Sicilian Spaghetti Alla Norma Food

SICILIAN SPAGHETTI ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Chop the aubergines into rough 2cm chunks. Place into a colander in the sink, sprinkle with sea salt to draw out the moisture, then set aside for around 20 minutes.
• Peel and finely slice the garlic, then pick the basil leaves and finely slice the stalks.
• Rinse the aubergine and pat dry with kitchen paper, then place into a large bowl with the oregano, chilli flakes, a splash of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Toss together well.
• Drizzle a splash of olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the aubergines in a single layer, and fry for 5 to 8 minutes, or until softened and golden, stirring occasionally - you may need to do this in batches.
• Add another splash of olive oil, followed by the garlic, capers and basil stalks, then cook for a further 2 minutes, or until golden.
• Stir in the vinegar and the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thick and glossy.
• Cook the spaghetti in a pan of boiling salted water for 8 minutes or until al dente, which means that it should be soft enough to eat, but still have a bit of bite and firmness to it.
• Drain the spaghetti, reserving a cupful of the cooking water, then add a good splash of the reserved water to the aubergine sauce.
• Finely grate in half the cheese and tear in most of the reserved basil leaves. Add a lug of extra virgin olive oil, then season to taste.
• Add the spaghetti to the sauce and toss well, adding an extra splash of the reserved cooking water to loosen, if needed.
• Divide between bowls, grate over the remaining cheese and finish with the remaining basil scattered on top.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta and sauce: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes less than what the box advises. Meanwhile, cut the eggplants into a large dice. Heat a skillet to high heat, add the olive oil, then the eggplant in one layer. Season with salt and pepper and add more oil if the pan becomes too dry. Continue cooking until eggplant is lightly brown. Add the garlic, chili pepper, dried oregano and stir to keep the garlic from browning. Add tomato passato, bring sauce back to a simmer and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Assemble the dish: When the sauce is finished cooking, turn off the heat and add the basil. Meanwhile, when the pasta is firm to the touch, reserve 1 cup pasta water (you will only need half). Drain the pasta and return it to the pot along with the sauce and ½ cup pasta water. Over low heat gently toss the pasta with the sauce for 2 minutes to allow it to "marry" and absorb some of the sauce. The dish is done when the pasta begins to stick to the bottom of the pot. Garnish with grated ricotta salata cheese and serve.