This recipe for Pasta Alla Norma {Pasta with Eggplant Sauce} turns everyday pasta into something really special.
This dish is the perfect example of the simplicity of Italian cooking. You don’t need a lot of complicated ingredients to create a phenomenal dinner. It’s simply made with the flesh of roasted eggplant, plum tomatoes, white wine, and fresh basil.
The sauce is made by removing the flesh from roasted eggplants and adding them to the tomato sauce where they cook down, even more, making a delectable, flavorful dish that I promise you’re going to love!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Roasting the halved eggplants with the flesh side down and only a little cooking spray, gives you perfectly cooked eggplant without it being saturated with oil.
- Smaller eggplants have fewer seeds which cut the bitterness and allows you to skip the salting step most recipes call for.
- Cooking the garlic in just a touch of olive oil instead of tablespoons makes it a much healthier dish.
- Adding the freshly grated cheese at the end while it’s hot allows the cheese to melt into the pasta adding not only a creamy taste but a silky texture.
Why Norma?
In Italy, the word ‘Norma’ is used to describe something that is amazing or wonderful. Let me tell you that this dish lives up to its name!
What Tomatoes to Choose
When buying Canned tomatoes, go for whole plum tomatoes. They are picked and canned at the peak of ripeness. Manufacturers save the best quality tomatoes for canning them whole because they need to look pristine.
Whole peeled tomatoes also break down easily when cooked, because tomatoes that are intact have less surface area exposed to chemicals that are added to canned goods to keep them from breaking down too much.
Choosing Eggplants
Choose the smallest eggplants you can. The younger it is, the sweeter and more tender the flesh. Eggplants turn more bitter they mature.
Pick smooth, shiny eggplants that feel heavy for their size. Avoid eggplants that feel lightweight as they may be past their prime.
Gently, but firmly, press your finger into the skin of the eggplant. The flesh should give a to the pressure and create a slight indent that springs back when pressure is released. If a depression remains, the eggplant is old.
Perfecting Pasta
Make sure you salt your pasta water. The pasta water should taste of the ocean. Cooking the pasta in well-salted water seasons the pasta. The best pasta sauce in the world can’t make up for bland pasta.
Undercooking the pasta and finishing it in the sauce allows the pasta to absorb some of the sauce giving it even more flavor.
How to Make Pasta Alla Norma:
Start by cutting the eggplants in half and placing them flesh side down in a sheet pan. Then spray them with low-fat cooking spray.
Roast in a hot oven for 30 – 35 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the skin starts to shrivel. 
Boil a pot of water for your pasta. The pasta should be about 2 minutes undercooked.
Carefully remove the flesh from the eggplant while it’s still hot by scooping it out with a spoon.
Repeat until all the flesh has been removed from the skins of the eggplants.
While the pasta cooks, start your sauce.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a deep frying pan. Add the garlic and cook until just browned.
Add the can of plum tomatoes.
Add the white wine and allow it to cook the alcohol off.
While the wine cooks down, crush tomatoes with a potato masher or the back of a spoon.
Continue to crush the tomatoes until they are your desired texture.
Add the eggplant flesh.
Next, grab a big handful of basil. I mean a good handful!
Chop or tear the basil and add it to the sauce.
Mix the basil in, lower the heat and allow to simmer until your pasta is 2 minutes underdone.
Before draining the pasta, remove a cup of the cooking water and set aside.
Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce and half the cooking water. Allow simmering for two-three minutes to finish cooking the pasta. 
Check to see if the pasta is done. Once its done, add freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Mix in the cheese and taste for seasoning. Season to taste and serve with extra grated cheese.
Other Pasta Dishes You’ll Love
Cook’s Tips:
- For an added smokey taste, try broiling the eggplant instead of roasting them and allow the skin to char a little.
- When roasting the eggplant, line the pan with nonstick foil to make it easy to remove.
- When cooking the pasta, salt like you mean it – pasta water should taste of the ocean and it’s the only time you get to add flavor to the pasta.
- An easy way to cut the basil is stacking the leaves on top of each other, rolling them into a cigar shape and then slicing it into thin slices.
- To keep the pasta from sticking, make sure you use a big enough pan with lots of water. A good rule of thumb is to use 10x more water than pasta.
- If your tomatoes taste of too much acidity, add a pinch of sugar, taste and repeat as needed.
- Don’t have wine? Try vermouth – its great for cooking and doesn’t go bad once opened. Plus, you can save the wine for drinking!
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Pasta with Eggplant Sauce {Pasta Alla Norma}
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 4 small eggplants cut in half
- cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 14 ounces can plum tomatoes
- 1 cup white wine
- fresh basil A big handful
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Pre-heat your oven to 400F. Place the eggplant halves face down on a baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray and roast for 30-35 minutes (you’ll know they’re done when the skin shrivels). When ready, carefully scoop out the fleshy center with a spoon and run a knife through it to cut into strips.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a roaring boil, and cook the pasta until about 2 minutes underdone.
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While the pasta cooks, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep sauté pan. Add the garlic and cook until just brown.
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Add tomatoes followed by the wine. Raise the heat and allow the alcohol to cook off the wine. While the wine cooks down, crush the tomatoes with a potato masher or the back of a spoon.
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Add the eggplant to the tomatoes and mix well to combine, lower the heat and allow to simmer while the pasta finishes cooking.
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Before straining the pasta, with a ladle or strainer, use a mug to remove a cup of pasta water. Then drain the pasta and mix it into the sauce in the pan with half the cooking water. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes (adding more pasta water if it starts getting a bit dry). Check to see if the pasta is cooked. When done, add freshly grated cheese to the pasta and mix well to incorporate.
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Taste for seasoning and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve with more grated cheese.
Recipe Notes
- When roasting the eggplant, line the pan with nonstick foil to make it easy to remove.
- When cooking the pasta, salt like you mean it - pasta water should taste of the ocean and it's the only time you get to add flavor to the pasta.
- An easy way to cut the basil is stacking the leaves on top of each other, rolling them into a cigar shape and then slicing it into thin slices.
- To keep the pasta from sticking, make sure you use a big enough pan with lots of water. A good rule of thumb is to use 10x more water than pasta.
- If your tomatoes taste of too much acidity, add a pinch of sugar, taste and repeat as needed.
- Don't have wine? Try vermouth - its great for cooking and doesn't go bad once opened. Plus, you can save the wine for drinking!
Kathleen says
We love this recipe. I do dd about 1/4 cup of drained capers and 1/2 cup of good olives, smashed gently and pitted. I use green olives from the Mediterranean region that are cured in oil and lemons. (A take on a dish a childhood friend’s Italian mom used to make us.) Wonderful and helps fill up my boy’s appetites. Proportions are perfect. Don’t be shy with the olive oil at the end or passed at table. Yum.
Erren's Kitchen says
Ah, thank you for your feedback, Kathleen. That does sound good too!
Ryan says
A mug is NOT a measurement size. You could have been much more specific with regard to the amount of pasta water to add. Otherwise great recipe, although we did ruin it the first time when we added “half the pasta water….”.
Erren says
Sorry it wasn’t clear enough, Ryan. I’ll see what I can do to improve the instructions. Thanks for the feedback.
Margaret says
Wow! What a great meal, l had some grilled eggplant left over and wanted an easy pasta dish. Thank you
Erren says
That’s so great to hear, Margaret! This recipe doesn’t get the attention it deserves so I’m happy for the feedback!
Laura says
What type of wine, dry or sweet vermouth?
Erren says
Hi Laura, white wine or dry vermouth
Susan says
This is fantastic! Thank you!
Erren says
You’re very welcome! 🙂
Joanne says
Made this for dinner last night -Fantastic! Everyone just loved it!
Linda Johnston says
Like a lot of people, I would guess, I usually skip to the recipe for time’s sake. Not today and I’m sure glad I didn’t. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed every single word, every single tip, every single picture, every single bit of history – oh, hell, I loved this post!!! lol Thanks. I assure you I will read every single word from now on! Keep up the great work, girl!
Erren says
Wow Linda, I can’t tell you how much that means. I’ve been re-writing my whole site trying to come up with the best formula to give visitors good quality content. This was my first new post using the formula and you made my day! Thanks so much! 😁
Linda Johnston says
You are so welcomed! Keep doin’ what you’re doin’. I am telling every one I know about your site. I am preparing to go on facebook and broadcast the word! I usually don’t go on and on but I am making an exception today!
Erren says
Awesome! Thanks again! 😆
Theresa says
I’ve been thinking about this since I tested the recipe! It’s SO good and simple too!