Some claim the name of this dish hails from the Puccini opera, but others say that eggplants are so abundant in Sicily that this method of preparing them is just…norma-l. It’s not only a famous recipe, but an easy one.
Servings 4people
Ingredients
1large eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
1small red onion, cut into small dice
3cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1tsp.dried red pepper flakes
1tsp.dried oregano
1/2bunchfresh basil leaves
128-ounce can Italian San Marzano tomatoes
1lb.dried caserecce (or other short pasta)
8oz.ricotta salata cheese, coarsely grated (do not confuse with regular ricotta cheese!)
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Lightly salt eggplant cubes and set aside in colander for twenty minutes to draw out excess water. Rinse well with cold water and pat very dry with paper towel. (Note: Although most recipes advise salting and draining eggplant, truth be told I generally skip this part and my eggplant dishes come out just fine!)
Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and, when shimmering, add the eggplant cubes in a single layer. Sauté until golden brown, stirring often. Do not crowd and use more olive oil, if needed. (This may need to be done in batches.)
With last batch of eggplant, add in the onion and garlic and sauté briefly.
Add dried red pepper and oregano, and more olive oil, if needed.
Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a wooden spoon as you stir the sauce.
Tear apart the basil and add to sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set to simmer over a very low flame while you prepare the pasta.
Cook pasta in salted water until just al dente and drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water on the side. Combine pasta and sauce, using reserved water to loosen, if necessary.
Top with grated ricotta salata, and garnish with basil leaves.