Pasta alla Norma
V
serves 4
Pasta alla Norma is a traditional pasta dish from Catania in Sicily, reputedly named after VIncenzo Bellini’s opera, which the composer Martoglio described as “Chista e na vera Norma” (This is a true Norma!- ie, ‘a masterpiece’) It is made primarily with eggplant, tomato and ricotta salata (a dry, salty ricotta, which I’ve substituted with the more readily available parmesan). Instead of frying the eggplant and doing the whole ‘salting’ thing, I always roast my eggplant - most vegetables benefit from a little roasting to bring out the flavours.
Ingredients:
400g rigatoni dry pasta
1 large eggplant
olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
3 crushed cloves garlic
1 small red onion, chopped finely
1 teaspoon oregano
1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes
salt and pepper
grated parmesan
basil leaves
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C, fan forced.
Cut eggplant into vertical slices, then slice horizontally to about 1 cm wide. Put in large roasting tin and sprinkle generously with olive oil. Scatter chilli flakes and 1 crushed clove garlic over the eggplant. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30-40 minutes until slightly caramelised.
Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan and cook onion gently for about 10 minutes till soft. Add the remaining garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
Add tomatoes and 1/2 can water to frying pan. Add oregano. Cook through for about 10 minutes, then add eggplant.
Drain pasta and add to tomato mixture and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
Serve with parmesan and a few leaves of basil.