Penne Baked Eggplant Alla Norma

There’s nothing more satisfying than a bowl of pasta after a stressful days work. I’ll gladly cook and eat this bowl on days when I need my dinner to hug me in return. Cooking with eggplant is a bit tricky. I like it cooked soft with the sauce or spice absorbed into its spongy texture, unfortunately the first thing eggplant loves is to absorb oil and still look dry, ready for more. Lot many people salt it once sliced so the eggplant releases moisture. I don’t like doing that, instead I bake it to cook down so the moisture reduces and the eggplant is ready to absorb all the spices and sauces, this way less oil is needed.

Eggplants are great in the summer months, one of my favorite veggies to eat this time of the year. Pasta alla Norma is a classic Sicilian pasta dish made with eggplant and tomatoes, topped with ricotta salata. If you find ricotta salata I do recommend using it, ricotta salata is pressed ricotta, salted and shaved over pasta. If not Pecorino and Parm is always an option that works every time. Olives are optional, I added to use them up from another recipe.

Recipe inspired by Ottolenghi

PENNE BAKED EGGPLANT ALLA NORMA

Meera

Sicilian inspired eggplant pasta that makes an excellent vegetarian pasta with hearty eggplant in rich spicy tomato sauce and shaved cheese.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2-3 about 2 lbs Eggplant, diced into cubes
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic, about 5-6 cloves
• 1 tsp fennel seeds optional but recommended
• 1 tsp dried oregano leaves or Italian herb blend
• 1 tsp hot chili flakes more or less to taste
• 1 tsp honey or sugar to balance flavors
• 3-4 tbsps E.V olive oil more if needed
• 2 14 ounces can whole plum tomatoes, San Marzano preferably
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves torn
• 2-3 tbsp shaved ricotta salata, pecorino or parmesan cheese for garnish
• handful of arugula for contrast
• 8-10 ounces penne or pasta of your choice

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Dice the eggplant into cubes. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake the eggplant until slightly golden and soft, about 20-25 minutes.Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Heat a large pan to medium heat and add 2 tbsp of oil. Add the fennel seeds, garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is lightly golden brown. Add the oregano or Italian herb blend, tomatoes + the juice, honey or sugar, sea salt, and pepper. Bring the heat to a medium simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Stir in the baked eggplant and heat the sauce through. Don't over cook the eggplant or it will start to break and disintegrate. Cover and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne or pasta of your choice until al dente, then strain, reserving some cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce and mix well, add ½ of the cheese (ricotta, pecorino or parm) and basil leaves, a few tablespoons of the cooking pasta water if the sauce has become too thick.
• Divide between 4 bowls and serve garnished with remains cheese and arugula leaves if you want.

Notes

My kids wanted some meat in the pasta. I added about 8 ounces of ground turkey in step 3 before adding the tomato sauce. Browned the meat along with the spices and garlic before adding the sauce. Cooked the sauce for an additional 8-10 minutes so he meat cooks through. 

If you want to add some ground meat I recommend adding a couple of extra cloves of garlic. The pasta is delicious both ways. With or without meat. 

Keyword eggplant, italian, pasta, pasta alla norma, penne, toamto sauce, vegetarian, vegetarian pasta

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