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Pasta alla Norma, a dish that hails from
the Italian city of Catania, consists of pasta tossed with a
tomato basil sauce and topped with fried eggplant and grated
ricotta salata.
Pasta alla Norma
2 pounds Italian eggplant
Coarse-grained salt
1 quart vegetable oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound dried rigatoni or spaghetti
Sauce:
1/3 cup olive oil
2 medium-sized garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 pounds ripe, fresh tomatoes or 1 1/2 pounds canned tomatoes
(preferably imported from Italy)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 large fresh basil leaves
4 to 6 tablespoons freshly grated ricotta
salata
- Peel the eggplants and slice them crosswise
into discs less than 1/2 inch thick. Place the eggplant in a
bowl, lightly sprinkling coarse salt on each layer. Let stand
for 30 minutes with a weight on them (such as a plate with a
can of tomatoes on top).
- Start the sauce: Heat 1/3 cup olive oil
in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic and
sautè for 3 minutes. If using fresh tomatoes, cut them
into 1-inch pieces. Add fresh or canned tomatoes to saucepan
and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring every so often with a wooden
spoon. Taste for salt and pepper. Pass the contents of pan thorough
a food mill, using the disc with the smallest holes, into a medium-sized
glass or ceramic bowl. Return the tomato puree to the saucepan
and reduce for 5 minutes.
- Heat the vegetable oil and 1/4 cup olive
oil together in a deep-fat fryer over medium heat. Rinse the
eggplant very well and pat dry with paper towels. When the oil
is hot (about 400°F / 205°C) add some of the eggplant and cook until lightly
golden on each side, about 2 minutes. Using a strainer/skimmer,
transfer the cooked eggplant to a serving dish lined with paper
towels. Fry the rest of the eggplant in the same way.
- Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil.
When the water reaches a boil, add coarse salt to taste, then
add the pasta and cook until al dente-9 to 12 minutes depending
on the brand. Reheat the tomato sauce and add the basil leaves.
Drain the pasta, transfer to a large serving dish, and pour the
sauce over the top. Toss very well, add the eggplant and serve
with grated ricotta salata sprinkled over each portion.
Serves 6.
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