Pasta Alla Norma Sicilian Style (Print version)

Sicilian-style pasta with roasted eggplant, tomato sauce, and ricotta salata cheese.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large eggplant (approximately 14 oz), cut into 0.75 inch cubes
02 - 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves

→ Pasta

05 - 14 oz rigatoni or penne pasta

→ Sauce

06 - 28 oz canned whole peeled tomatoes with juices
07 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 0.5 teaspoon dried chili flakes, optional
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Cheese

10 - 2.8 oz ricotta salata, grated or crumbled

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F.
02 - Toss eggplant cubes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on a baking tray and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until golden and tender.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and chili flakes if using, and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Crush the tomatoes by hand, then add them with juices to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
05 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 0.5 cup of pasta water, then drain.
06 - Add the roasted eggplant and most of the basil to the tomato sauce. Stir to combine, and simmer for 2 more minutes.
07 - Toss the drained pasta with the sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.
08 - Serve in bowls, topped with ricotta salata and extra basil leaves.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The eggplant becomes silky and tender, absorbing the bright tomato sauce without any of that bitter heaviness you might fear.
  • It's vegetarian comfort food that somehow feels like a celebration rather than a sacrifice, with ricotta salata adding that salty, complex note that makes everything sing.
  • Fifty minutes from start to finish means you can make something genuinely special on a weeknight without it feeling like a production.
02 -
  • Eggplant absorbs oil like a sponge, so don't be stingy with it when roasting—it's what transforms the texture from watery to silky, not indulgence.
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon; that starch is what makes the sauce cling to the pasta instead of sliding off into the bottom of the bowl.
  • Ricotta salata is not the same as ricotta—it's firm, salty, and sharp where ricotta is soft and mild, and that difference is everything in this dish.
03 -
  • If your eggplant starts looking dry during roasting, you can brush it with a little extra oil halfway through—there's no shame in it, and it'll come back silky.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the drained pasta and adjust salt and pepper then, because the pasta water and cheese will add subtle seasoning as you finish cooking.
  • If you end up with extra sauce, it freezes beautifully and tastes even better when you reheat it days later.
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