Rigatoni alla Norma is a quintessential Italian classic that embodies pure comfort. Savory roasted eggplant is tossed with a simple tomato sauce and garnished with creamy ricotta cheese and a healthy finish of grated Parmesan cheese.
About This Recipe
Rigatoni alla norma is a classic Italian dish originating in Sicily. This simple pasta dish features tender roasted eggplant that is tossed with a simple tomato sauce and finished with creamy ricotta cheese. For another wonderful Italian meal try my Italian Sausage and Peppers.
Traditionally, you'll find the rigatoni alla norma garnished with a few shavings of ricotta salata, which is a pressed firm ricotta cheese. Though the addition of creamy ricotta cheese offers a delicious luxurious layer of texture.
If you love eggplant as much as I do, you'll love roasted eggplant with creamy tahini as well!
📋 Ingredients
- Eggplant: Look for smooth eggplant that feel heavy for their size without any blemishes or soft spots.
- Pasta: Rigatoni or penne rigate are my preferred pasta, as they can hold on to the tomato sauce.
- Garlic: Look for garlic cloves that are tight on the bulb, which means that they are fresh.
- Olive Oil: Use a good quality extra virgin olive to saute the garlic and to drizzle over the eggplant ricotta pasta as a garnish.
- Tomato Sauce: I've made this with all sorts of tomatoes, such as passata which is strained tomatoes, tomato sauce, chopped canned tomatoes and whole tomatoes that are roughly crushed. Look for San Marzano tomatoes, which are darker in color and have a sweeter flavor.
- Ricotta Cheese: Look for a thick ricotta cheese that isn't too watery. If the ricotta is looser and more waterier, place a strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with cheesecloth. Then add the ricotta and let it strain excess water.
- Parmesan Cheese: Use either grated parmesan cheese or pecorino cheese, which is a hard Italian sheep's cheese with a stronger and saltier flavor.
- Fresh Basil: If fresh basil isn't available, fresh oregano would be delicious.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Optional, if you don't like spicy, leave it out.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Instead of rigatoni, use penne rigate or bucatini pasta.
- If creamy ricotta is not available, add a few shavings of ricotta salata, which is a pressed and firm ricotta.
- Eggplant is traditionally used in rigatoni alla norma, but other roasted vegetables would be delicious, such as roasted zucchini or mushrooms.
- Use any canned tomatoes available, such as strained tomatoes, diced tomatoes or whole canned tomatoes that are roughly crushed with your hands.
⏲️ Instructions
Step 1: Peel the eggplant, leaving every other strip of peel on, then slice and cut the eggplant into ½ inch cubes.
Step 2: Transfer the cubed eggplant to a foil or parchment lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat evenly and roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes.
Step 3: Place a pot over medium heat and drizzle olive oil. Saute garlic until lightly caramelized, about 1-2 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water in another pot.
Step 4: Pour the tomato sauce into the pot and add fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper, stir and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Step 5: Add the cooked pasta directly to the sauce and reserve some of the pasta water to add, if needed.
Step 6: Once the roasted eggplant is done, it should be soft and slightly caramelized.
Step 7: Add all of the roasted eggplant cubes to the cooked rigatoni and tomato sauce.
Step 8: Give the rigatoni alla norma a good mix so everything is evenly coated with the tomato sauce. Add more pasta water, if needed to loosen the sauce.
Step 9: Ladle the eggplant pasta into bowls and top with a dollop of ricotta cheese. Garnish with grated parmesan, drizzle of olive oil and fresh basil.
📍 Eggplant Tips
I just love working with eggplant. I have a number of recipes both in my first cookbook and on here, such as roasted eggplant with tahini or classic eggplant parmesan.
- When picking out an eggplant, look for the younger, smaller eggplants. They will have less seeds and be less bitter.
- Look for eggplant that has a smooth skin with no blemishes or bruises.
- The eggplant skin is not my favorite part, so I will peel most or all of the skin off, that way I can enjoy the whole bite without a tough peel leftover.
- Eggplant is like a sponge and soaks up everything! So don't overdo it with the olive oil, a good drizzle or brush is enough.
Roasting eggplant makes the eggplant tender and delicious. If the eggplant is watery, sprinkle with salt to drain excess water. Then roast the eggplant until the flesh is incredibly soft and tender.
When buying eggplant, look for eggplant that has a smooth and shiny peel and feels heavy for its size. Pick eggplants that don't have any bruises, blemishes or soft spots.
Wine Pairing
If you would like to pair wine with the eggplant pasta, I highly suggest sticking with Italian red wines such as Chianti or Barbera. Both are medium bodied red wines that will balance the acidic tomato sauce nicely.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve rigatoni alla norma alongside a crisp salad, such as caesar salad or shaved brussels spouts salad with parmesan.
- Are you entertaining? Make an Italian charcuterie board before serving the eggplant ricotta pasta.
- And pasta is so fantastic with warm bread to sop up all of the sauce! Try my garlic herb focaccia.
More Eggplant Recipes
Rigatoni Alla Norma
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
Roasted Eggplant
- 1 large eggplant
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ pound ziti or penne
Pasta and Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 28 ounces tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes or whole tomatoes, crushed
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Small handful of fresh basil + more for garnish
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Trim the ends off of the eggplant and alternate peeling the eggplant. It should look like vertical stripes with some sections have the peel and some don't. Then cut the eggplant into thick slices and then into ½ inch cubes.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place eggplant on a foil lined or parchment lined baking sheet. Season the eggplant with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Roast the eggplant in oven for about 35 minutes until eggplant is incredibly tender and slightly caramelized. Set aside.
- While eggplant is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta and cook pasta according to package directions. (I always go about 1 minute less and check as I go).
- In a separate pot, place a pot over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the chopped garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until just lightly golden. Add the tomato sauce whole tomatoes, add the fresh basil and season with salt and pepper. Give the sauce a stir and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Once the pasta is done, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water and add the pasta directly into the sauce. When the roasted eggplant is done, add that to the pasta and toss to combine so all of the sauce evenly coats the noddles. Add pasta water as needed.
- Serve the eggplant pasta in bowls and top with a hefty spoonful of creamy ricotta cheese. Garnish with grated parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil and fresh basil.
Notes
-
- When picking out an eggplant, look for the younger, smaller eggplants. They will have less seeds and be less bitter.
-
- Look for eggplant that has a smooth skin with no blemishes or bruises.
-
- The eggplant skin is not my favorite part, so I will peel most or all of the skin off, that way I can enjoy the whole bite without a tough peel leftover.
-
- Eggplant is like a sponge and soaks up everything! So don't overdo it with the olive oil, a good drizzle or brush is enough.
Donna says
In one paragraph you say "roast eggplant for 20 minutes, next paragraph says "roast for 35 minutes". Which is it?
Samantha Ferraro says
Hi Donna, thank you for catching that, we changed it in the recipe card. You would make a great Proofreader. Anyway,Roast the eggplant in oven for about 35 minutes until eggplant is incredibly tender and slightly caramelized. Thank you, Samantha.
Luv2cook says
We did this recipe but realized we only had Linguini. Ithe flavors were still wonderful. Thank you for Introducing us to so many new wonderful recipes.
Lori says
What does it mean Trim ends off eggplant and peel 1 in sections off skin leaving half of skin intact? I am perplexed!! LOL
Samantha says
Hi Lori! I usually post step by step photos, but I was on a time crunch this time so I didn't, sorry! Basically, cut the ends off the eggplant and use a vegetable peeler to peel off the skin of the eggplant. Instead of peeling off all the skin, just peel off "sections" so it will look like stripes. I hope that makes more sense!
Lee amoroso says
How much olive oil do you use to cook the garlic in? I made this recipe and guessed at the amount based on other Lidia recipes. It was sooooo delicious..
Samantha says
Hi Lee. To be honest, I don't usually "measure" olive oil when I saute. I do a good drizzle in the pan a few times...I would guesstimate 2 Tb?
@bluenotebacker says
An email told me the other day that it's eggplant season, is that true? Eggplant is delicious and this recipe looks fantastic. Looking fwd to trying it, thanks for sharing!
Shaun Hutchinson says
Hello grea recipe but no mention of pasta weight/amount?! 🙂
Samantha says
Hi Shaun. It was 1/2lb penne or zitti. I must have missed adding that in. Thank you for letting me know!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says
So fresh and simple - a great way to showcase Summer produce! Love this recipe.
Catherine says
Looks deliciuos. For how amny hungry people would that be?
Samantha says
I only used half a box of penne which is 1/2 lb and it made a lot! It fed about 8 people as a side dish at a bbq and there was still leftovers!
Sarah says
We both must have a weakness for pasta. This is my kind of dish too! Looks fantastic Samantha!
The Wimpy Vegetarian says
This is the perfect summer dinner with a salad!! It just sounds so wonderful.
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
Sam, this dish looks absolutely amazing. And the cheese- yum!