Rigatoni Alla Norma

5 from 13 votes

Rigatoni alla norma is a classic Italian recipe with savory roasted eggplant tossed in a simple tomato sauce and finished with creamy ricotta cheese.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: eggplant pasta, eggplant ricotta pasta, pasta alla norma, rigatoni alla norma

Servings: servings

Calories: 481kcal

Author: Samantha Ferraro

Cost: $10

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

US Customary - Metric

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 20 minutes until golden brown. Once done, set aside.
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.

Nutrition