Pasta Alla Norma

A really flavorful summer pasta!  We bought fresh eggplant from our local farmer's market to make this dish -- no supermarket eggplant for this!  This recipe originates from a chef at Brooklyn restaurant Antica Pesa.  Haven't been to the restaurant but love this dish.

Pasta Alla Norma

Serves 4

Simone Panella’s recipe

***The recipe below calls for 2 large eggplants, I used one large and about 10 oz. of pasta noodles. 

2          large eggplants, sliced in 1/4-in slices

            salt

1/2       cup all-purpose flour

3/4       cup olive oil

1          onion, peeled and chopped

2          celery rigs, diced

1          carrot, peeled and diced

1          28-oz can plum tomatoes, chopped

1/2       teaspoon sugar

6          basil leaves, chopped

1          16 oz. package rigatoni pasta

            vegan parmesan cheese for topping

Sprinkle eggplant slices with 1 tablespoon salt. Place in a colander, cover with a weighted plate, and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Rinse eggplant and pat dry.

Coat eggplant slices in flour. Cook in batches, using 2 tablespoons oil for each batch, in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes until golden.  Set aside.

Cook onions, celery, carrots and 1/2 teaspoon salt with remaining olive oil in large skillet over medium heat, 10 – 15 minutes or until golden. Add tomatoes and sugar, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in basil.

Cook pasta in large Dutch oven until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water; drain pasta and return to Dutch oven.

Add half of eggplant to sauce; cook over low heat 3 – 5 minutes. Add sauce to pasta, adding reserved pasta water if needed. Garnish with remaining eggplant slices and vegan parmesan.