Pasta alla Norma

Steps

1. Make marinara sauce
2. Preheat oven to 220°C
3. Shave off long alternating strips of eggplant peel with a peeler. The eggplants will look striped like zebras when you’re done.
4. Slice the eggplants into ½-inch thick rounds, discarding the end pieces
5. Place the eggplant on the lined baking sheets.
6. Brush the rounds with olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle the eggplant with the salt and plenty of pepper
7. Roast until deeply golden and tender, about 35 to 45 minutes, flipping after 20 minutes. Set aside
8. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve some pasta cooking water before draining (about ½ cup should be plenty), then return the pasta to the pot
9. When the eggplant is done and the marinara is finished cooking (or warmed through, if using store-bought), gently stir the roasted eggplant into the sauce. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, fresh basil, red pepper flakes. Crush the dried oregano between your fingers as you drop it in
10. Add the pasta to the sauce with a couple tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water, and gently stir it in.
11. Add about two-thirds of the cheese, reserving the rest for garnish
12. Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper. You can add a bit more of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen up the sauce, if desired
13. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the individual servings, followed by some extra fresh basil. For added richness, drizzle the servings lightly with olive oil