Pasta Alla Norma

Fresh and easy pasta with eggplant, tomato, roasted garlic and basil for an amazing weeknight dinner or a lazy Sunday afternoon.

I don’t remember when I started making this pasta, because I have been making this recipe for ever! I love eggplant and honestly we don’t use it enough. The key is to sear the eggplant so it is a little crispy on the outside, but soft and creamy on the inside. Then, cook the tomatoes just enough so they are soft, but don’t fall apart. Then add lots of fresh beautiful basil.

There are really only 5 ingredients to this sauce. So each ingredient needs to be at the peak of flavor. Someone once said “The devil is in the details.” I interpret this as meaning you want to be picky about how fresh and beautiful each individual ingredient is. So when they all come together, it will be glorious. Let the flavors speak for themselves! And I truly try to cook with this belief in mind.

What ingredients do you need for pasta alla norma?

• Rigatoni
• Roasted Garlic Oil
• Eggplant
• Yellow Onion
• Large Tomatoes
• Basil
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper

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Recipe Tips?

• You can add chili pepper flakes, if you would like some heat.
• Other items you can add would be diced cooked chicken, olives, artichokes, or even cooked Italian sausage.

How can I make this dish ahead of time?

• This dish is best served fresh.
• One thing you can do to help with prep if you are having guests over, is to cook the pasta the day before. Just be sure not to rinse the pasta, this removes all the starch which helps the sauce to stick to the pasta. It also removes all the salt and makes the pasta bland.
• If making the pasta beforehand, lay the pasta on a sheet pan and let it cool, then place in a ziplock bag to store.

Storing tips:

Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.