pasta alla norma
After browsing through a few recipes for Pasta alla Norma, I came to the conclusion that the key ingredients for the sauce are eggplant, tomatoes, ricotta salata, and fresh basil. Everything else that goes into it is up to you. Instead of frying the eggplant chunks in oil, I roasted them in a 500-degree oven which was, yes, not the most comfortable thing to do on a hot summer day, but also, yes, less splattery and oily (thanks for the idea, Saveur).
To make it: Three parallel processes that come together in the end.
1. Toss cubes of eggplant with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in a 500-degree oven for 20 minutes, or until soft and browned.
2. While the eggplant is roasting, heat up some olive oil in a saucepan and add some combination of chopped onion, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for a few minutes, then add canned diced tomatoes (or break up whole tomatoes into chunks). Season with salt and dried oregano, and let simmer. When the eggplant is done, add it to the tomato sauce.
3. While the sauce is going, cook pasta (spaghetti, penne, rigatoni… whatever you prefer). Drain and add to the sauce, and toss to combine.
4. Serve with shredded or shaved ricotta salata and torn fresh basil leaves, and maybe an extra drizzle of good olive oil.
