This dish originated in Catania, on the eastern coast of Sicily, where we had a trip booked in 2020 which was cancelled due to the pandemic.
In July 2017, I had a chance to eat Rigatoni alla Norma at Ferro di Cavallo (meaning horseshoe), a rustic trattoria in Palermo. We sipped Prosecco around a wine barrel in the alley whilst waiting for a table, and once we scored a seat, the staff jotted down our order on a corner of the paper tablecloth covering our outdoor table. The menu was printed on the tablecloth, including panelle (chickpea fritters, a street food favourite) and squid ink pasta.
Because it is customary to take an afternoon rest and make the most of the cooler night air, diners were still arriving at 9 pm as we were leaving. It was the next best thing after, and second only to, eating this dish with a local family at their home. These flavours take me back to that balmy, buzzy Sicilian evening.
Ingredients
Serves 2
200 g canned whole peeled tomatoes*
1 eggplant**
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
10 g fresh basil leaves
90 ml extra virgin olive oil
200 g short pasta such as rigatoni or calamarata
30 g ricotta salata***
12 g fine sea salt
Freshly grated black pepper
Method
Chop the eggplant into rough 2 cm chunks, keeping in mind that the pieces will shrink once cooked through. Place them in a colander inside the sink to "sweat", sprinkling with salt to draw out the excess moisture and bitterness. Lay them out on a wooden chopping board for at least 20 minutes, then pat dry.
Heat 80 ml of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the eggplant in a single layer, and fry until soft and golden, in batches if necessary.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot with at least 2 litres of water to a rolling boil, adding 10 grams of salt as it reaches the boil. Increase the amount of salt if using more water.
Add the pasta to the boiling water in the pot and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente.
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, followed by the garlic. Gently cook on low heat until the garlic is soft but not coloured (less than a minute).
Stir in the tomato and simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes, while the pasta cooks.
Tear almost all of the basil leaves and grate most of the cheese into the pan. Season the sauce with black pepper to taste.
Drain the pasta, reserving a cupful of the cooking water and adding a splash to the sauce in the pan.
Add the pasta to the pan and toss well, loosening the sauce with some cooking water if needed.
Taste and correct for salt before transferring to a platter. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, crumble some ricotta salata on top, and top with the remaining basil. Serve immediately.
Notes
*Tomatoes: As far as tinned tomatoes are concerned, the unblemished ones are sold whole (as opposed to diced), so the former tend to be of better quality. Cut off the tips and crush the tomatoes by hand over a mesh sieve to remove the seeds.
**Eggplant: The Italian eggplant has a teardrop shape, thicker than the Lebanese eggplant. Generally, the seeds need not be removed, unless they are going brown. When using a globe eggplant, you can reduce the bitterness by slicing the core off. If using a thinner eggplant, you can slice some round coin shapes to mix in just before serving.
Cooking the eggplant to that elusive point at which it starts to break down brings out its rich flavour and creamy texture. If you are able to prepare in advance, the eggplant chunks will benefit from a longer time spent salted in Step 1, about an hour. When frying, the oil ought to be hot so that the eggplant fries instead of absorbing the oil. Beware of overcrowding the pan, which will cause the temperature of the oil to drop.
***Cheese: Ricotta salata is made from sheep’s whey and is lightly aged. If ricotta salata is not available, it is better to substitute hard cheese such as pecorino or parmigiano rather than fresh ricotta, which is too soft and not salty enough.
A variation for the chilli addicts: Reduce the salt in the pasta water, add 'nduja to the sauce and swap out the basil for chives to create a fiery version reminiscent of Mapo Eggplant.
We would love to see how you've made this recipe your own! Please leave a comment or tag me on social media (@xoxo_miso_girl)