Pasta alla Norma with Whipped Ricotta, Summer Stone Fruit, Balsamic and Cacao Nibs

Roasted Eggplant

High heat browns the eggplant while leaving its interior creamy. Folding it into the pasta at the end keeps the pieces intact.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb Italian eggplant, skin on, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper-middle position.
2. Toss the eggplant thoroughly with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a large rimmed sheet pan in one layer, leaving space between pieces.
3. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until browned on several sides and completely tender through the center.
4. Taste a piece and adjust the salt. Set aside for the pasta.

Notes

• Use two sheet pans if necessary; crowded eggplant steams instead of browning.

Tomato-Basil Sauce

A gently reduced tomato sauce provides enough acidity to balance the eggplant and cheese without masking the basil.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand with their juices
• 2 sprigs fresh basil
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. Warm the olive oil and garlic in a wide, deep skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to turn pale gold.
2. Add the pepper flakes, stir briefly, then add the tomatoes, basil sprigs and salt.
3. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat pasta but remains spoonable.
4. Remove the basil sprigs and taste for salt, keeping the salty ricotta salata topping in mind.

Notes

• If the sauce becomes too concentrated before the pasta is ready, loosen it with a splash of water.

Penne with Ricotta Salata and Basil

Finishing the penne in the sauce coats its ridges and hollow centers. Ricotta salata adds a dry, salty contrast to the soft eggplant.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces Banza chickpea penne, certified gluten-free
• to taste kosher salt for the pasta water
• 1 batch Tomato-Basil Sauce
• 1 batch Roasted Eggplant
• 4 ounces ricotta salata made with vegetarian rennet, coarsely grated
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn just before serving
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cook the penne according to the package directions, checking early and stopping when just al dente.
2. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water, then drain the pasta promptly.
3. Add the pasta to the warm tomato sauce with 2–4 tablespoons of cooking water. Toss gently over medium-low heat for about 1 minute, adding more water only as needed for a glossy coating.
4. Fold in the roasted eggplant and half the basil without crushing the pieces. Remove from the heat.
5. Divide among bowls and finish with the ricotta salata, remaining basil and olive oil.

Notes

• Chickpea pasta can soften quickly; avoid prolonged simmering in the sauce.

Whipped Ricotta with Stone Fruit, Balsamic and Cacao Nibs

Creamy ricotta softens the acidity of ripe fruit and balsamic, while cacao nibs supply bitterness and crunch.

Ingredients

• 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta, drained if watery
• 1.5 tablespoons mild honey
• 1 pinch fine sea salt
• 2 ripe peaches or nectarines
• 3 ripe plums or pluots
• 4 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar, naturally thick and gluten-free
• 0.25 cup unsweetened cacao nibs
• 8 small fresh mint leaves

Instructions

1. Process the ricotta, honey and salt in a food processor for 1–2 minutes, scraping down the bowl, until smooth and airy. Refrigerate until serving.
2. Shortly before dessert, pit the fruit. Cut the peaches or nectarines into generous chunks and the plums into wedges or thick slices.
3. Spoon the whipped ricotta into one side of four shallow bowls and arrange the fruit alongside.
4. Drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of aged balsamic, letting some fall between the fruit and ricotta. Scatter each with 1 tablespoon of cacao nibs and finish with mint.

Notes

• Use fruit that yields gently to pressure but still holds its shape when sliced.
• Choose a mellow, syrupy aged balsamic rather than a sharp everyday vinegar or sweetened glaze.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The sauce simmers while the eggplant roasts, leaving only the pasta and final assembly for the last few minutes.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven, cut the eggplant and put it in to roast.
2. 0:10 — Start the tomato sauce and bring the pasta water to a boil.
3. 0:20 — Turn the eggplant. Whip the ricotta and refrigerate it; grate the ricotta salata and wash the herbs.
4. 0:30 — Check the sauce and eggplant. Once both are nearly ready, cook the penne.
5. 0:40–0:50 — Finish the pasta with sauce and eggplant, then garnish and serve immediately.
6. After the main course — Cut the stone fruit and assemble the chilled dessert.

Plating

Shallow bowls show off the eggplant and generous cheese topping; keeping the dessert fruit beside the ricotta preserves distinct textures.

Instructions

1. Mound the pasta in warm shallow bowls, distributing the eggplant evenly. Leave some browned pieces visible beneath a generous layer of coarse ricotta salata and torn basil.
2. For dessert, place a broad spoonful of whipped ricotta off-center, with the mixed fruit beside it. Concentrate the cacao nibs over the ricotta and let the balsamic pool lightly at the meeting point.

Leftover Path

Gentle reheating limits further softening of the pasta, while separately stored dessert toppings stay fresh and crisp.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftover pasta in an airtight container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Store any extra basil and ricotta salata separately.
2. Reheat the pasta gently in a covered skillet with a splash of water, folding occasionally until hot throughout. Add fresh basil and reserved cheese after reheating.
3. Refrigerate whipped ricotta separately for up to 3 days and cut fruit for up to 2 days. Keep cacao nibs dry at room temperature and add them with the balsamic only at serving.