By Carla Vigos
Laguna Woods Globe cooking columnist
My favorite recipes are those that are all about flavor. Pasta is, and from childhood always has been, one of my favorite meals.
My friend John and I love to cook together. He is a Northern Italian and I am a Southern Italian.
We often kid each other about who is the better Italian, but one thing is certain: When we develop a recipe together, it’s the best of both worlds.
Pasta Norma is a traditional Italian dish made with eggplant and tomatoes, but we created our own version with a twist by adding feta cheese and Kalamata olives. I recently served it at a dinner party and received rave reviews, so I wanted to share it with you. Mangia!
Pasta Norma
INGREDIENTS
11/2 pounds grape tomatoes cut in half
11/2 pounds eggplant peeled and cut into half-inch cubes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 cup white wine
12 ounces pasta, farfalle or penne rigate
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn
Optional extra cheese and crushed red pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Get two large rimmed baking sheets, put tomatoes in one and eggplant in the other, and drizzle each with 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix each with your hands to coat.
Roast tomatoes and eggplant until tomatoes are softened and beginning to char and eggplant is browned and softened, 30 to 40 minutes, then set aside.
In a large deep skillet, heat the remaining quarter cup of olive oil over medium heat, add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, about one minute. Add wine and simmer until half reduced, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add pasta and cook until al dente.
Add the tomatoes, eggplant and olives to the garlic wine mixture in the skillet, and as soon as the pasta is done, drain and add to…
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