How to Make the Best Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes (Pasta alla Norma)

Test cook Becky Hays shows Julia how to make the best Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes (Pasta alla Norma).
Get the recipe for Pasta alla Norma: cooks.io/3pldK95
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[@jjpp2216]

I think this sauce begs for a few black olives. With eggplant and anchovy, it completes the heartiness.

[@AC-gw4qu]

Great add.

[@Jameson77777]

I make this dish throughout the summer at least once a week since I’m up to my ears in eggplants from the garden.

[@tomgull5998]

The technique for cooking the eggplant in the microwave is great. I did then when making caponata....so much less oil and so much less mess from frying.

[@Luluita17]

Becky always gets down ..she's just a lovely and genuine chef! I love all her recipes and made several!

[@MsAnneGuish]

I've made this recipe numerous times, it's always a solid choice. I hated eggplant before this, it's changed my life

[@vaishnavyrao2616]

Thank you for the great recipe! Will sure try it soon😄

[@Macias8200]

Fixed it today; minus the anchovies, and I loved it.. thank you!

[@MaZEEZaM]

Really nice recipe, thank you 🐮

[@revertinthemaking]

It is so nice to find an eggplant recipe that is simple and straight forward. I enjoy the Eat Right 4 Your Type diet, and eggplant is one of my essential vegetables. I really do feel particularly good when I eat eggplant. I don't use a microwave, but will try to keep in mind that I need to get some of the moisture out. Always cooking with preserving nutrition in mind, that is one of my keys to flavour. CAN'T WAIT TO TRY THIS, THANKS!

[@gaby250487]

This was delicious, great way to cook the eggplant

[@jessicac_kdekoster268]

From the Netherlands🙏🍝🍝😊

[@2075vj]

I find it taste best when you roast the eggplant and it saves time. Thanks for sharing!

[@rebeccaschadt7136]

Wow Becky!!!!

[@kathyowens9901]

I love everyone on the show but Becky is so ocd'e that her recipes are divine, nice use of the filters for absorption, go Becky!!! 0

[@freyjasvansdottir9904]

OCD is a serious and debilitating mental illness. Using it in a cutesy way to describe someone that is fussy or someone that likes to clean is turning people’s suffering into a joke. Please refrain from using real mental illnesses to describe non-sufferers as a joke, as a lark!

[@tigerz8174]

Love how she barely tossed the eggplant with the salt 😅🤣😂

[@sisgaia]

This dish is a favorite of mine. I make a less streamlined version, with tomatoes, onions, garlic, celery, and carrots cooked for 2 hours over a low heat, then processed down with an immersion blender (or a food processor or blender will work). To me, it is worth the extra effort.

[@jarodmorris611]

And do you then eat it through a straw like a smothie?

[@stevelogan5475]

Ladies, very nice recipe & looks good, Becky reminds me of popeye's girlfriend Olive Oyl on the old cartoons being fairly tall & thin( that is a compliment), folks, a tip on eggplant, if you can find them grown in sicily they will have far less seeds & bitter taste vs ones grown in Italy or California, but they will be smaller in size( appx 2/3rds the size), they are top notch eggplants, try them if you can find them at grocers & you won't go back

[@juanitaarreola2307]

I make your egg plant pasta recipe it’s delicious : I loved eggplant I make it rather than meat on lasagna or spaghetti or jus Parmigiana Thank you 👌🏻🍆🧄🥂

[@dawnkitchen]

this, and I'm learning something special.^^ It looks more delicious with all your heart. I'll be back after watching the show. Good luck.❤378

[@gorangers57]

I love ATK and Cook's Country, & own many of your cookbooks. Could you do a video featuring the classic Southern breakfast, big honking biscuits and country style sausage gravy, with home made breakfast sausage? Thank you so much. I apologize if you have already done this. I did a search, and couldn't find a video from ATK.

[@ardentlyfair7315]

THANK YOU for the vegetarian-friendly recipe!!

[@bronsonrodriguez3310]

I feel you Julia...

[@danhering2057]

Looks great! How could I do this recipe if I don’t own a microwave?

[@keithfreitas2983]

You could try and broil it..

[@midsfb]

Deep fry

[@reddaisy2513]

Any tips on substitute for anchovies? (vegetarian/vegan household)

[@Jasminebed2]

Vegan fish sauce, or even dried mushrooms for that umani.

[@cristhianrios3388]

A couple of rehydrated shiitake mushrooms chopped, a tad of miso paste or or a good splash of tamari soy sauce.

[@briangiles-phillips3345]

Italians will question why pasta watet was not used to cream the pasta.😂

[@janekailey2173]

I love how she keeps saying, “Duh eggplant”! Sweet…Instead of “the eggplant”.

[@kfxrcer]

I like that America's Test Kitchen videos over the past year are like "what covid?".

[@xjAlbert]

Wikipedia says the pasta is being equated to the perfection of "Norma".

[@tony_25or6to4]

I'd want to add olives and make it caponata pasta

[@tony_25or6to4]

@@sandrah7512 sounds like caponata to me. 👍

[@cherieduckett835]

What do you mean about the pasta being dente

[@keithfreitas2983]

She probably meant "el dente" which means not fully cooked. It will finish cooking when you mix it in with the egg plant. If you fully cook it it might get mushy when mix in.

[@sandtats]

Al dente literally😢🎉 translated means "to the tooth." You cook pasta al dente when adding to a sauce where it will cook further, preventing overcooking. Also, many prefer their pasta cooked al dente, firm to the bite but still tender.

[@andiamoci22]

honker diamond...

[@joycemcclure8436]

Microwaved eggplant? It is amazing fried with lots of garlic infused olive oil..... Lots of olive oil.... That's how it's done in Sicily

[@ernestscuttle9139]

I will add pine nuts when I make it.

[@wserda]

In the video, the eggplant looks browned after the microwave. Did anyone else have this color after microwaving the eggplant?

[@sebastianvaldivieso9654]

Not gonna lie, as a fellow coffee enthusiast, I wasn't very happy with the use of them coffee filters smh.

[@janekailey2173]

And she says, “Duhder”, instead of “the other”.😂😂😂

[@robertkinkhorst5697]

Another repeat from 2 months ago 😝

[@tnichlsn]

I was expecting a male vs female eggplant description/explanation.

[@tony_25or6to4]

So was I, but I heard that was debunked or that there wasn't much of a difference.

[@tnichlsn]

@@tony_25or6to4 from the dozen or so eggplants I've purchased since learning to differentiate between sexes, it is valid ...

[@tony_25or6to4]

@@tnichlsn I've tried it, and don't notice a difference. I think it may have more to do with how big or old the eggplant is.

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

ATK... are there any NEW recipes post/AFTER 01.01.21? AKA, not a post of a re-post of a re-post, etc? Please? Pretty please??? ⚘ 😪 ⚘

[@ljay4996]

Major: they’re using covid as an excuse like everyone else Sandra: yes we know but they’re WAY OVERPRICED... some of their recipes have bad reviews too

[@pjwroblewski]

Why are you draining the pasta? Pull it right from water into the sauce.

[@xcobbbyz8230]

As an Italian this is unacceptable

[@jeremiahcomplex]

8 to 15 minutes in the microwave?! You lost me there :(

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

Right?

[@evelyntobias8081]

It probably depends on the wattage of your microwave.

[@tony_25or6to4]

I tried making eggplant bacon before. I don't need to again. 😉

[@its4ginas]

Takes just the same amount of time to roast them in the oven on a sheet tray, way more flavor and you won't have to do the extra step of pan frying them.

[@youtubehandol]

YUK.

[@Drayton627]

Too much oil used in the recipe.

[@lexijs]

its like 3 tbsp for 4 people

[@its4ginas]

Authentic Pasta alla Norma DEEP FRIES the Eggplant. This recipe uses a minimal amount by comparison.

[@wnose]

Fat is not bad for you

[@whazzat8015]

lagging site in the fast moving cooking world empty background kitchen gurls, come on you are the voice of us fat old folks! I'm going back to Uncle Roger

[@andiamoci22]

typical way over complicated as usual atk.... coffee filters really///??

[@majoroldladyakamom6948]

POST AND RE-POST WERE WALKING ACROSS A BRIDGE. POST FELL OFF. WHO WAS LEFT? RE-POST. Why do your vids feel like the (OLD) Movie, "Groundhog Day", with Bill Murray and Andie Macdowell from 1993??? 😴

[@Macaroni108]

Microwave???? Shame on you all.

[@ntnnot]

Coffee filters don't seem that practical. Why not a normal paper towel... Probably you can even do without and place the eggplant in a sieve afterwards.

[@jamest8158]

Odd you said that because it was explained in the video.

[@richardvergara]

I wonder if Becky is her stage name and her real name is Karen.

[@tracygardner9244]

Lol

[@leahklock2308]

Not such a thing as “best or good” eggplant anything. Disgusting vile vegetable. No flavor, spongy & very tofu like. The solution - throw the crap away!!

[@MaZEEZaM]

Well, that’s your opinion but many people including myself really enjoy eggplant, Baba ganoush is one of my favourite dips for example.

[@patricklarry6645]

Fried eggplant is delicious.

[@leahklock2308]

Bread anything & fry it and it’s delicious. You’re correct - it’s just a matter of opinion. I just don’t like bland flavorless pulpy anything. It just tastes like whatever you throw in with it.

[@locogreen915]

You’re entitled to your opinion but word of advice try less to talk like a Karen.

[@patricklarry6645]

Zucchini is also very bland.