Who could use another traditional pasta recipe to whip up any night of the week? (Trick question, we all can) Well, you’re in luck — this Pasta all Norma serves 4 people in just 1 hour, and pairs perfectly with delicious red blends like those in our newest Weekly Tasting set, The American Way: Big Red Blends.
Here’s what you’ll need to create the recipe:
- 2 medium eggplants
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 1 tsp dry oregano
- 1 28oz.-can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- Salt and pepper
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1 lb dry pasta, such as rigatoni or penne
- Grated parmesan cheese
And here’s how to make it:
- Cut eggplant into a large dice. Add 1 tbsp of salt and massage the eggplant well. Put the eggplant in a strainer and let it sit for 30 minutes at room temperature to drain.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Once rested, squeeze eggplant well to remove moisture. Use paper towels to dry eggplant. Toss eggplant in ¼ cup olive oil and season with pepper. Lay eggplant on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Once baked, remove, and set aside.
- Heat oil to a pan and cook the onion and garlic with salt and tomato paste until the onions are soft. Deglaze pan with crushed tomatoes and simmer for 45 minutes. Finish the sauce by stirring in fresh herbs.
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Finish pasta in sauce and serve with eggplant on top with grated parmesan.
There you have it: an Italian pasta dish to serve with your favorite red blend. Don’t miss out on this recipe card or any of the wines in The American Way: Big Red Blends Weekly Tasting set, premiering August 17, 2020. Happy cooking!