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pasta tubes coated in tomato sauce, slices of roasted eggplant, and a sprinkle of melted cheese. There’s a small salad on the side, and a vintage-style fork rests nearby.

Baked Rigatoni alla Norma

Claire | Sprinkle and Sprouts
Baked Rigatoni alla Norma is one of those dishes that makes life a little cozier. With its golden, cheesy crust and hearty, flavorful filling, it's comfort food at its finest. This take on the Italian classic brings together tender rigatoni, roasted eggplant, and a garlicky tomato sauce, all topped off with plenty of cheese and baked until it's golden and bubbly. Serve it with a salad and garlic bread for a full Italian-inspired meal that everyone will love!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main
Cuisine Italian Inspired
Servings 4
Calories 787 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the eggplant

  • 2 medium eggplants
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ onion
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • ¼ cup wine (see note 1)
  • 2½ cups crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ cup pecorino/parmesan grated
  • ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves tightly packed

For the pasta

  • 10 oz rigatoni
  • 1 tablespoon salt

To bake

  • ½ cup pecorino/parmesan grated
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella

Instructions
 

Start with the eggplant and sauce

  • Preheat the oven to 425ºF/220ºC and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Use a peeler to peel alternating strips off your eggplants (so they look like zebras). Cut the eggplants into ½-inch thick slices, then cut each slice in half again.
    2 medium eggplants



  • Brush each slice with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
    ¼ cup olive oil
    ½ teaspoon salt
    ½ teaspoon black pepper



  • Roast until golden brown and tender. Around 35 minutes.
  • While the eggplant is roasting, make your sauce.
  • Place a skillet over medium heat and fry the chopped onion in olive oil for 5 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    ½ onion



  • Add the sliced garlic and stir it for a minute, then pour the wine.
    4 cloves garlic
    ¼ cup wine



  • Let the wine bubble and reduce to almost nothing, then add the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, and seasonings.
    2½ cups crushed tomatoes
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    ½ teaspoon salt
    ½ teaspoon pepper



  • Simmer over very low heat until you are ready to use it.

Cook the pasta

  • Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the salt and pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than the packet suggests.
    1 tablespoon salt
    10 oz rigatoni



  • Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.

Assemble the bake

  • Mix the pasta into the sauce with ½ cup of the reserved cooking water. Then add in the pecorino/parmesan.
    ½ cup pecorino/parmesan



  • Gently stir in the basil leaves and cooked eggplant.
    ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves



  • Transfer to an oven-proof dish, and top with the cheeses.
    ½ cup pecorino/parmesan
    2 cups shredded mozzarella



  • Bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.

Notes

  1. I use dry white wine for this recipe, but you can use red wine. If you don't consume alcohol, replace it with vegetable broth and a ¼ teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition

Calories: 787kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 931mg | Potassium: 998mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 964IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 659mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition is per serving

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