Pasta alla Norma

FOOD & WINE MATCH

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Pasta alla Norma

Wine to try
2008 Tasca D’Almerita Regaleali Rosato IGT, Sicily (Italy), A$34
More gutsy flavours – eggplant, garlic and tomato set against a blanket of pasta and given a fresh lift from the ricotta and basil. A rosé makes a perfect match, not a sweet, confection-fruited Australian style based on grenache, but a more savoury version such as a sangiovese-based rosé would work. The Tasca D’Almerita Regaleali Rosato is made from nerello mascalese – a native red grape of Sicily and a near relative of sangiovese. Nerello mascalese helps add richness and colour to the excellent rosatos made in this cool, high-altitude region on the slopes of Mount Etna with vineyards planted at well over 1000 metres. It’s a boldly coloured rosé (or rosato in Italian) with deep and savoury aromas of cherry stone and boysenberry with a hint of gaminess. The palate is equally intense with a touch of savoury development adding both character and complexity.

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Pasta alla Norma

Serves 4

1	large eggplant, cut into 4cm cubes
4 tbsp	olive oil
2 cloves	garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
300 ml	tomato passata
1 tbsp	tomato paste
400 g	rigatoni
4 tbsp	salted ricotta, grated
Small	bunch basil

1	Place eggplant in a colander, sprinkle with 2 tbsp salt and weigh down with a plate and allow to drain for 2 hours. Gently dry on kitchen paper. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté eggplant pieces, in batches if necessary, until golden brown and tender. Drain on kitchen paper and transfer to a bowl.
2	Add garlic to the frying pan over low heat and sauté until softened. Add tomato passata and tomato paste and cook for 5-7 minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
3	Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving a cup of the cooking liquid. Add this cooking liquid to the tomato and eggplant sauce.
4	Place rigatoni in a large serving bowl, add tomato and eggplant sauce and combine well. Add ricotta and basil leaves and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Combine the mixture one more time before serving.