Rigatoni alla Norma

Rigatoni alla Norma is a classic Italian pasta dish made with rigatoni, eggplant, tomatoes, and ricotta salata cheese, cooked together to create a flavorful meal.

Ingredients

IngredientQty.Unit
Rigatoni (dried pasta)500Grams
Eggplant (medium-sized, cut into 2 cm cubes)2Count
Olive Oil (extra virgin)100Milliliters
Garlic (minced)3Clove
Canned Tomatoes (whole peeled)800Grams
Basil (fresh, leaves torn)1Bunch
Ricotta Salata (grated)150Grams
Salt (to taste)1Tbsp
Black Pepper (freshly ground)1Tsp

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant cubes and cook until golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the canned tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
  4. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in the torn basil leaves.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and reserve some pasta water.
  6. Add the cooked rigatoni to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
  7. Serve the pasta hot, topped with grated ricotta salata.

Kitchen equipment

Large SkilletGrater