Rigatoni Alla Norma (V) from More Daily Veg

Rigatoni alla norma
By Erin Brown
Related Categories: Cookbook Confidential

“I make this a lot as a step up from a simple tomato sauce pasta. I feel myself craving it toward the end of summer while aubergines are still in season. For this reason, I think of it as the beginning of the transition into more autumnal dishes. I have fond memories of ordering this in Sicily, sometimes just ordering the sauce as an antipasti when the weather was too hot for pasta, similar to how I’d serve caponata. So, by all means use it as a sauce to go other places than pasta. I like this to be heavy on the aubergine and to keep them in fairly large chunks so they have a good presence in the final dish.” Joe Woodhouse, author of More Daily Veg

Serves 6

1kg (2lb 4oz) aubergines, cut into 4–5cm (1½–2in) cubes

100–150ml (3½ –5½fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

5 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tablespoon chilli flakes

2 x 400g (14oz) cans plum tomatoes

400–500g (14–171/2oz) rigatoni or other chunky pasta

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

30g (1oz) basil, leaves picked

Sea salt flakes

Grated ricotta salata or goat Cheddar, to serve

Set a large sauté or frying pan over a medium heat. Working in two batches, use 50ml (1¾fl oz) of oil per batch to fry the aubergines with a pinch of salt. You can do this in smaller batches if your pan isn’t large enough to accommodate that much aubergine at once. It can be snug but doesn’t want to be overcrowded. If they are sticking too much, use more oil. Some aubergines soak up more oil than others. Turn the aubergine so it is golden on each side and soft. This should take about 6–8 minutes for each batch. Remove to a mixing bowl or plate and repeat with the next batch.

Once the aubergine is cooked, add a further 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the garlic for a minute. Add the chilli flakes, then the tomatoes. I like to use a masher to crush them up a bit. Add a full can’s worth of water to the pan with a good pinch of salt. Bubble away for 15–20 minutes until thickened and glossy.

Cook your pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water in case you need it.

Add the aubergine to the tomato sauce with the vinegar. Check the seasoning and add more salt if it needs it. Add the drained pasta and any pasta water you need to get a fluid sauciness. Stir through most of the basil leaves. Spoon onto plates or a serving dish and finish with the remaining basil leaves and some cheese, with more at the table to add. As always, a drizzle of olive oil to finish is very welcome.