Pasta à la Norma
Pasta à la Norma is one of my favorite pasta dishes, not only because my mother's name is Norma, but because I love eggplant. Of course, the fact that it reminds me of my Mum doesn't hurt. ;)
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Pasta à la Norma
- Prep Time: 15 m
- Cook Time: 50 m
- Total Time: 1 h 5 m
- Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant sliced (1-inch slices)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- ¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- 28 ounce canned tomatoes or 3 cups chopped, fresh tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- olive oil
- 1 pound dried pasta
- ½ cup crumbled ricotta salata cheese or grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Prepare the eggplant by generously salting both sides of the eggplant slices and laying them flat between sheets of paper towel. Let the eggplant sit like this for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the olive oil, garlic and hot red pepper flakes to a deep sauté pan or Dutch oven, and then heat the pan over medium heat. Cook gently until the garlic is fragrant. When the garlic is just starting to brown around the edges, add the tomatoes and salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Brush any remaining salt off the eggplant slices and brush both sides of the eggplant with oil. Cook the eggplant until tender, either by grilling or by baking in a 350ºF oven for about 20 minutes. Once tender, cut the eggplant into large chunks and add to the tomato sauce.
- Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve with crumbled ricotta salata (a dense, dry ricotta cheese) or grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley or basil.
Nutrition Facts
Pasta à la Norma
Amount Per Serving
Calories 120
Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 10mg3%
Sodium 390mg16%
Potassium 604mg17%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 5g20%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 629IU13%
Vitamin C 17mg21%
Calcium 100mg10%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This sounds delicious. Since I am on a “wait list” for a new oven, how do I use my AF to cook the 🍆? Can’t wait to give this a try, Thanks!!
You can air fry the eggplant at 375°F for about 15 minutes.
I have made this for family members (and it was a big success) but my husband absolutely hates eggplant and refuses to even consider trying it no matter how it’s fixed. For the future, is there anything that can be substituted or would it destroy the recipe just leaving the eggplant out? Thanks
Well it wouldn’t be Pasta a la Norma or pasta con le melanzane (pasta with eggplant) without the eggplant BUT you could make a nice dish using any other roasted vegetable that your husband might like. You could use, peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, or onions or a combination of any vegetables you like.
easy and very tasty. will make again
Delicious! This sauce is a keeper. It has just the right amount of heat and is thick and very tasty. I did add two extra garlic cloves (because we love garlic) and used a low carb pasta. Thank you for this yummy recipe!!