Sicilian-Style Pasta with Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Ricotta Salata (Pasta Alla Norma)

Name: Sicilian-Style Pasta with Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Ricotta Salata (Pasta Alla Norma)
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 Handful fresh small basil leaves, or roughly torn large leaves; 794 grams whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand into 1/2-inch chunks; 340 grams Italian or Japanese eggplants (2 to 3 small eggplants), trimmed, split in half lengthwise, and cut into 3/8th-inch half moons (see note above); 1 Tbsp medium cloves garlic, minced (about; 4 servings Kosher salt; 6 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 454 grams dry ridged, tubular pasta such as rigatoni or penne rigate; 0 teaspoons red pepper flakes; 57 grams aged ricotta salata, finely grated (see note above); 2 Tbsps tomato paste

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Sicilian-Style Pasta with Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Ricotta Salata (Pastan Alla Norma) a try. This recipe serves 4. Watching your figure? This vegetarian recipe has 728 calories, 21g of protein, and 25g of fat per serving. If you have penne rigate, aged ricotta salata, garlic, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. To use up the kosher salt you could follow this main course with the Low Fat Crumbs Cake (Kosher-Dairy) as a dessert. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 50 minutes.

Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Add as much eggplant as fits in a single layer and season with salt. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until eggplant is well browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total.

Ingredients you will need

Eggplant

Salt

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Transfer eggplant to a plate and set aside. Repeat with remaining eggplant, adding olive oil as necessary, until all eggplant is browned.

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Olive Oil

Eggplant

Add any remaining olive oil and increase heat to medium-high.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Heat until olive oil is shimmering.

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Olive Oil

Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but garlic is not browned, about 30 seconds.

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Oregano

Garlic

Pepper

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until evenly incorporated and tomato paste starts to fry.

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Tomato Paste

Add crushed tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a boil, reduce to a bare simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is thickened into a sauce-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Ingredients you will need

Crushed Tomatoes