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Pasta alla norma recipe

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This vegetarian Sicilian pasta dish is beautifully simple and contains 2 of your 5-a-day. Chunks of fried aubergine are stirred through a rich tomato sauce flavoured with capers, garlic and oregano. See method

Serves 4
15 mins to prepare and 20 mins to cook, plus salting time
518 calories / serving
Healthy
Vegetarian

Ingredients

1 tsp salt
2 large aubergines, cut into 2cm chunks
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, sliced
pinch of crushed chillies (optional)
2 tbsp tomato purée
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
400g dried rigatoni or penne
10g fresh basil leaves, to serve
10g pecorino, to serve

If you don't have chopped tomatoes, chop up a tin of plum tomatoes instead

Each serving contains

Energy
2180kj
518kcal 26%
Fat
14g 19%
Saturates
2g 12%
Sugars
10g 12%
Salt
0.9g 14%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 78.1g Protein 16.5g Fibre 8.6g

Method

Rub the salt into the aubergine chunks and put in a colander for 30 mins to drain out any bitter juices. Rinse off the salt and dry well with kitchen paper.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the aubergines in 2 batches for about 8 mins, turning every few mins to brown evenly, until softened. Set aside.
Pat dry the capers with kitchen paper. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan on a medium heat and fry the garlic, capers and crushed chillies, if using, for 2 mins. Add the tomato purée, cook for 1 min more, then stir in the tinned tomatoes and oregano. Fill the tomato tin halfway with tap water (about 150ml) and add this to the sauce. Stir in the aubergine chunks. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 mins with the lid off to thicken slightly.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta to pack instructions.
Drain the pasta (don't rinse off all the water, the starch will help the sauce stick to the pasta) and toss it into the tomato sauce in the frying pan.
To serve, divide the pasta between the dishes and top with the basil leaves and cheese.

See more Pasta recipes