There’s a traditional Italian dish called pasta all Norma, a hearty, savoury combination of eggplant and red sauce that makes you feel like you’re sitting by the Mediterranean with your nonna. Pasta alla Norma was the starting point for Jamie Milne’s version. She keeps that much-loved combination intact, then adds deeply caramelized onions for sweetness and toasted bread crumbs for crunch. The result is a hearty vegetarian pasta with plenty of texture and a little heat from crushed red pepper flakes.
Roasted Eggplant Pasta With Caramelized Onions and Bread Crumbs
Ingredients
Eggplant
- ½ large eggplant cubed (2 to 3 cups)
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Caramelized Onions
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium white onion thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Sauce
- 1 can (796 mL) whole or crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1½ tsp kosher salt plus more as needed
- 1 tsp balsamic vingar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp crushed hot pepper flakes
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
Pasta
- kosher salt as needed
- 450 g dried paccheri or rigatoni mezze
To Serve
- ½ cup bread crumbs (homemade or store-bought)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Eggplant
- Place eggplant on prepared baking sheet and toss to coat with olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in even layer and roast until browned, tossing halfway through, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.
Caramelized Onions
- Heat oil in medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add onions. Cook, stirring continuously, until onions have begun to brown, about 15 minutes. Add salt and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and caramelized, up to 1 hour. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.
Sauce
- If using whole tomatoes, add to large bowl and crush them with your hands or back of a wooden spoon until they have a chunky consistency. Heat large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic and cook until garlic just begins to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and stir in salt, vinegar, oregano, black pepper and hot pepper flakes. Add Parmesan and Parmesan rind (if using), then reduce heat to low. Allow sauce to simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened enough to cling to pasta, 30 to 40 minutes.
Pasta
- Bring large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat and add generous pinch of salt. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- When sauce is done, remove and discard Parmesan rind (if using). Add drained pasta and mix until evenly coated with sauce. Fold in roasted eggplant and caramelized onions.
To Serve
- Transfer pasta to large bowl. Top with bread crumbs, Parmesan, black pepper and basil.
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