On my recent trip to Italy, I took a cooking class at a Bed and Breakfast in Florence called La Stanze di Santa Croce. The woman running it, Mariangela, taught me how to make this simple Italian dinner. It combines the tangy tomatoes with fresh ricotta. Yum!
According to Chef Mariangela, “This typical pasta from Catania in Sicilia, gets its name from Bellini’s Norma. The opera composer Bellini was born and lived in Catania and the town thought this delicious pasta a fitting tribute to his greatness.” I hope you like it! (credits of this recipe go to La Stanze di Santa Croce B and B)
About 1 lb. of juicy fresh tomatoes or one can of peeled tomatoes
2 medium eggplants
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, 1 small onion
1 tbsp basil
1/2 cup salted ricotta *
About 1 lb. pasta (rigatoni or penne)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Wash the eggplant and cut them into thick slices, cover them with a little sea salt and allow them to drain off the bitter liquid for an hour. Scald the tomatoes in boiling water to peel them.* Brown the garlic and the onion in a pan, add the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes
Put the salted water for the pasta to boil and cook the pasta al dente (about 10 mins.)
Dry the eggplants with paper towel and then fry them 2 or 3 at a time in a large pan with hot olive oil until they are browned. Drain them on paper towel
Dress the pasta first with the tomato sauce then place the fried eggplant on top and then the grated Ricotta and chopped basil
*Only if you are using fresh tomatoes
* It is difficult to find salted Ricotta outside Italy so you can substitute with mild Pecorino or Provolone along with unsalted Ricotta
The eggplants are not bitter so you can fry them directly. However, f you have time, it’s always better to cut and lightly salt them to draw out excess water.
Soulcake 
:0
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