This dish, although very similar, is not a traditional pasta alla norma. Pasta alla norma has a deep Sicilian history as it was created in Catania, in the late 1800s. This is a simple pasta with eggplant and tomatoes. It is obviously inspired by pasta alla norma, but I understand this isn't how pasta alla norma is made.
This recipe is more accessible and is something I make when I want our family to eat some vegetables and have full tummies. We have a kid now, so we say full tummy or fat bellies. and that makes me happy.
This recipe developed when my wife saw a can of eggplant and tomato, Grecian style, at Trader Joe's. It's sort of like a ready-made norma sauce. I heated it up in a pan and added more halved cherry tomatoes. Then I thought, how can I make this at home without having to buy their can already made?
I know as a parent I should be looking for ways to make my life easier. But I also like to cut out as much processing as a can. Yes, for my family, but also because I have reflux. The more processed foods I eat, the worse it gets.
What You'll Need
- 1 eggplant, sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 handful of basil leaves
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 cup pasta water
How to make a simple pasta with eggplant and tomatoes
This recipe is so easy. A couple of simple steps will lead to a really tasty and light pasta dish.
Start by roasting the eggplant
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Salt both sides of the eggplant and drizzle with olive oil. Roast the eggplant in the oven for 12 minutes. Remove them from the oven and cut them into quarters.
In pasta alla norma, the eggplant is typically fried. I think this way allows you to get a lot more eggplant in the dish and it's much faster.
Start boiling a pot of water and boiling your pasta during this step. Just be sure to save 1 cup of pasta water.
Making the sauce
In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoon of olive oil to medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about 6-8 minutes until they become translucent. Then add garlic and saute for two more minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant. Stir in the halved cherry tomatoes and salt. Let the tomatoes sit for 3-5 minutes until they begin to break down
Add the tomato paste directly to the pan by making a small well. Let the tomato paste caramelize for 3 minutes. Pour in the white wine and stir. Simmer until the white wine reduces and the tomatoes soften. A thick sauce should begin to develop.
Add the eggplant and half of the basil to the sauce and stir, letting the eggplant soften and some up the sauce for about 5 minutes. Slowly start adding pasta water a ¼ cup at a time until the eggplant is no longer soaking up all the sauce and there is enough tomato sauce to add the pasta to. Keep letting the sauce return to a simmer every time you add the pasta water.
I usually end up adding about 1 cup of pasta water over the course of 5-7 minutes of simmering. Now stir your pasta in with the rest of the basil leaves. Mix well, letting the pasta soak up some of the red sauce.
Serve this simple pasta with eggplant and tomatoes with freshly grated parmesan!
Why add the basil at the end?
Basil although it adds a hint of flavor in the cooking process, is best added at the end if you want to really taste the basil. I think this is the perfect type of dish to add basil at the end of the cooking process. It makes a huge difference. I've tested it several times with different dishes and it's a technique I use in a lot of meals now.
What else can I add to this dish?
Pasta alla norma is usually served with salted ricotta. Try adding salted ricotta instead of fresh parmesan for creamier pasta. It's a perfect combination and the eggplant already adds its own creaminess to the penne.
How to reheat pasta
Personally, I hate reheating most pasta in the microwave. It always drys it out. Since this is already a light sauce, it will completely dry it out. If it is a must, then just add olive oil. Usually, I will add some olive oil to a pan and then heat up the pasta with a little extra olive oil to make sure it doesn't get dry. Then add a little parmesan after and eat up.
On the other hand, this pasta is great cold. I love to have a few bites out of the fridge in the morning. But, hey, maybe that's just me.
If you loved this simple pasta recipe, you may also love these:
Classic Linguine Alla Puttanesca
Let us know what you think of the recipe below! Follow us @vindelgiudice on Instagram for more!
📖 Recipe
Simple Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant, sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 handful basil leaves
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 cup pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Place eggplants spread out on a sheet pan. Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 12 minutes. Remove the eggplant slices from the oven and slice them into quarters.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the water well when it reaches a boil and add your pasta of choice. Make sure to save 1 cup of pasta water.
- In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoon of olive oil to medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Then add garlic and saute for two more minutes. Stir in the halved cherry tomatoes and salt. Let the tomatoes sit for 3-5 minutes until they begin to break down.
- Add the tomato paste directly to the pan. Let the tomato paste caramelize for 3 minutes. Pour in the white wine and simmer until the white wine reduces and the tomatoes softened and a sauce develops.
- Stir in the eggplant and half of the basil. Mix well until everything is completely covered in the sauce. Slowly start adding pasta water a ¼ cup at a time, letting the sauce thicken each time. Once the sauce looks thick enough and about half the eggplant is completely broken down, stir in the pasta and the rest of the basil.
- Serve with parmesan cheese!
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