Pasta alla Norma

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Place diced eggplant in a single layer on a dry rimmed sheet pan and bake until the pieces become soft and dark golden brown, about 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of fine sea salt.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil begins to spit a little. Add the onion and the garlic and cook until soft but not yet browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomatoes and basil and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Add eggplant to the tomato mixture and simmer for about 6 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, add the penne into the boiling water and cook according to package directions, making sure to cook 1 minute less than the directions tell you to. When done, drain pasta and place cooked noodles back into the pot.

Add the eggplant sauce to the noodles and toss everything together. Sprinkle the pasta with ricotta salata cheese, fresh parsley and red pepper flakes. Toss again.

Serve the pasta onto four plates and top with fresh shaved Parmesan, some chopped fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy immediately.

Recipe adapted from Barilla.