Pasta alla Norma

A typical dish of Sicilian cuisine, the flavours of eggplant and basil shine! The nutty notes of Parmesan cheese pulls everything together.
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INGREDIENTS

Time 30 minutes
Difficulty Medium

UNITS

SCALE

INGREDIENTS

PASTA

  • For pasta water Salt
  • 1 lb Spaghetti, dried
  • ½ cup Pasta water, reserved

SAUCE

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil, extra virgin
  • 2 lbs Eggplant, chopped into 2 cm / .8” chunks
  • 1 tbsp Oregano, dried
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil , extra virgin
  • 4 cloves Garlic , sliced
  • 1 bunch Basil stems, chopped
  • 1 tsp White wine vinegar
  • 1 28 oz can Tomatoes , crushed
  • To taste Salt
  • To taste Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 bunch Basil leaves, torn
  • 2 ½ cups Parmesan cheese, grated
  • For garnish Olive oil , extra virgin

METHOD

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until a few minutes before al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry eggplant, adding extra olive oil if necessary. Sprinkle with oregano and toss to coat all sides.
  • Once eggplant has browned on all sides, lower heat to medium and add olive oil, garlic, and basil stems. Stir to combine.
  • Add white wine vinegar, tomatoes, salt and black pepper. Simmer for about 10 to 15 min. Stir in basil leaves.
  • Stir in cooked spaghetti and a little of the reserved pasta water to the sauce. Divide pasta evenly among 4 bowls, spooning extra sauce on top.
  • Garnish with Parmesan cheese, basil and olive oil. Serve.

NOTES

  • Any long pasta noodle is suitable
  • Alternatively, you can use ricotta or Pecorino cheese