Baked Pasta Alla Norma Recipes

PASTA ALLA NORMA RECIPE

Steps:

• Slice and Salt the Eggplant. Trim the eggplant and partially peel them in a striped pattern (zebra pattern). Slice them into ½ inch thick rounds. Season the eggplant slices with kosher salt on both sides and lay them flat for a few minutes (up to 30 minutes if you have the time). Wipe the eggplant dry and remove excess salt using a paper towel.
• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Roast the eggplant. Brush the bottom of a large sheet pan (or two) with extra virgin olive oil. Arrange the eggplant slices in the pans in one single layer (eggplant slices should not overlap, each should be comfortably touching the bottom of the sheet pan). Roast in the heated oven until deeply golden brown, anywhere from 35 to 40 minutes, turning over mid-way through.
• Make the Sauce. Meanwhile, get going on the sauce. In a large deep pan, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, lower the heat and cook, tossing regularly, until the garlic gains a little bit of color. Add the tomatoes (with their juices), oregano and a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a quick boil, then lower the heat and let simmer briefly.
• When ready, add the roasted eggplant to sauce. Let simmer while you cook the pasta.
• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions (mine took about 11 minutes). Drain and combine the pasta with the eggplant and sauce (if needed, add a little bit of the pasta water and toss until the pasta is well-coated). Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Add chopped parsley and grated ricotta salata cheese to finish.

BAKED PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes in a large ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron. Season generously with salt and toss to combine. Roast, shaking skillet once or twice, until eggplant is tender and tomatoes burst, 25-35 minutes. Let vegetables cool while you prepare the pasta (watch out for the hot handle when you take the skillet out of the oven). Reduce oven temperature to 400°F.
• Whisk eggs and tomato paste in a medium bowl until smooth, then whisk in about three-quarters of Parmesan.
• Cook spaghetti in a pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Immediately drain pasta in a colander and shake to remove excess water; transfer pasta back to pot.
• Add cooled vegetable mixture to pot with pasta. Wipe out skillet and drizzle in a little oil; roll around in skillet to coat. Add egg mixture to pasta and toss vigorously with tongs until pasta is evenly coated. Add capers and 1/2 cup basil and toss again to combine.
• Transfer pasta mixture to skillet and press gently into an even layer. Top with remaining Parmesan, a few whole basil leaves, and an extra sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
• Bake pasta until surface is nicely browned, 30-35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting into wedges for serving.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Combine eggplant and 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl with water to cover. Place a plate on top of the eggplant to weigh it down and keep it covered in water for about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse eggplant in cool water. Pat dry and cut into cubes.
• Combine tomato puree, 1 teaspoon rock salt, garlic, and basil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce flavors combine, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute eggplant until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and toss with the tomato-basil sauce; divide into 4 serving bowls. Top with eggplant. Sprinkle 1/4 the ricotta and 1/4 the diced pepper over each bowl.

CLASSIC PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Make a quick tomato sauce: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, red pepper and basil leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let sauce simmer gently for 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside. (Sauce may be prepared up to 2 days in advance.)
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Turn heat to low and cover pot until it's time to cook the pasta.
• Put a wide cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil to coat surface of pan. When oil is wavy, test by adding a cube of eggplant. It should begin to sizzle and brown immediately. Fill the pan with a single layer of eggplant cubes. Turn eggplant with a spatula or tongs and brown nicely on all sides. Lower heat as necessary to maintain an even temperature; if the pan is too hot, the eggplant will burn.
• Remove cooked eggplant to a plate and continue to fry remaining eggplant in batches, adding more oil as necessary. Season finished eggplant with salt and pepper. (Alternatively, roast the eggplant on a baking sheet at 400 degrees, lightly drizzled with oil, until cooked and nicely browned, about 20 minutes.)
• To assemble and serve, boil pasta until al dente, leaving it a little firmer than normal. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer. Add eggplant to sauce and gently stir to combine. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and add to sauce. Using 2 wooden spoons or tongs, toss pasta and sauce, and let cook 1 minute more. Thin sauce if necessary with a little pasta cooking water.
• Transfer to a warmed wide pasta bowl. Sprinkle with grated ricotta salata and bread crumbs. Garnish with torn or whole basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

PASTA ALLA NORMA: NORMA'S PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the penne in a pot of boiling salted water. Stir to prevent the pasta from sticking together. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
• To make the sauce: In a saucepan, heat up 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Gently saute the chopped onions until tender, then add the plum tomatoes and liquid from the can. With the back of a wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes into little chunks. Season the sauce with salt, and pepper, to taste. Cook the tomato sauce for a few minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
• In another pan, heat olive oil and fry the eggplant cubes until golden.
• Drain the eggplant cubes on a paper towel to remove the excess oil. Drain the pasta approximately 2 minutes before the 'al dente' stage and add the pasta to the saucepan. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. Add the fried eggplant, basil leaves and sprinkle with ricotta salata. Mix the ingredients together well in the saucepan so that the pasta and the sauce are well amalgamated or combined. Be careful not to overcook the pasta. Transfer the pasta to a warm serving bowl or divide the pasta among warm plates and sprinkle extra ricotta salata on top and serve immediately.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Bring a 2-quart pot of water to a boil. Heat 4 inches of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until it reaches 300 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Line a plate with paper towels.
• Using a peeler, peel the eggplant lengthwise skipping every other stripe so the eggplant looks like a zebra pattern. Dice the eggplant into 1-inch cubes, place in a strainer and lightly sprinkle with salt. Let the water drain from the eggplant in the strainer to get rid of any bitterness, about 15 minutes. Discard the water and pat down the eggplant with paper towels.
• Blanch the eggplant in the hot oil for 7 to 8 minutes (you only want the eggplant to get soft). Take the eggplant out of the oil to the prepared plate, and then turn up the temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Once the temperature reaches 360 degrees F, shut off the heat. Then add the eggplant and turn the heat back on (this will help if the oil spills over a little bit). Deep fry the eggplant until deep golden brown in color, 2 to 3 minutes (the eggplant should look a little wrinkly and have a firm texture on the outside and be soft and silky on the inside). Place the eggplant on fresh paper towels to drain the oil and put aside.
• Add the olive oil to an 8-inch saute pan over medium-low heat. Season the pasta water with salt, place the pasta in the boiling water and cook it 75 percent of the way (about 12 minutes).
• Once the oil is warm, add the garlic and infuse the oil, about 2 minutes (the garlic should not sizzle or brown). Add the dried oregano, cook 1 more minute, and then add the tomato sauce and 1/4 cup pasta water. Reduce while the pasta finishes cooking. If it gets too dry, add more pasta water. Remove the garlic and add a pinch of salt and the torn basil.
• Transfer the pasta to the tomato sauce along with some of the pasta cooking water (1/3 to 1/2 cup). Add the fried eggplant to the pan and toss to combine. Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan; toss again. Finish with the butter and toss a final time.
• Place the pasta into plates and grate the ricotta salata with a large grater over top. Top with a basil leaf or two and serve immediately.

EASY PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Add garlic and then eggplant and cook stirring regularly, until softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and thyme. Bring everything to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain well and pour hot pasta into the skillet with eggplant mixture. Toss to combine.
• Garnish with basil leaves and red pepper flakes. Drizzle some olive oil on top and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

BAKED RIGATONI ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Toss eggplant with 2 teaspoon salt in a colander. Drain 30 minutes. Rinse, then squeeze out excess liquid and pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry eggplant in 3 batches, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Discard all but 2 tablespoons oil from skillet, then sauté onion with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in sauce and eggplant and simmer 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook rigatoni in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quart water) until al dente, then drain. Stir together pasta, sauce, and half of mozzarella in pot. Transfer to a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and golden in spots, about 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Toss the aubergines with the salt, then tip into a colander set over a bowl for 30 mins, to extract any moisture.
• Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a casserole dish or saucepan. Tip in the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook over a low heat for 10 mins. Add the garlic and chilli, and cook for 1 min. Tip in the tomatoes and sugar, and bring to the simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
• Pat the aubergine dry with kitchen paper, then toss with the remaining oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 mins until softened and golden around the edges. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions, reserving 100ml of the cooking water.
• Stir the aubergine into the sauce with the basil and capers. Season to taste, then toss the spaghetti in the pan with the sauce and a splash of the pasta water. Divide between four bowls and top with the ricotta and extra basil, if using.

PASTA ALLA NORMA (BAKED PENNE WITH EGGPLANT)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
• Add the penne and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes less than the instructions on the package. Strain the pasta and rinse under cold water until cool.
• Put the pasta in a large bowl and toss with 1 cup of the pasta sauce.
• Meanwhile, in a 12 inch sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking.
• Working in batches, sauté the eggplant slices, seasoning them with salt and pepper, turning once, until golden brown on both sides.
• Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil (I used cooking spray).
• Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce.
• Top with half the bread crumbs, then add half the pasta. Arrange half of the eggplant slices, overlapping them slightly, on top of the pasta.
• Dot about 1/4 cup of tomato sauce over the eggplant, and top with half of the pecorino and half of the basil.
• Top with the remaining pasta, arrange the remaining eggplant over the pasta, and dot with the remaining tomato sauce.
• Sprinkle with the remaining pecorino and basil, and then the remaining bread crumbs, and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Bake for 45 minutes then let stand for 10 minutes.
• Grate ricotta salata (provolone or pecorino work too!) over individual portions before serving.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Peel the eggplants and slice them crosswise into disks less than one-half-inch thick. Layer the slices in a bowl, sprinkling coarse kosher salt over each layer. Place a plate over the slices and place a weight on top. Let sit for 30 minutes.
• Rinse the eggplant slices well and pat them dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves and saute for two minutes. Add the eggplant and saute for 15 minutes, turning once or twice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then pour in one-half cup of cold water. Cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Add coarse salt to taste, then add pasta. Cook until al dente, about 9 to 12 minutes.
• Remove the garlic from the eggplant and discard. Drain the pasta well, place it in a shallow serving bowl and pour the eggplant sauce over. Toss well. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with additional ground black pepper.