Pasta Salad Alla Norma Recipes

Steps:

• Cook the pasta and sauce: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes less than what the box advises. Meanwhile, cut the eggplants into a large dice. Heat a skillet to high heat, add the olive oil, then the eggplant in one layer. Season with salt and pepper and add more oil if the pan becomes too dry. Continue cooking until eggplant is lightly brown. Add the garlic, chili pepper, dried oregano and stir to keep the garlic from browning. Add tomato passato, bring sauce back to a simmer and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Assemble the dish: When the sauce is finished cooking, turn off the heat and add the basil. Meanwhile, when the pasta is firm to the touch, reserve 1 cup pasta water (you will only need half). Drain the pasta and return it to the pot along with the sauce and ½ cup pasta water. Over low heat gently toss the pasta with the sauce for 2 minutes to allow it to "marry" and absorb some of the sauce. The dish is done when the pasta begins to stick to the bottom of the pot. Garnish with grated ricotta salata cheese and serve.

Steps:

• Combine eggplant and 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl with water to cover. Place a plate on top of the eggplant to weigh it down and keep it covered in water for about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse eggplant in cool water. Pat dry and cut into cubes.
• Combine tomato puree, 1 teaspoon rock salt, garlic, and basil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce flavors combine, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute eggplant until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and toss with the tomato-basil sauce; divide into 4 serving bowls. Top with eggplant. Sprinkle 1/4 the ricotta and 1/4 the diced pepper over each bowl.

Steps:

• Bring a large 10- to-12-quart pot of water to a boil over high heat.
• Preheat a grill (wood, charcoal or gas) to medium-high direct heat, or, alternately follow this recipe using an indoor stovetop. (Please note, if cooking on a grill, be sure your pan is heavy-bottomed and doesn't have plastic handles.)
• Add the oil to a large pan set on the grill grate. Once hot, add the onions and saute until soft, but don't let them brown. Add the red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, but don't let them burn. Add the crushed tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce on a medium-low flame, about 20 minutes. Thrive for balance in the consistency of the sauce; it has to be fluid, but it should not look wet. If the sauce is liquidy, cook it a bit more.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and pepper. Drizzle the eggplant with some oil, and grill in batches, until they are marked by the grill and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the eggplant to a large plate or sheet tray and allow to cool slightly. Slice the grilled eggplant into smaller, bite-size pieces. Add the eggplant to the sauce, along with the bay leaves.
• Once the pot of water is at a boil, and the sauce has been simmering, add the 2 tablespoons salt to the water. Add the rigatoni. Cook until al dente, then drain well. Add the rigatoni to the sauce and toss.
• Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve with basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table as an optional garnish for guests.

Steps:

• Slice the eggplant about 1/2 inch thick. Cook in abundant olive oil, without crowding, sprinkling with salt and adding more oil as needed. You will undoubtedly have to cook in batches; take your time and cook until the eggplant is nicely browned and soft. Remove to a plate; do not drain on paper towels. Meanwhile, put a large pot of water to boil and salt it.
• At the end of the cooking the eggplant, the pan will ideally have a couple of tablespoons of oil left. If there's more or less, drain some off or add a bit. Turn the heat to medium, add the garlic and chiles, and cook until the garlic colors a little bit. Add the tomatoes and oregano, along with some salt and pepper; cook until saucy but not too dry, stirring occasionally.
• Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy. While it's cooking, cut the eggplant into strips and reheat for a minute in the tomato sauce. Drain the pasta and toss it with the tomato sauce and the eggplant. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then top with the parsley or basil and grated cheese and serve.

Steps:

• Cook the penne in a pot of boiling salted water. Stir to prevent the pasta from sticking together. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
• To make the sauce: In a saucepan, heat up 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Gently saute the chopped onions until tender, then add the plum tomatoes and liquid from the can. With the back of a wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes into little chunks. Season the sauce with salt, and pepper, to taste. Cook the tomato sauce for a few minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
• In another pan, heat olive oil and fry the eggplant cubes until golden.
• Drain the eggplant cubes on a paper towel to remove the excess oil. Drain the pasta approximately 2 minutes before the 'al dente' stage and add the pasta to the saucepan. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. Add the fried eggplant, basil leaves and sprinkle with ricotta salata. Mix the ingredients together well in the saucepan so that the pasta and the sauce are well amalgamated or combined. Be careful not to overcook the pasta. Transfer the pasta to a warm serving bowl or divide the pasta among warm plates and sprinkle extra ricotta salata on top and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Cut eggplants into french fry-sized strips and salt lightly.
• Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add eggplant strips and fry until lightly browned and fully cooked through, turning from time to time, 4 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti, bay leaf, and peppercorns to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until spaghetti is tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes.
• Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and chile pepper and fry lightly until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft but still holding shape, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Drain pasta and immediately add to cooked tomatoes. Add fried eggplant, feta, and basil. Toss to combine and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a large rimmed sheet pan, toss the eggplant with 1/4 cup olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Spread everything evenly in one layer and roast until golden, 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through to ensure even browning.
• While the eggplant roasts, make your sauce: In a deep, 12-inch skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to crisp and brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add the shallot, garlic and chile to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot has softened and the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they start to burst, pressing the tomatoes gently down with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon to help them along, 5 to 7 minutes. You want some of them to collapse and some to maintain their structure. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices and season with salt and pepper. Simmer while the eggplant finishes roasting, about 15 minutes more. If the sauce appears dry, add 1/4 cup pasta water.
• While you're making the sauce, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
• When the eggplant is done, add it to the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss until everything is well coated with sauce, adding more pasta water if needed. Stir in the mozzarella and toss until it begins to melt.
• Serve in the skillet or in bowls and top each portion with crispy prosciutto and fresh herbs. Season with flaky salt, if using.

Steps:

• Make a quick tomato sauce: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, red pepper and basil leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let sauce simmer gently for 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside. (Sauce may be prepared up to 2 days in advance.)
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Turn heat to low and cover pot until it's time to cook the pasta.
• Put a wide cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil to coat surface of pan. When oil is wavy, test by adding a cube of eggplant. It should begin to sizzle and brown immediately. Fill the pan with a single layer of eggplant cubes. Turn eggplant with a spatula or tongs and brown nicely on all sides. Lower heat as necessary to maintain an even temperature; if the pan is too hot, the eggplant will burn.
• Remove cooked eggplant to a plate and continue to fry remaining eggplant in batches, adding more oil as necessary. Season finished eggplant with salt and pepper. (Alternatively, roast the eggplant on a baking sheet at 400 degrees, lightly drizzled with oil, until cooked and nicely browned, about 20 minutes.)
• To assemble and serve, boil pasta until al dente, leaving it a little firmer than normal. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer. Add eggplant to sauce and gently stir to combine. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and add to sauce. Using 2 wooden spoons or tongs, toss pasta and sauce, and let cook 1 minute more. Thin sauce if necessary with a little pasta cooking water.
• Transfer to a warmed wide pasta bowl. Sprinkle with grated ricotta salata and bread crumbs. Garnish with torn or whole basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

Steps:

• Toss the aubergines with the salt, then tip into a colander set over a bowl for 30 mins, to extract any moisture.
• Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a casserole dish or saucepan. Tip in the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook over a low heat for 10 mins. Add the garlic and chilli, and cook for 1 min. Tip in the tomatoes and sugar, and bring to the simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
• Pat the aubergine dry with kitchen paper, then toss with the remaining oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 mins until softened and golden around the edges. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions, reserving 100ml of the cooking water.
• Stir the aubergine into the sauce with the basil and capers. Season to taste, then toss the spaghetti in the pan with the sauce and a splash of the pasta water. Divide between four bowls and top with the ricotta and extra basil, if using.