Making a creamy tomato pasta sauce from scratch with canned tomatoes is simple! The best part is that it can be ready by the time your pasta has cooked. Sprinkle with freshly chopped basil.This creamy tomato pasta recipe comes together quickly and uses everyday ingredients. Bake at 350 until warmed through and cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Top with sliced fresh mozzarella and a large handful of freshly grated parmigiano. Place a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish, top with the grilled eggplant, more sauce, layering if necessary to fit. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and grill until softened and cooked through. Grilled Eggplant Parm - Slice 2 or 3 medium to large eggplant into thick slices (about ¾ inch thick).Top with fresh basil and ricotta salata or fresh parmigiano. Taste for seasoning, and toss with cooked penne pasta. Pour in a few cups of tomato sauce and simmer partially covered until the eggplant is perfectly tender. Stir and cook another 2-3 minutes without disturbing. Toss in cubed eggplant and cook over medium heat without stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Pasta alla Norma - In a deep wide skillet, warm 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.I have two favorite ways to utilize this sauce, and both involve eggplant! A perfect companion for ripe summer tomatoes. Together with the onion and basil sprigs, the extra tomato bits work to develop an amazing depth of flavor.
Trust me, it’s totally worth it.įirst time around the skin and seeds of the tomatoes are not removed. In fact, my youngest, Miles, just requested this sauce to be made with spaghetti and meatballs for his birthday dinner! Kid, you’ve got good taste ?. I still dream of that afternoon – the whole family does – and making this sauce reminds us of sunny Sicilian skies.
In part due to the language barrier, we had no idea that after making (and devouring!) a full course of Pasta alla Norma, that we would be treated to a 6 course lunch! Complete with an antipasto platter, TWO more pastas, a salad course, grilled pork, and of course the obligatory (and utterly amazing) homemade cannoli. I came away with a treasure trove of recipes, and our family came away with memories to last a lifetime (and VERY full tummies)! For 5 hours we were schooled in the intricacies of traditional Sicicilan cooking. Somewhere on the southern coast of the island of Sicily, outside of Agrigento, our family visited Giuseppa’s farm and kitchen. I’ve been making it for the past 6 years on repeat… ever since we got back from our Sicilian adventure. At least twice a summer I buy a huge box of farmer’s market tomatoes and make a big batch of this family favorite. Smiles light up my kids’ faces when I tell them I’m making “Giusy’s Sauce” (pronounced JUICY). Scale it to the amount of tomatoes you have – it freezes beautifully – and becomes the most lovely base for anything your Italian-inspired mind dreams up! (Psst – all my dreams for this sauce involve eggplant ?).
Ain’t nothing better to do with a big box of farmer’s market tomatoes than make THIS… My absolute favorite from scratch tomato sauce of all time.