Italy with Amore

Pasta alla Norma

Ingredients

  • 320g rigatoni
  • 2 medium eggplants, cut into 5mm slices
  • 1kg ripe San Marzano tomatoes (or canned whole San Marzano tomatoes)
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
  • 150g salted ricotta salata, finely grated
  • A large handful of fresh basil leaves
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Slice the eggplants into rounds about 5mm thick. Arrange them in a colander, sprinkling each layer lightly with salt. Leave to drain for 30–45 minutes to remove excess moisture. Rinse briefly under cold water and pat thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.
  2. Meanwhile, roughly chop the tomatoes and place them in a saucepan with 3 lightly crushed garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, and a handful of basil leaves. Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 25–30 minutes, until the tomatoes have completely broken down.
  3. Remove the basil and garlic, then pass the tomatoes through a food mill or fine sieve to remove the skins and seeds, producing a smooth tomato purée.
  4. Return the purée to a clean saucepan. Add the remaining 2 lightly crushed garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, and a few fresh basil leaves. Simmer gently, uncovered, for another 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is rich, glossy, and slightly thickened. Remove the garlic before serving.
  5. While the sauce cooks, heat about 1cm of olive oil in a large frying pan to approximately 170°C. Fry the eggplant slices in batches until golden brown on both sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray and season lightly with salt while still warm.
  6. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until al dente, according to the package instructions. Reserve about 250ml of the pasta cooking water before draining.
  7. Add the drained pasta to the tomato sauce and toss over low heat until every piece is evenly coated. If needed, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta.
  8. Fold in about half of the fried eggplant, keeping the remaining slices for serving.
  9. Divide the pasta among warm plates and top with the remaining fried eggplant. Finish with a generous grating of ricotta salata and a few fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Chef’s Tip: Authentic Pasta alla Norma relies on the balance between sweet tomato sauce, silky fried eggplant, fragrant basil, and the salty sharpness of ricotta salata. Avoid Parmesan, which changes the traditional flavour profile. For the best texture, fry the eggplant just before serving so it stays crisp around the edges while remaining creamy inside.