A twist on pasta alla norma, a pasta made with cooked eggplant simmered in a spicy tomato sauce and topped with halloumi gently fried in olive oil.
Fried halloumi, that’s all you must know. It’s salty and heat and agency and is strictly what this spicy eggplant pasta wanted to take it to the subsequent stage.
It is a fast and straightforward dish that comes collectively surprisingly shortly for a way robustly flavorful it’s. This pasta is impressed by pasta alla norma, an eggplant pasta initially made by the Sicilians, sometimes topped with ricotta salata. As an alternative of utilizing ricotta, I attempted halloumi for a flowery spin.
I like fried halloumi in every part – tacos, pitas, even in fried rice (don’t knock it ’til you strive it!) and I hope this evokes you to strive it out.
Spicy Eggplant Pasta with Fried Halloumi
Servings 4 folks
- additional virgin olive oil
- 1 8.8oz bundle halloumi, sliced into ¼-inch thick items
- 2 small Italian eggplants (or 1 giant), halved lengthwise and lower into ¼-inch thick half moons
- salt and pepper
- ¼ teaspoon pink pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small pink onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can entire peeled tomatoes
- 1 pound pasta (penne, ziti, or rigatoni work nice right here)
- sliced basil, to garnish
-
Warmth 2 tablespoons of oil in a big skillet over medium warmth. As soon as oil is shimmering, add the halloumi and prepare dinner for two minutes per facet or till properly browned and barely softened. Utilizing tongs, switch to a paper towel lined plate and put aside.
-
Instantly add one other tablespoon of oil to the pan and add as a lot eggplant as will slot in a single layer and season with salt and pepper.Prepare dinner till eggplant is browned, flipping often, about 10 minutes.Switch eggplant to a paper towel lined pate and proceed with remaining eggplant and extra oil till all is browned.
-
Instantly add within the pink pepper flakes, garlic and onions and prepare dinner for five minutes or till onions are translucent. Add the tomato paste and stir properly to mix after which add the tomatoes by crushing them along with your arms into the pan, stir, and produce to a boil. As soon as boiling, cut back to a simmer and prepare dinner till liquid is sauce-like, about 10 minutes. Style and regulate with salt, if wanted.
-
Whereas tomato sauce cooks, convey a big pot of salted water to a boil and cooking pasta in keeping with bundle instructions. As soon as pasta is completed, drain in a colander, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Return the pot to the stovetop, add in eggplant and tomato sauce, and stir properly to mix. Add pasta water if wanted to make your required sauce consistency.
-
Chop the halloumi into 1” items. Divide the pasta into bowls, high with halloumi, and garnish with basil. Serve instantly.
