Pasta Alla Norma

Pasta "Alla Norma” is a humble, traditional and justly famous dish. The 19th-century composer Vincenzo Bellini is said to have adored it with such a passion (he ate it for lunch daily in his hometown, Catania) that the dish was eventually named after his opera “Norma.” You make a simple basil-infused tomato sauce, fry eggplant cubes in olive oil, toss both with pasta and shower with grated ricotta salata and toasted bread crumbs. Or do you? Some cooks forgo the crumbs. Some fry large slices of eggplant and lay them over the pasta, or ring the platter with them instead. Either way you slice it, it’s delicious and enjoy this dish with a beautiful armparty to match! Inspired by my favorite pasta dish, shop the "Alla Norma" armparty here!

Enjoy my dads version of "Pasta Alla Norma" below!

Serving Size: 4 people

Ingredients

• 8 Plum tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon fine sea salt

• 3 cloves of fresh garlic

• 1 onion

• 1/2 cup basil leaves

• 2 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

• 2 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 pound uncooked penne rigate

• 1 1/2 ounces ricotta salata cheese, grated with a Microplane grater (about 1 cup)

How to Make Sauce:

Step 1

-Boil water and blanche tomatoes for about 3 minutes

-Remove tomatoes, peel and remove pulp and seeds and then blend until smooth

-finely chop garlic and onion and sautée until golden brown, then add tomatoes and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

How to make Eggplants:

Step 2

- peel eggplants and cube into 1/2” pieces

- sprinkle with salt and place in strainer covering with a weighted object for about 15 minutes so the dark liquid drains and removes the acidity

-rinse the cubes and pat dry

-in a frying pan bring a light vegetable oil to a boil. Place cubes in pan and fry u til dark golden brown

-when you remove them from

the pan, place them in a plate with a paper towel under to absorb the extra oil

Step 3

-Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions for al dente. -add pasta to boiling water and cook for approx 10 min

-add eggplants and 1/2 cup of grated ricotta salata to the simmering sauce and fold in

Step 4

- when pasta is ready, use a slotted spoon to remove pasta and add to large mixing bowl without completely draining the water

-add in the sauce leaving some aside to top off the plates

-plate the pasta and garnish with sauce, shaved ricotta salata and basil

ENJOY!

My Sicilian Orange and Fennel Salad

Orange and Fennel Salad is one of my favorite salads that is super easy to make with simple ingredients which is the core of Sicilian cuisine. Growing up I always looked forward to my moms orange and fennel salad but now I've put my own twist! The bold and contrasting  flavors really pack a punch…crunchy fennel, sweet juicy slices of orange, contrast the salty black olives all tossed with a extra virgin olive oil straight from Sicily. Simplicity and flavor at its best. Got this from

"The origin of fennel and orange salad is not completely known. It may have be a recipe that originated in Sicily after the Arab invasions. The orange salad was created as a poor dish that didn’t require cooking and with ingredients easily accessable. Today, the fennel and orange salad is known all over the world and in Italy it is served as an appetizer or as a final dish after an important meal." - San Pellegrino Ingredients:

-One-half small red onion

-2 large navel oranges or blood oranges

-2 to 3 small fennel bulbs, trimmed (about 1 lb. total after trimming)

-1/2 cup kalamata olives

-3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

-1-1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

-3/4 tsp. kosher salt1 tsp.

Preparation:

Slice the onion, oranges and fennel into thin slices (I prefer to shave the fennel but you can leave them in thicker slices also). In a bowl, mix the onions, fennel, oranges and olives with plenty of olive oil. Sprinkle salt and squeeze lemon on top. Toss until all ingredients are evenly coated and serve!

A Spritz A Day Keeps The Doctor Away!

Not a proven fact but it sounds good! If you think you’ve seen more Aperol spritzes this year, you’re not wrong. And if you’ve been drinking more of those sparkling red-orange drinks in pretty stemmed glasses, you’re doing exactly what the makers of Aperol at Campari hoped for. The citrusy bitter liqueur has been popular in Italy since the 1950s, But it wasn’t until summer of 2017 that it began to take popularity here in the states. As part of a big marketing push, Campari turned a little scooter car into a bar and drove it around the Hamptons offering free spritzes and installed spritz booths at various summer events. Aperol was created by the Barbieri brothers in Padua in 1919. The classic Aperol spritz is made with Aperol, prosecco and a splash of club soda.

Directions:

1. Fill a wine glass with ice. Add equal parts prosecco and Aperol, and a splash of club soda. 

2. Garnish with fresh orange slices. 

A drink that looks as u quirky beautiful as it tastes! If you’re loving those Aperol spritzes grab one of my t shirts here!