Serves 4. A recipe you can easily make at home with readily available ingredients and a little attention to technique.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 360 g short pasta, preferably rigatoni
- 2 medium aubergines (about 500 g)
- 500 g tomato passata
- 100 g salted ricotta, grated
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil for the sauce
- Oil suitable for frying the aubergines
- Fresh basil
- Salt to taste
Method
- Cut the aubergines into cubes or slices about 1 cm thick. Pat them dry.
- Fry the aubergines in hot oil in small batches until golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Alternatively, you can roast them in the oven, but the result will be different.
- Sauté the garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil over low heat. Add the tomato passata, a pinch of salt and a few basil leaves. Cook for 15–20 minutes.
- Cook the pasta in salted water and drain al dente, reserving a little pasta water.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and mix in some of the aubergines. Adjust the consistency with a little pasta water if needed.
- Divide into plates, top with the remaining aubergines, grated salted ricotta and basil. Serve immediately.
Is it better to fry or roast the aubergines?
Frying gives the aubergines the soft texture and intense flavour typical of the dish. Roasting is a practical alternative at home, but it does not produce the same texture.
Can you use fresh ricotta?
Salted ricotta adds saltiness and a different texture: fresh ricotta makes the result creamier and more delicate, but changes the character of the Norma.
How to prevent the pasta from becoming too watery?
Reduce the tomato sauce before adding the pasta and add pasta water only when needed. Adjust the consistency at the end.
Other first courses from our kitchen: pasta alla gricia and cacio e pepe. For the method, read how to finish the pasta.