Pasta alla Norma with Fried Eggplant, Fresh Tomato Sauce & Ricotta Salata & Stuffed Squid with Parmigiano, Bread Filling & Fresh Tomato-Cucumber Salad

Pasta alla Norma with Fried Eggplant, Fresh Tomato Sauce & Ricotta Salata

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the pasta:

• 12 oz short dry pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, or casarecce
• 2 medium eggplants, peeled partly and diced
• 1 1/2 lb fresh ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, left whole
• 1/2 cup ricotta salata, finely grated, plus more for serving
• Fresh basil leaves
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying and for the sauce
• Coarse salt, for the pasta water
• Fine salt, to taste
• Shortcut note: This recipe is traditionally made with dry pasta, so you can use any good-quality store-bought short pasta you like.

Preparation

1. Prepare the eggplant

1. Partly peel the eggplants, leaving some of the dark skin on.
2. Dice the eggplants into small pieces.
3. Place them in a colander and sprinkle generously with fine salt.
4. Let them rest for about 20-30 minutes, so they release their bitter liquid.
5. Pat the eggplant very dry with paper towels before frying.

2. Prepare the tomato sauce

1. Heat a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add the whole garlic clove.
3. When the oil is fragrant, add the chopped fresh tomatoes.
4. Season with salt.
5. Let the tomatoes cook slowly until they soften and release their juices.
6. Remove the garlic clove if you prefer a milder flavor.
7. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until creamy.
8. Return the sauce to the pan and keep warm.

3. Fry the eggplant

1. Heat plenty of extra-virgin olive oil in a pan.
2. When the oil is hot, add the diced eggplant.
3. Fry until golden, soft inside, and lightly crisp outside.
4. Transfer the fried eggplant to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
5. Set some fried eggplant aside for topping the final dish.

4. Cook the pasta

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Add coarse salt.
3. Add the dry pasta and cook until al dente, following the package timing. (Do not overcook the pasta, because it will finish cooking in the sauce).

5. Combine the pasta and sauce

1. Add fresh basil leaves to the tomato sauce.
2. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the sauce.
3. Toss well so the pasta absorbs the tomato flavor.
4. Add most of the fried eggplant and mix gently.

6. Finish and serve

1. Plate the pasta.
2. Top with the reserved fried eggplant.
3. Grate ricotta salata generously over the top, as you would with Parmigiano.
4. Finish with fresh basil leaves.
5. Serve immediately.

Serving note

Pasta alla Norma is a classic Sicilian dish made with dry pasta, fried eggplant, fresh tomato sauce, basil, and ricotta salata. It is a perfect summer pasta because tomatoes, eggplants, and basil are at their best in season.

Stuffed Squid with Parmigiano, Bread Filling & Fresh Tomato-Cucumber Salad

Ingredients (Serves 2)

For the stuffed squid:

• 2 medium squid, cleaned, bodies and tentacles separated
• 1 cup stale bread, crust removed if needed
• 1/2 cup milk, for soaking the bread
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated, plus more if needed
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, divided
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• Shortcut note: If you want to save time, you can buy squid already cleaned. Keep the tentacles, because they are chopped and added to the filling.

For the tomato-cucumber salad:

• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup red and yellow tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 small red onion, preferably Tropea onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, or to taste
• Fresh oregano, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Clean the squid

1. Rinse the squid under cold running water.
2. Remove the skin, the inner cartilage, and any remaining internal parts.
3. Separate the tentacles from the bodies.
4. Chop the tentacles into small pieces and set them aside for the filling.

2. Soak the bread

1. Place the stale bread in a bowl with milk.
2. Let it soak until soft.
3. Squeeze the bread well to remove excess milk. (The bread should be soft but not too wet).

3. Prepare the filling

1. Crack the egg into a bowl and beat it lightly.
2. Add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
3. Add a splash of white wine.
4. Add the chopped garlic.
5. Add the squeezed bread.
6. Add the chopped squid tentacles.
7. Season lightly with salt.
8. Add the chopped parsley.
9. Mix everything together until combined. (If the filling feels too loose, add more Parmigiano Reggiano until it reaches a thicker consistency).

4. Stuff the squid

1. Using a teaspoon, fill each squid body with the stuffing.
2. Note: Do not overfill them, because the squid may shrink during cooking.
3. Close the opening of each squid with toothpicks.

5. Cook the squid

1. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a pan over low to medium heat.
2. Add the stuffed squid.
3. Let them cook gently in the oil for a few minutes.
4. Turn them carefully so they cook on all sides without breaking.
5. When the oil is hot and the squid begin to sizzle, add the remaining white wine.
6. Cover with a lid and let the squid cook gently until tender. (Check occasionally and turn them carefully if needed).

6. Prepare the salad

1. Slice the cucumber.
2. Chop the red and yellow tomatoes.
3. Thinly slice the red onion.
4. Place everything in a bowl.
5. Season with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and fresh oregano.
6. Mix gently.

7. Serve

1. Place the stuffed squid on a serving plate.
2. Spoon a little of the cooking sauce over the top.
3. Serve with the fresh tomato-cucumber salad on the side.
4. Remove the toothpicks before eating.

Serving note

 

Stuffed squid is a flavorful seafood dish made with simple ingredients: squid, bread soaked in milk, egg, Parmigiano Reggiano, garlic, parsley, and white wine. It may feel a little tricky the first time, especially when cleaning and stuffing the squid, but the result is tender, rich, and completely worth it. The fresh cucumber and tomato salad makes the dish lighter and brighter.