Pasta alla Norma

Name: Pasta alla Norma
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 800 g eggplant; 80 ml extra virgin olive oil; 2 ea garlic cloves; 0.5 ea small onion; 60 ml dry white wine; 700 g tomato passata; 1 tsp dried Italian herbs; 0.5 tsp chilli flakes; 6 g salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 300 g spaghetti; 15 g fresh basil leaves; 30 g parmesan

Recipe from Nagi & Dozer - RecipeTin Eats · original post · full recipe on recipetineats.com

This is a traditional Italian pasta dish from Sicily, usually begun by cooking eggplant on the stove in a hefty amount of oil. I prefer roasting the eggplant - less oil plus the eggplant holds its shape better, especially when you roast at a high temp to caramelise the surface! Finishing with a good amount of fresh basil is traditional but even if you don't have any, there's other alternatives to add a touch of other flavour - such as fresh thyme, or extra dried herbs in the sauce. This is an excellent and satisfyingly "meaty" vegetarian main dish that will have even card-carrying carnivores asking for seconds!

Serves 4 55 min 15g protein

Ingredients

eggplant — cut into 2.5 cm cubes800 g
extra virgin olive oil — 4 tbsp80 ml
garlic cloves — finely minced2 ea
small onion — very finely chopped0.5 ea
dry white wine60 ml
tomato passata700 g
dried Italian herbs1 tsp
chilli flakes0.5 tsp
salt — 1 tsp6 g
black pepper1 tsp
spaghetti300 g
fresh basil leaves — roughly chopped

Cooking for a different diet?

Swaps that keep this dish what it is. The prices on this page are for the recipe as written.

Vegan
- 30 g Dairy-free parmesan instead of parmesan
Nothing changes in the cooking; scatter the dairy-free parmesan over just before serving.
Gluten-free
- 300 g Gluten-free spaghetti instead of spaghetti
Cook the gluten-free spaghetti for the time on its packet, usually a minute or two less, and toss very gently as it breaks more easily.
Dairy-free
- 30 g Dairy-free parmesan instead of parmesan
Nothing changes in the cooking; scatter the dairy-free parmesan over just before serving.

Swaps are suggestions — check labels if you are cooking for an allergy.

Watch it on Instagram

What it costs, and where to buy it

Shops to compare

We couldn’t price enough of this recipe to say what it costs yet.

Not priced

eggplant · 800 g
extra virgin olive oil · 80 ml
garlic cloves · 2 items
small onion · 0.5 items
dry white wine · 60 ml
tomato passata · 700 g
dried Italian herbs · 1 tsp
chilli flakes · 0.5 tsp
salt · 6 g
black pepper · 1 tsp
spaghetti · 300 g
fresh basil leaves · 15 g
parmesan · 30 g

Method

Preheat oven to 240°C / 450°F (220°C fan). Line a tray with baking / parchment paper.
Toss eggplant with oil, salt and pepper. Spread on the tray and roast for 20 minutes.
Flip, then roast for a further 5 minutes. Cool on tray (this helps the eggplant hold its shape when tossing).
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Start cooking the pasta a couple of minutes after you start making the sauce (next section), until al dente or to your liking.
Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 20 seconds until golden, then add onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and cooked through.
Increase heat to medium-high and add wine, if using. Let it simmer, scraping the base of the pan to deglaze, until the wine mostly evaporates.
Add tomato passata. Now pour the water into the passata bottle, screw on the lid, shake, and pour that in too (waste nothing!)
Add dried herbs, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in eggplant, then add cooked and drained pasta. GENTLY toss until pasta is coated in the sauce (so the eggplant doesn't turn into complete mush!).
Serve immediately, garnished with a good pinch of fresh basil and parmesan.