Pasta Alla Norma

It’s been kind of nice lately planning our meals around the produce we harvested from the garden. We had some beautiful eggplants that needed used, so I found this recipe. Yum! This is a delicious skillet pasta dish!

Pasta Alla Norma


5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds), ends trimmed, cut into ½-inch cubes (I peeled mine)
Salt
3 (14.5 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups water
12 ounces (about 3 ¾ cups) penne, ziti, medium shells, farfalle, campanelle or orecchiette pasta (I used campanelle)
4 ounces ricotta salata cheese OR Parmesan OR Pecorino Romano cheese, shaved (about 1 cup)
¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves
Ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the eggplant and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is fully tender and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Transfer the eggplant to a bowl, cover to keep warm, and set aside.

Meanwhile, pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a food processor until coarsely ground and no large pieces remain, about 12 pulses.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the garlic, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the processed tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes no longer taste raw, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the water, then add the pasta. Cover, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer, until the pasta is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

Stir in the eggplant and ricotta salata cheese (or Parmesan or Romano) and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the basil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve, passing the Parmesan separately.


Recipe Source: The Best Skillet Recipes (from Cook's Illustrated)