Recipe: A Silky Pasta Alla Norma for Your Weeknight Rotation

This recipe is from Pasta Night by Deborah Kaloper – a bright and accessible book that does just what it says on the tin. Inside, it contains more than 60 fantastic pasta recipes for every occasion. You’ll find hand-rolled gnocchi for slow Sundays through to a weeknight-ready amatriciana that punches well above its weight.

This penne alla norma recipe honours the vibrant, vegetarian dish that was born in Catania, Sicily. The dish was named for Vincenzo Bellini, the famous Catanian composer who wrote the 19th-century opera Norma.

The secret to Kaloper’s version is in the preparation of the eggplant. Rather than frying it in heavy batches, the eggplant is cubed, roasted until golden and caramelised, then tossed through a bright tomato sauce that’s infused with garlic and a hint of chilli. Finish it with a dollop of sheep’s milk ricotta, and you’ll have a dish that’s well worth singing about.

Penne alla norma by Deborah Kaloper

Serves 4-6

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

650g eggplants, cut into 3cm cubes

200ml olive oil

800g tinned whole tomatoes

60ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional)

Sea salt and black pepper, freshly cracked

500g fresh or dried penne

20g basil leaves, roughly chopped

250g (1 cup) good quality sheep’s milk ricotta or grated ricotta salata, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 230°C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Toss the eggplant and olive oil together in a large bowl, then transfer to the prepared trays. Roast the eggplant for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and give the trays a shake to turn the eggplant over. Continue to roast for a further 10 minutes or until the eggplant is golden brown and cooked through. Set aside.

Meanwhile, tip the tomatoes into a bowl and lightly crush them with your hands. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over low heat and add the garlic and chilli flakes (if using). Gently saute for 1 minute or until fragrant, then add the crushed tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until slightly reduced. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the penne in a large saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving 125ml (½ cup) of the pasta cooking water.

Add the penne and basil to the pasta sauce and stir well to combine. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if you prefer a slightly thinner sauce, then stir through the roasted eggplant.

Divide the pasta among warm pasta bowls and top with dollops of sheep’s milk ricotta or grated ricotta salata.

Images and text extracted from Pasta Night by Deborah Kaloper, published by Smith Street Books in 2023 ($29.99). Photography by Emily Weaving.