Pasta alla Norma

Pasta with Roasted Eggplant and Tomato

When we think of Sicily, this characteristic pasta combination immediately comes to mind. Melanzane from Sicily are among the tastiest eggplants in the world, and when they’re combined with Sicilian ricotta salata and fresh summer tomatoes, it sums up the glories of summer on that island in the middle of the blue Mediterranean. Pasta alla Norma is a name given it in Catania, home of the great nineteenth-century composer Vincenzo Bellini, in honor of his opera of the same name, which was first performed in 1831. There is no reason to believe that anyone was making this version back in 1831, but the myth persists nonetheless. This is our version, and if you want to hum a little “Casta Diva” while you’re whipping it together, well, why not?

We make this with a short pasta shape called mezze rigatoni, but any shape, including long, skinny bucatini or spaghetti would be fine.

When fresh tomatoes aren’t in season, we happily use top-quality canned San Marzanos, but in summer fresh ones right out of the garden, or right from a nearby farmers’ market, are obviously best of all.

SERVES 6

2 medium eggplants (1 to 1½ pounds), cut into roughly ½-inch cubes

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Sicilian sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 red onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small dried hot red chili pepper (such as de àrbol), crushed

1 teaspoon dried mint

2½ cups peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes (see here)

⅓ cup coarsely chopped pitted black olives

About 1 pound (500 grams) mezze rigatoni

Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

¼ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano or grana padano

4 ounces ricotta salata, freshly grated

Set the oven on 400ºF.

Toss the eggplant cubes in a bowl with 4 tablespoons of the oil. Season liberally with salt and black pepper and toss again. Spread the cubes out in a single layer on a roasting sheet and transfer to the oven to roast until brown and slightly crispy, about 20 minutes.

Bring about 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot.

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently, adding a pinch of salt. Let the onions sweat out, losing their moisture and softening, for about 10 minutes, then increase the heat slightly and just as they begin to pick up a little color, add the chili and the dried mint and stir them into the mixture. Let cook together briefly, no longer than a minute, then add the tomatoes and, using a fork or an old-fashioned potato masher, break them up as they cook into a chunky mass.

Simmer gently for about 20 minutes, or until the tomato sauce thickens and reduces slightly. Add the roasted eggplant and cook together for just a few more minutes. Stir in the olives and taste the sauce, adjusting the seasoning as needed. Keep warm until ready to dress the pasta.

Season the boiling water abundantly with salt, add the pasta, and cook following the directions here.

Have ready a warm bowl. When the pasta is al dente, drain and turn it immediately into the bowl. Top with the sauce and toss the pasta and sauce together, then add the torn basil leaves and toss again. Add the parmigiano and toss, then add two-thirds of the ricotta salata and toss again. Sprinkle the remaining ricotta salata over the top and serve immediately.

VARIATION Nancy likes to add a few capers and some toasted pine nuts to garnish the dish at the end; Sara thinks that is gilding the lily and prefers the purity of the original, which comes from the brilliant Sicilian chef Salvatore Denaro.