Penne alla Norma (penne Norma style with eggplant)

This Sicilian classic brings together penne pasta, tomatoes and chunks of roasted eggplant. Short pasta is ideal for catching juicy tomato-based sauces, and combining with chunky vegetables for scoops of textured mouthfuls.

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 400 g small eggplants, cut into 2 cm pieces
• 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 400 g can peeled or chopped tomatoes
• salt flakes and ground black pepper
• 400 g dried short pasta (like fusilli, penne frigate or rigatoni)
• basil leaves, to serve
• 150 g freshly grated ricotta salata

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place the eggplant on the lined tray, drizzle with 50 ml oil, season to taste and toss to coat well, then roast for 35-40 minutes or until golden and tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and 200 ml water. Half fill the tomato can with water and swirl around to incorporate any tomato clinging to the side, then pour into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook gently for 30–40 minutes or until slightly reduced.
4. Gently stir the roasted eggplant into the sauce.
5. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Drop in your pasta of choice and stir well. Cook until almost al dente (generally 1 minute less than the cooking time recommended on the packet).
6. Using a slotted spoon, lift the pasta straight into the pan with the sauce, dragging a little of the cooking water with it. Toss well to coat every single bit of pasta. Divide between bowls, top with the basil and lashings of ricotta salata.

 

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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