Pasta alla Norma is Sicily on a plate: silky fried eggplant, a simple sauce of good tomatoes and basil, and the salty-sharp hit of ricotta salata (a pressed, aged ricotta). Salting and properly frying the eggplant is what separates a great Norma from a soggy one.

Ingredients

  • 400 g (14 oz) rigatoni or maccheroni
  • 2 medium eggplants, cut in cubes
  • 1 can (400 g) good crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic · handful fresh basil
  • 80 g ricotta salata, grated (or aged ricotta)
  • Olive oil for frying · salt & pepper

Method

  1. Toss the eggplant cubes with salt and leave in a colander 20 minutes to draw out moisture and bitterness. Pat thoroughly dry.
  2. Fry the eggplant in a generous amount of hot olive oil, in batches, until deep golden and tender. Drain on paper towels.
  3. In another pan, gently cook the garlic in olive oil, add the crushed tomatoes and a few basil leaves, season, and simmer 12–15 minutes into a thick sauce.
  4. Cook the pasta al dente, reserving a little pasta water. Toss the pasta with the sauce and most of the eggplant, loosening with pasta water.
  5. Plate and top with the reserved eggplant, torn basil and a generous grating of ricotta salata.

🍆 Dry the eggplant well

Wet eggplant steams and soaks up oil. Salt it, let it weep, then pat it bone-dry before frying — that's how you get golden, silky cubes instead of greasy mush.