Summer Recipe from Luretík’s garden
Pasta alla Norma
Born in Catania and named after Bellini's opera Norma (legend says a famous writer was so moved by the dish, he declared it worthy of a masterpiece), this is peak-season Sicilian comfort food: fried eggplant, a rich tomato sauce, torn basil, and a generous shower of ricotta salata on top. It's considered a summer dish for good reason — eggplant, tomatoes, and basil all hit their prime in the warmer months, giving this dish its deepest flavor when made with truly seasonal produce.
Ingredients:
1 medium size eggplant (diced)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (Luretik Sicily) for sauce
Additional EVOO to fry eggplant
Salt and Pepper
1 - 2 garlic gloves
1 1/2 lbs cherry or date tomatoes
1 pound long pasta (spaghetti or linguine) or short penne pasta
1/2 cup chopped basil
1/2 cup grated ricotta salata cheese
Instructions:
Now, we know eggplant has its skeptics — but salt it, fry it properly, and let it soak up that sauce, and it transforms into something silky and deep, not spongy or bitter. The finishing touch — salty, tangy ricotta salata — ties it all together and is non-negotiable if you want the authentic version!
Cut the eggplant into cubes and salt the eggplant in a colander. Let sit for 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly. Then fry the eggplant cubes in hot oil.
**If you’d prefer not to fry, the eggplant cubes can be cooked in the oven using a small baking rack and parchment paper. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the baking rack and coat the eggplant cubes in olive oil and salt. Bake on high heat, around 400 degrees, until they are brown.
Meanwhile, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil and salt the water.
Cut the tomatoes in half and cook them in a pan with olive oil and whole smashed garlic cloves for about five minutes over medium heat. Remove garlic cloves and discard.
Add the eggplant and fresh basil to the tomato pan and mix together. Turn the heat down to low and let simmer to finish the sauce.
Add the pasta into salted boiling water, checking the cooking time frequently to obtain an “al dente” pasta. Once cooked, drain the pasta and add it to the sauce while still in the pan.
Turn off the heat, add the ricotta salata and mix together. Garnish the dish with fresh basil and serve hot.