Sicilian dish creates a real eruption of flavour

NOW that autumn is finally well and truly here, I am finding myself opting for those tried and tested dishes that are guaranteed to warm you up on a chilly autumn evening. Things like risotto, stews and pastas – meals that feel like a warm hug of a dish, perfect for when the days are getting shorter, colder and darker.

I will often talk about what people are eating in Italy right now, and what ingredients are in season there. And while it is true that it’s getting colder there too, it is not always the case that what is best to eat at a particular time of year in Italy, are also the best ingredients to utilise here.

That’s why, for this recipe, I’m going to be looking at hearty, warming Italian dishes that utilise ingredients in season here in the UK right now.

That way you will get something authentically Italian, but with UK foods that you can make the most of.

There are many wonderful vegetables in season here in the UK right now. Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, courgettes, peppers, pumpkins, sweetcorn, turnip – something for everyone really. But the vegetable I want to focus on today is the aubergine. Aubergines are not only at their best at this time of year, but they are used throughout Italian cuisine, to create lots of wonderful dishes.

There’s the classic Aubergine Parmigiana, a delicious vegetable dish, it’s also used in soups and risottos too. But, of course, the aubergine is an ingredient that frequently pops up in pasta dishes, which brings me to my recipe – spaghetti alla Norma.

Spaghetti alla Norma is a pasta dish that hails from Sicily.

It is thought that, at the time the dish was created, it would be served piled-up high on the plate in the shape of a volcano, to represent Sicily’s Mount Etna. Imagine spaghetti piled high with a generous, lava-like pasta source poured over it, finished with grated cheese which could almost pass for snow on the top.

Spaghetti alla Norma seems like such a creative dish. A visual masterpiece. A tribute to Sicily, the place where it was created. But what makes spaghetti alla Norma so brilliant is that, despite its impressive look, it is actually so simple to make.

Give it a go for yourselves, warming-up a cold evening with an eruption of flavour. You will be surprised just how quick and easy to make something so delicious can be.

RECIPE

SPAGHETTI ALLA NORMA

Serves 4

Ingredients:

340g spaghetti; 400g tinned tomatoes; 2 aubergines; 2 cloves garlic; 15g fresh basil; 1 tbs capers; 1 pinch chilli flakes; 1 tsp dried oregano; Olive oil; Parmesan cheese and salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Chop each aubergine into chunks roughly 2cm. Place in a colander and sprinkle with salt – this will bring out the moisture. Set aside for 20 minutes.

2. To chop your clove of garlic, peel away the skin, crush with the flat side of a knife and chop horizontally then vertically into small pieces. Pick the basil leaves and finely slice the stalks.

3. After the aubergine has stood, rinse with water and pat dry with kitchen roll. Place in a large bowl and add the oregano, chilli flakes, a splash of olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Combine the ingredients to mix together well.

4. Take a large frying pan and add a little olive oil. Place over a medium heat, waiting for the pan to get hot before you add any ingredients. First add the aubergine mix, only so much that the bottom of the pan is covered. Fry for about 6-8 minutes, until cooked. As you will need to do this a layer at a time, you may need to cook the aubergine in batches, setting the cooked batch to one side before cooking the next. Cook each batch, stirring occasionally, until it is soft and golden. Return all the aubergine to the pan.

5. Add another splash of olive oil to the pan. Next, add the garlic, basil stalks and capers and cook for 2 minutes.

6. Stir in the tinned tomatoes. Use the back of a spoon to help break-up the large pieces of tomato. Reduce to a low heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. This will produce a nice thick sauce.

7. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, adding a little salt to the water. Cook your spaghetti in accordance with the cooking time suggested on the packet, cooking for the maximum amount of time if you like your spaghetti soft, or for slightly less time if you prefer your spaghetti al dente. Once your spaghetti is cooked, drain well (reserving some of water to use later).

8. Add a generous splash of the spaghetti water to the aubergine sauce and stir well.

9. Finely grate half the cheese and tear-up half the basil leaves. Add to the sauce (along with an extra splash of olive oil) and stir well.

10. Add the spaghetti to the sauce and toss it to give a good coating. If the sauce seems too thick you can always add a little more spaghetti water.

11. Serve immediately. Split the spaghetti between four bowls and garnish with the remaining grated cheese and basil leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste.