Alla Normal Sauce

Alla Norma Sauce

Serves 4.

Grab a couple of small eggplants, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a few pantry items and you have the makings of a great bruschetta or pasta sauce. The original recipe is from nytimes, a common reference point for me, but it has been tweaked to enhance the flavor and simplify the preparation.

QUANTITY AND INGREDIENTS

ROASTED EGGPLANT

1 ¾ lbs eggplant (2 small or 1 medium-sized eggplant), trimmed, skin on, cut into large chunks 1-1 ½ inch wide

¼-½ cup EVOO

handful of fresh herbs, sage, thyme, and/or oregano, destemmed and roughly chopped (preferred)

kosher salt and pepper

ALTERNATIVELY use Seasonello’s Bologna Aromatic herbal salt

TOMATO SAUCE (BASE)

1/4 EVOO

1 cup chopped onion (1/2 medium to large onion)

2 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh garlic

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 teaspoon good-quality dried oregano

1 28-ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes with tomato puree (Trader’s brand)

large bay leaf

1/2 tsp kosher salt plus pinch or two of Seasonello’s to taste

10 grinds pepper

MAKING PASTA

3 cups of dry penne pasta

1/2 cup chopped basil

freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 cup fresh ricotta (see recipe)

PREPARE YOUR MIS EN PLACE

1. Read and reread the recipe. Divide tasks amongst team members.

2. Gather all your ingredients and necessary equipment.

3. Prep all your wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls in preparation for cooking.

CULINARY TIPS

1. Give thought to the order of tasks given other recipes being prepared. Are there duplicate ingredients?

2. Note that the recipe does not call for the eggplant to be pre-salted and drained of liquid. The high heat of roasting at 450 degree allows for expulsion of unwanted liquid.

3. When heating water for pasta, start with hot, filtered water if you have a hot water dispenser or water kettle. Put the lid on the pot to bring it up to boil faster. Reminder to salt the water so that it “takes like the sea.” Salt lowers the boiling point (remember your physical chemistry) and flavors the cooked pasta. Reserve some of the pasta water before draining it, should you need to add more liquid to the final pasta/sauce mix.

4. I highly recommend growing your own herbs, outside in the warm weather, and bringing it inside in the cold weather. I have a few Aerogardens and the basil is thriving. This can be a huge cost savings.

5. This sauce can be used as a topper for bruschetta or pasta sauce.

6. The tomato base can be used for other sauces. Roast different vegetable combinations, or add sausage. Be creative.

PREPARE THE EGGPLANT AND TOMATO SAUCE BASE

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.

2. Just before putting the eggplant in the oven, drizzle EVOO over and sprinkle with fresh spices, salt and pepper. Alternatively, use Seasonello Bologna Aromatic herbal salt alone.

3. Roast in upper part of oven for 30 minutes, turning vegetables half way through. Look for browning and some charred edges before removing from oven. Roast while preparing the sauce.

4. Into a large unheated saucepan with high sides on medium heat, add EVOO and onions. Sweat onions for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, chili flakes, dried oregano, and tomato paste and cook on low until fragrant, 3-4 minutes more. Do not brown garlic.

5. Add the canned tomatoes and bay leaf, along with salt (best to use Seasonello) and pepper. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer/ low setting for 20 minutes, uncovered. Add the eggplant when it’s done roasting and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Add additional Seasonello to taste. Let sit on the stove top to meld flavors before reheating to serve or storing in the refrigerator/freezer.

6. If making pasta, cook the pasta al dente. Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot. Toss it with a generous amount of sauce (4 ounces per serving). Top with fresh basil, grated cheese, and better yet, fresh ricotta, and serve. Note the high sauce to pasta ratio.