Rigatoni Alla Norma Recipes

RIGATONI ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Place eggplants in a colander set in a sink or over a bowl. Season eggplant generously with salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Rinse eggplant under cold running water; pat dry with paper towels.
• Place flour in a shallow dish and, working in batches, dredge eggplant in flour, shaking off excess.
• In a large pot, heat canola oil until it reaches 300 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, fry eggplant until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon; repeat process with remaining eggplant.
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add fried eggplant and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and increase heat to a simmer.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt boiling water and return to a boil. Add pasta and cook, until almost al dente, about 2 minutes less than indicated on package instructions. Drain and add to skillet with eggplant mixture.
• Stir pasta until well combined with sauce, about 2 minutes. Add basil and season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with ricotta salata cheese.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Cut the eggplants into slices and place them in layers in a dish or colander with some salt sprinkled between the slices. Let them sweat for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. When ready rinse off the salt and pat dry.

BAKED RIGATONI ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Toss eggplant with 2 teaspoon salt in a colander. Drain 30 minutes. Rinse, then squeeze out excess liquid and pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry eggplant in 3 batches, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Discard all but 2 tablespoons oil from skillet, then sauté onion with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in sauce and eggplant and simmer 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook rigatoni in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quart water) until al dente, then drain. Stir together pasta, sauce, and half of mozzarella in pot. Transfer to a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and golden in spots, about 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

RIGATONI ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic and cook over medium-high heat until the garlic has a golden color. Add the tomatoes, basil and oregano, and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and remove from heat. Reserve. Preheat the oven to 450. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the eggplants, reserving the skin. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, place on a sheet pan, coat with vegetable oil and thyme, and season with salt. Cover with aluminum foiland bake for 20 minutes, or until the eggplants are soft. Remove them from the oven, then place the eggplant and remaining olive oil in a blender (or food processor) and process until smooth. Reserve Julienne the eggplant skins on a diagonal into pieces that are 2 inches long. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant skins in the oil until crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper-covered plate. Reserve. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to packaged directions. Strain , toss the pasta with the tomato sauce and the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and divide among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with a few cubes of mozzerella, 1 tablespoon eggplant puree and the crispy eggplant skins. Garnish with chopped basil and serve.