Pasta alla Norma recipe

Pasta alla Norma is an easy vegetarian dish that is big on flavour. Photo / Fresh Media

A classic Sicilian dish, Pasta alla Norma is a rich and satisfying meal.

Chunks of roasted eggplant are added to a garlicky tomato sauce. In many recipes the pieces of eggplant are shallow or deep-fried. Roasting them in the oven means they absorb less oil and you can get on with other things while they are in the oven. This dish is traditionally topped with ricotta salata cheese but Parmesan is a good substitute.

Pasta alla Norma

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 eggplants, cut into cubes

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tsp paprika

Olive oil, for cooking

300g spaghetti

1 brown onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

50ml white wine

700g jar of passata

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

¼ tsp chilli flakes

Fresh basil, for garnish

Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the eggplant cubes in a bowl, season with salt, pepper and paprika, and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat evenly, then spread on to a lined baking tray. Roast for 20-30 minutes, tossing halfway through. Check the pieces are tender and give them a little longer if necessary. Once they are fully cooked, remove from the oven and set aside.
2. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then saute the garlic for one minute, ensuring it doesn’t brown. Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft and translucent.
4. Pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce. Stir in the passata, Italian herbs and chilli flakes. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add the roasted eggplant back into the sauce and stir to combine.
5. Add the drained pasta to the sauce, tossing gently to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water to loosen it. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
6. Serve hot, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and torn basil leaves.

– fresh.co.nz