Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Complexity: easily
Servings: 4

To make gluten-free Italian pasta alla Norma (pasta with eggplant, tomatoes, and cheese), don't bother searching for gluten-free pasta at the store—use zucchini instead! Use a vegetable peeler to slice the firm zucchini into wide, thin strips, similar in shape to pappardelle. Boil the vegetable pasta and toss with a quick homemade pesto. Serve the zucchini pasta with a light ragù of eggplant, cherry tomatoes, basil, and salty ricotta (ricotta salata).

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1.5 cups fresh basil leaves
• 0.5 cups toasted pine nuts
• 4 cloves of garlic
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 tbsp. + 3 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 0.5 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan
• 3 firm small zucchinis
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup crumbled salted ricotta (ricotta salata)

Substituting ingredients
Measuring containers used

1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Recipes with similar ingredients

eggplants, mint, basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon, Parmesan cheese, zucchini, bouillon, red pepper flakes, cherry tomatoes, ricotta cheese

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Preparation:

Step 1
• Peel the eggplant in half and cut into 1 cm thick discs. Then stack the discs and cut into 1 cm wide sticks. Salt the eggplants and leave them on a kitchen towel for 20 minutes to remove excess water.
Step 2
• Place the mint and 1 cup of basil leaves along with the toasted pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor. Season with salt and pepper and add the grated garlic clove. Add the lemon zest and juice, then turn the processor on high and add about 1/4 cup of olive oil. Transfer the pesto to a large shallow bowl, suitable for serving the zucchini pasta. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
Step 3
• Using a vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini very thinly into wide, noodle-like strips. If the zucchini is large, discard the seeds once you reach the center. Flip the zucchini over and continue peeling until you reach the seeds. If the zucchini is firm and small, you can use it whole.
Step 4
• In a deep frying pan, combine broth and 2 cups of water.
Step 5
• In a large skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, turning the pan 3 times. Add the eggplant to the hot oil and lightly fry, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes. Stir in the chili flakes and remaining garlic. Add the tomatoes and cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Shake the pan occasionally and cook until the tomatoes burst, another 7-8 minutes.
Step 6
• Meanwhile, bring the broth and water mixture to a gentle simmer, add the zucchini, and cook for 2 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the zucchini to the bowl with the pesto. Add 1 cup of the cooking liquid and toss to coat, adding more hot liquid if needed. Sprinkle with additional cheese and serve.
Step 7
• Uncover the eggplants and tear the remaining 1/2 cup basil leaves over the pan. Stir to distribute evenly.
Step 8
• Serve the zucchini with the eggplant, topping the eggplant with crumbled ricotta salad.

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