Pasta Alla Norma
Roasted eggplant folded into garlicky tomato sauce with rigatoni, ricotta salata, and a ridiculous amount of basil — summer's best argument for turning on the oven.
Overview
Ingredients
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Large pot
- Large skillet
Method
Roast the eggplant
Slice the eggplant and roast it with olive oil, salt, and pepper until tender and nicely browned.
Make the tomato sauce
Crush the tomatoes by hand. Cook the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes in olive oil, then add the tomatoes and simmer into a rich sauce.
Cook the pasta
Cook the pasta until al dente, reserving some pasta water.
Fold in the eggplant
Fold the roasted eggplant into the tomato sauce.
Toss
Add the pasta and toss everything together, loosening with pasta water if needed.
Finish
Finish generously with ricotta salata and fresh basil.
Tips
Nutrition
Storage
Frequently asked
Can't find ricotta salata — what else?+
Feta is the closest stand-in: salty, crumbly, and just as happy on eggplant pasta.
Can I make the sauce ahead?+
Yes — the sauce and the roasted eggplant both keep for 2 days; toss with fresh pasta when ready.
Does the eggplant need salting first?+
No — roasting takes care of it. Salting is only worth it if your eggplants are very large and seedy.
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