Rigatoni alla Norma is what happens when eggplant is roasted in olive oil until golden, then folded through a plain tomato sauce with a lot of basil and a salty sheep's milk cheese grated over the top. It comes from Catania, the city at the foot of Mount Etna, and the story is that a Sicilian writer tasted it and called it “a real Norma,” after the opera by Catania's own Vincenzo Bellini. That was the highest compliment available at the time, and the name stuck.
It's meatless without trying to be, it uses one sheet pan, one skillet and one pot, and most of the cooking time is the eggplant roasting in the oven while you do something else.
What You'll Need
Serves 4. Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 45 minutes.
- 2 medium eggplants
- Salt
- Olive oil: 2 to 3 tablespoons for roasting, plus 2 tablespoons for the sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 (28 oz) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 lb rigatoni
- ½ cup grated ricotta salata, plus more for serving
- Fresh basil leaves, torn
How to Make It
1. Dice the eggplant. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Cut the eggplant into ¾- to 1-inch cubes and spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet that has been drizzled with olive oil. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt and drizzle with another tablespoon or two of olive oil. Toss to make sure the eggplant is evenly coated.
2. Roast the eggplant. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, tossing halfway through, until crisp and golden.
3. Build the sauce. While the eggplant roasts, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the crushed tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt to taste.
4. Cook the rigatoni. While the sauce simmers, cook the rigatoni in well-salted water until just shy of al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
5. Bring it together. Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce with a splash of pasta water, and toss for a minute over medium heat until the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce clings to it. Fold in about two-thirds of the roasted eggplant, saving the rest for the top.
6. Serve. Divide among bowls. Top with the reserved eggplant, a generous grating of ricotta salata, and torn basil.
A Few Notes
No need to salt and dry the eggplant for this version of alla Norma. We simplified the dish by removing the frying of the eggplant and opting for roasting instead. Trust us, it will taste just as good.
Ricotta salata is a firm, salty, aged ricotta, not the soft fresh kind. Look for it near the specialty cheeses. A mild feta works if you can't find it.
Rigatoni is the shape to use: the ridges and the hollow both hold sauce, and it's sturdy enough to carry the eggplant. Penne is a fine stand-in.
