Eggplant are thirsty and notorious for soaking up sauces and cooking oils like sponges. Unlike other veggies that require only a tablespoon or two to roast or sauté, eggplant demands a generous dousing. It also generally requires a longer cook time.
There’s a lot that can go wrong, which is what gives the purple giant a bad rep with home cooks. Too little oil—or too short a cook—makes eggplant tough and leathery. Too much oil makes them greasy, and overcooking turns them to mush. How to avoid this slippery slope? The air fryer. Convection cooks ’em faster and with half the oil required by other methods, so you get golden, perfectly tender aubergines every time.
Air-fried eggplant is delicious on its own but can also be great piled on some toast with hummus or thrown into a veggie stir-fry. This week’s recipe—a super-speedy version of a classic pasta alla Norma—uses the air fryer to cook the eggplant while the pasta and sauce do their thing in the very same pan. Orzo is our carb of choice for this zippy dish, because it’s small enough to cook directly in the sauce. Bonus, this meal tastes equally delicious hot or cold. Minimal sweating, maximum flavor. That’s amore.
Orzo alla Norma
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 large globe eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound orzo*
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
- Plant-based feta, optional*
Procedure:
- Spread the eggplant onto a sheet tray lined with a clean kitchen towel and season all over with ½ teaspoon salt. Let sit for 15 minutes to expel some liquid from the eggplant. Pat dry and toss in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Arrange the eggplant in an even layer in the air fryer. Depending on the size of your basket, this may take one or two batches.
- Cook for 12 to 14 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender enough to easily pierce with a knife.
- Meanwhile, combine orzo, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, and 4 cups water in a large deep skillet. Bring to a boil on high heat.
- Continue boiling, stirring frequently, until orzo is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Once the eggplant is done cooking, add it to the pan with the basil and stir to combine. Transfer to bowls and top with plant-based feta, if using.
Notes and Substitutions:
- You can substitute any other pasta shape that cooks at a similar time, like spaghetti or linguine. For longer pasta shapes, like spaghetti, it’ll be easier to stir with tongs than a spoon.
- Traditional pasta alla Norma is served with ricotta salata, a drier, saltier form of ricotta. Faux feta, like this one from Violife, is a great substitute if you can find it.
