The Art of Pasta alla Norma: A Love Letter to Sicilian Comfort

Toss eggplant cubes with coarse salt in a colander. Let drain for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.

Heat ½ cup olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant in batches until golden (5–7 minutes per batch). Drain on paper towels.

In the same skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Sauté garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Stir in basil.

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.

Toss pasta with sauce. Fold in fried eggplant. Add pasta water as needed to loosen sauce.

Serve topped with ricotta salata, fresh basil, and black pepper.