Pasta alla Norma is my new favorite eggplant dish. I used to hate eggplant. It was bitter and I couldn’t figure out how to use it. Then I discovered that the trick is to add enough salt to remove the bitterness and then roast or grill it to perfection. Once the bitterness is removed and it is cooked, it turns into a creamy vehicle for other flavors such as garlic and basil. You will know if it is undercooked because it will be chewy and have a cotton consistency in your mouth. But if it is cooked just long enough the interior becomes super creamy and will practically melt in your mouth!
Pasta alla Norma is a traditional Sicilian dish that can be made vegetarian or vegan. Once you have the eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs chopped, this dish also comes together really quickly. There are three parts: roasting the eggplant, preparing the pasta, and making the sauce. All three can happen at the same time and then you toss it together at the end. Delish!
Now, eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables to cook with in summer and fall. Check out the following recipes for more eggplant ideas:
Pasta alla Norma
Ingredients
- 1 large globe eggplant (about 1 pound) or several small Japanese eggplants
- Sea salt
- 2 or 3 large ripe tomatoes, diced or a 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for tossing the eggplant
- 1 pound rigatoni, penne, or fettuccine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bunch basil or parsley, roughly chopped (about 1 packed cup)
- About 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F
- Cut the eggplant into 1-inch dice and toss it on a rimmed baking sheet with enough olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt. Roast in the oven until browned and very tender, about 20 minutes. You will know it is done when it is nice and creamy and you can easily squish it between your fingers.
- While the eggplant is roasting, chop your tomatoes, garlic, and herbs and bring a big pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions.
- Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and basil or parsley and cook, stirring, until the greens are completely wilted and dark green, about 1-2 minutes. Be sure to stir constantly so the garlic does not stick to the pan and burn.
- Add the tomatoes and a pinch of sea salt and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. The sauce should develop as the tomatoes release their juices.
- At this point, the eggplant should be done. Add the roasted eggplant to the skillet and turn to low to let the sauce simmer gently.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup or the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the sauce and the mint. If the mixture seems dry, add some of the pasta cooking water, a little at a time, until the sauce is your desired consistency. Taste and add additional salt, if needed.
- Serve warm and sprinkle with grated parmesan.
