Fettuccine Alla Norma

Baskets of tomatoes...

So, it may seem as though we're eating a lot of pasta, but I've been making my way through the huge basket of grape tomatoes I bought at the farmers' market. Tonight's dinner is an adaptation from a recipe in Jamie Oliver's book "Jamie's Italy".


Fettuccine Alla Norma
Serves 2

1 medium eggplant
olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 1/2 cups of grape tomatoes, chopped in a food processor or blender
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
whole wheat fettuccine

Chop eggplants and place in colander in the sink. Sprinkle them with salt and let them rest for 30 minutes until they start to 'sweat', then rinse. This will draw out any bitterness.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large cast iron pan and sauteé the eggplant until golden on all sides. Add the chopped oregano and cook for another 2-3 minutes. If you like your sauce spicy, add the dried red pepper flakes. Turn heat down, add a bit more oil if needed and add the garlic and the basil. Cook and toss occasionally for another 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and the tomatoes and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Cook fettuccine according to package directions, drain, and then toss with sauce over heat. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.