Vito Coppola’s Pasta Alla Norma
When he’s not waltzing across the Strictly dance floor, he’s cooking up a storm in the Masterchef kitchen. Vito Coppola is now the reigning Strictly AND Celebrity Masterchef champion - but how will this double-winner handle the heat in our kitchen? Vito’s bringing some Strictly and sizzle to your hump day, by cooking his family favourite served every Sunday by his mother in the Coppola household - pasta alla norma!
Vito Coppola’s Pasta Alla Norma
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2-3 aubergines200g coarse salt Extra virgin olive oil 1.5kg cherry tomatoes, halved (skin off if you prefer)400g good quality passata 1 clove garlic1 vegetable stock cubeFine salt Sunflower oil 400g rigatoni pasta 200g ricotta salata (salted ricotta), grated Fresh basil leaves100g scamorza or mozzarella (to taste)
Method
1. Wash and dry the aubergines. Cut them into cubes, cover with coarse salt and set in a colander over a bowl. Leave them to rest, to expel the bitter part.
2. Add a little extra virgin olive oil, a clove of garlic, the cherry tomatoes, the passata, a vegetable stock cube and a pinch of fine salt to a pan. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat, until the tomatoes have broken down well.
3. Whilst the tomato sauce cooks, rinse the aubergines to wash off the excess salt, dry with kitchen paper, and fry in a pan with a mix of sunflower oil and extra virgin olive oil. Transfer to a sheet of kitchen paper to absorb the excess grease.
4. Boil the pasta according to packet instructions, until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan of tomato sauce. Toss the pasta in the sauce and season over a high flame for two minutes.
5. Distribute the pasta between the plates, and top with a spoonful of fried aubergine, some grated salted ricotta, and, if you want, a few fresh basil leaves and some scamorza or little cubes of mozzarella.