Pasta alla Norma
Sicilian eggplant pasta draws loads of concentrated flavor from simple ingredients.
- Makes4 servings
- Cook Time45 minutes
- 3
This classic Sicilian dish of eggplant and pasta in tomato sauce is said to take its name from a 19th century Bellini opera. The eggplant is usually fried before being added to the sauce, but we opted to roast it to concentrate its flavor and condense its porous texture. The eggplant is in the oven for about 30 minutes unattended; use that time to prep the other ingredients, cook the pasta and simmer the tomatoes to make the sauce. Ricotta salata is a firm cheese with a milky, salty flavor. Do not substitute fresh ricotta; a mild feta is a more appropriate substitute.
Don't forget to reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. You'll need the starchy, salted liquid to help bring together the eggplant, pasta and sauce during the final simmer.
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