Pasta alla norma

Step 1

Wash and dry the eggplant well. Cut the eggplant into slices about ¼ inch lengthwise. Sprinkle with salt and leave slices to drain for at least 15 minutes.

Step 2

Coarsely chop tomatoes and transfer them to a saucepan with oil, salt, 2 cloves of poached garlic, and basil. Allow it to cook for about 30 minutes.

Step 3

Remove the garlic (if you like more flavor, leave it in the tomatoes);

Step 4

Purée the tomatoes with an immersion blender at a very low speed.

Step 5

Transfer sauce to a frying pan, add the last clove of garlic and a few basil leaves.

Step 6

Fry eggplant slices at 350°F (180°C) in extra virgin olive oil, drain them, and pat them well with paper towels. Add slices to tomato sauce.

Step 7

Cook the pasta al dente in boiling salted water (3 liters of water with 1.5 tablesoons (30g) of salt). Drain when ready.

Step 8

Sauté the pasta in the pan with the sauce and eggplant over high heat for a couple of minutes.

Step 9

Flavor it with remaining basil, divided among the plates, and add a generous amount of grated salted ricotta on each plate.

Step 10

Serve the plates of Pasta Alla Norma while very hot.