Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla norma is a well known Sicillian dish in Italy. This very simple pasta is something my mother always used to make for me in the UK when my friends would come over for lunch or dinner. It is a super easy and delicious meal to cook up!

Ingredients (for 1 person):

• 100 g Pasta. Spaghetti or any kind of long pasta (Linguine, tagliatelle);
• 1 can of tinned tomatoes;
• 1 tomato paste;
• Basil leaves;
• 2 Garlic cloves;
• 1 aubergine;
• A third of a tub of Ricotta;
• Parmesan;
• Salt, pepper and Olive Oil.

Method:

1. Put some oil and a garlic clove in a small sauce pan. When the garlic is slightly browned add the tinned tomatoes and turn the heat completely down to low. Put a lid on and let this slowly cook for a good half an hour.
2. Fill a saucepan with boiling water and place on the highest heat with a lid.
3. Put a glug of olive oil in a frying pan and add a garlic clove (this is for the aubergine). Don’t let the garlic burn!.
4. Chop the aubergine in squares, and when the oil is hot add them to the frying pan. Sprinkle some salt over it, turn down the heat to medium and add a lid. If you see they start to burn add a splash of water to help them cook soft.
5. When the water for the pasta is boiling, add some salt to the water and then add the pasta. Make sure you check the cooking time and set a timer, but approximately pasta takes 10 minutes to cook.
6. Add some tomato paste and a couple of basil leaves to the tomato sauce. When the aubergine is cooked add them to the sauce as well.
7. When the pasta is ready, strain it and add it to the sauce pan with the sauce.
8. Add the third of a tub of Ricotta and mix well.
9. Add salt, pepper and parmesan to taste.
10. Mix in a couple of fresh basil leaves.

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