30 g Dairy-free parmesan instead of parmesan
Nothing changes in the cooking; scatter the dairy-free parmesan over just before serving.
Swaps are suggestions — check labels if you are cooking for an allergy.
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- eggplant · 800 g
- extra virgin olive oil · 80 ml
- garlic cloves · 2 items
- small onion · 0.5 items
- dry white wine · 60 ml
- tomato passata · 700 g
- dried Italian herbs · 1 tsp
- chilli flakes · 0.5 tsp
- salt · 6 g
- black pepper · 1 tsp
- spaghetti · 300 g
- fresh basil leaves · 15 g
- parmesan · 30 g