Spaghetti Alla Chitarra Alla Norma
Created for Garofalo by chef Aldo Zilli, this is a traditional Sicilian pasta dish of sautéed aubergine tossed with tomato sauce and topped with ricotta salata. Spaghetti alla Chitarra is similar to spaghetti but square in shape; chitarra, meaning guitar, was traditionally made by placing flat sheets of pasta over thin strings of steel (like guitar strings) in a wooden frame. The sheets were pressed down onto the device and then the wires strummed so the cut pasta fell through.
Ingredients:
400g Garofalo Spaghetti alla chitarra 200g Aubergine, cut into 1cm cubes 400g Tomato passata 2 tsp Dried oregano 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil 80g Ricotta salata cheese, grated (Ricotta can be used instead)method:
- Heat the oil in a heavy base saucepan over a medium/high heat. Fry the aubergines in a splash of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper until slightly caramelised, around 4-5 minutes.
- Add the oregano and the passata and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste the sauce and season as necessary.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for the time stated on the pack. The right cooking time for perfectly al dente Spaghetti alla chitarra is 13 minutes, so to enjoy the full Garofalo flavour and ‘bite’, aim to stick to this cooking time.
- Drain the pasta and place into the pan with the sauce. Toss together until the pasta is fully coated.
- Warm 4 plates and serve the pasta in a neat pile at the centre. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of grated ricotta salata to serve.
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