Pasta alla Norma
Pasta paired with fresh vegetables make this the perfect pasta dish for vegetarians and anyone who loves garden-fresh goodness. For this recipe, the best tomato sauce flavor from The Jersey Tomato Co. is our Marinara tomato sauce.
This recipe is courtesy of our brand partner and culinary consultant Tom Colicchio - a renowned chef, restaurateur, and food activist.
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
1 leek, whites sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 eggplant (approximately 1 pound), diced into cubes
1 pound zucchini, diced into cubes
3 garlic cloves, sliced
Large bunch picked fresh herbs – parsley & basil
1 pound pasta (Tom recommends rigatoni)
½ cup fresh grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt to taste like the sea.
Put 4 to 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, leeks and red bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
Add eggplant, zucchini and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the Marinara sauce and bring to a simmer until the sauce is reduced. Mix in the fresh herbs.
While the vegetables are cooking, cook your pasta until just al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of cooking liquid and drain pasta. Add to the tomato sauce over low heat and cook until the sauce and pasta are binded together. Use the reserved cooking liquid if the sauce seems to be getting dry.
Serve in desired vessel and top with cheese and any remaining herbs.
