This is the classic delicious Sicilian aubergine Pasta Alla Norma recipe, which from everything I have read, was first created in the 1700’s in Catania in Sicily and was so delicious that it was compared to the beautiful opera Norma and thus named. Its a good store cupboard supper, and I’ve also served it up at dinner parties with a crisp green salad.
Ingredients
Serves 3-4
- 2 small aubergines (eggplant)
- Olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 400g of boccole, rigatoni or macaroni
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- A big bunch of basil
- Ricotta Salata to garnish (which is not ricotta and I couldn’t get it) or lots if grated parmesan or a vegetarian hard cheese
- Chilli oil (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
How:
Make the tomato sauce by sautéing the minced garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil for half a minute, but don’t let it colour. Add the tin of tomatoes and simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until it’s slightly thicker. I add a teaspoon of optional maple syrup to mine to bring out the flavour of the tomatoes.
Slice the aubergines (eggplant) into any shape you like… I like mine in slices lengthwise but coins are fine too. Fry them in about quarter of an inch of olive oil until golden on both sides and drain on a clean tea towel or kitchen paper.
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet in salty water. Drain and add to the tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add a little chilli oil if using(I love it)then mix in the fried aubergine.
Grate the Ricotta Salata over the top (or Parmesan) and finish with basil leaves.
I shop at:
Waitrose
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Lidl