Simply Pasta Spaghetti alla Norma

Most pasta dishes are made with simple ingredients.  The noodle is a vehicle to carry the flavours. Keeping things clean, simple and direct is the name of the game and this month’s  SIMPLY PASTA RECIPE is exactly that.

There are many variations of this classic Sicilian pasta dish but the main ingredients are eggplant, tomatoes and cheese. Ricotta salata is normally used but since we are VEGANO over here I opted for vegan cubed feta; it worked out perfectly. The traditionalist would use Sicilian eggplant which is shaped like a purple globe but I used a regular eggplant and it worked just as well. Taking the time to salt the eggplant to draw out the moisture is good for the dish but not necessary IF you’re in a rush. I added chickpeas (not normally in Norma) because I love adding a protein source whenever I can but omit oil you want!

If you are lucky enough to have a garden with fresh cherry tomatoes, basil and perhaps even eggplant this is the perfect summer dish. If you happen to have an air-fryer I strongly recommend using it to cook your eggplant to keep the oven OFF. It cuts down on cook time but also doesn’t create any extra heat in your already warm kitchen.

LET’S GO!