The Perfect Meatless Pasta Dish
Named in honor of the opera “Norma” written by Vincenzo Bellini, a nineteenth-century composer born in Sicily, Pasta alla Norma is an easy-to-make, meatless dish that is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Our version is a satisfying combination of oven-roasted eggplant, a quick homemade marinara, fresh basil, and crumbled ricotta salata cheese.
Because eggplant can soak up oil like a sponge as it cooks, we cut some fat and calories and save a little prep time by oven-roasting the eggplant instead of using the more traditional pan-frying method. We’ve written the recipe to serve two people and have made an effort to cut the carbs a bit too by increasing the ratio of eggplant to pasta. Don’t hesitate to play with the ingredient quantities if you need to serve more people.
What is Ricotta Salata?
We’re all familiar with the moist, slightly sweet, creamy flavor of ricotta cheese, but not everyone has had the opportunity to try ricotta salata (Italian for salted). Ricotta salata is a fresh sheep’s milk ricotta that has been salted, pressed, and aged for a few months to produce a cheese similar to feta. It can be coarsely grated, crumbled, or sliced.
If you can’t find ricotta salata, you can substitute feta cheese, but because feta is saltier and has more tang, we recommend soaking it in water for an hour to mellow its flavor.
How to Make Pasta alla Norma
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and put a pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and add peeled, cubed eggplant in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Roast the eggplant until tender and golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the eggplant is roasting, heat more olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant.
- Stir in diced tomatoes with their juices and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to blend the flavors, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat slightly and continue cooking, occasionally stirring, for 20 minutes more.
- Once the sauce has been cooking for about 10 minutes, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return it to the pot, then add the sauce and combine well.
- Reserve a little of the basil chiffonade for garnish and add the rest to the pasta. Add the roasted eggplant and crumbled ricotta salata and combine gently, being careful not to mash the eggplant.
- Serve in bowls topped with grated Romano cheese, a sprinkling of fresh basil, and a little freshly ground black pepper.
More Recipes Made with Roasted Eggplant
As we mentioned above, because eggplant can absorb a lot of oil as it cooks, we opt to oven-roast our eggplant whenever possible, as a drizzle of olive oil is all it needs when you use this cooking method. Here are a few more recipes that feature oven-roasted eggplant.
Pasta alla Norma
Ingredients
- 4 ounces rigatoni, or other ridged tubular pasta
- 1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3/4 cup onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- 3 ounces ricotta salata, crumbled (see notes for substitutions)
- 3 tablespoons chiffonade of fresh basil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Romano or Parmesan cheese for grating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and put a pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and add the cubed eggplant in a single layer. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Roast the eggplant for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it's tender and golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the eggplant is roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent (4 to 5 minutes), then add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Stir in the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes to blend the flavors, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat slightly and continue cooking, occasionally stirring, for 20 minutes more.
- Once the sauce has been cooking for about 10 minutes, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return it to the pot, then add the sauce and combine well.
- Reserve about a tablespoon of the basil for garnish and add the rest to the pasta. Add the roasted eggplant and crumbled ricotta salata and combine gently, being careful not to mash the eggplant.
- To serve, divide the pasta between 2 bowls, top with grated Romano cheese, a sprinkling of fresh basil and a little freshly ground black pepper.
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