It may be August already, but who said hot girl summer has to be over? This month we’re keeping the heat turned up with our twist on the classic Sicilian Pasta alla Norma, where golden fried eggplant gets cozy with saucy tomatoes, fresh basil, and a little red chili heat. Instead of the traditional ricotta topping, we wanted our finishing touch to be extra sweet-and-spicy, so we whipped creamy feta with Beituti Hot Honey Tahini Sauce — perfect for dolloping in all the right places.
Consider this recipe your permission slip to get a little hot and messy in the kitchen — and for our August 2026 box subscribers, we’ve packed the perfect way to cool things down. Once you’ve worked up a proper sweat, slip on your Codi New York Hydrogel Face Masks and cool off together. Because sometimes taking care of yourselves looks a lot like taking care of each other.
What You’ll Need to Set the Mood
- For the pasta and sauce:
- 1.1 lb Please Send Noods Strozzapreti
- 1½ lbs eggplant (about 2 medium), diced
- Olive oil, for frying
- 4 tbsp kosher salt for pasta water, plus more to taste
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 (28oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, divided
- For the topping:
- 6 oz feta, crumbled*
- ¼ cup Beituti Hot Honey Tahini Sauce
- 1–3 tbsp cold water, as needed
- For the rest of the night:
- Date Night Surprise: Codi New York Hydrogel Face Masks
- Musical Mood-Setter: Our Al Dente-Approved Playlist
*Substitute with your favorite dairy-free or vegan alternative!
Let’s Get Saucy: Step-by-Step
1. Going for Gold
Heat a generous layer of olive oil in a large pan and fry eggplant in batches until golden and tender. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season lightly with salt.
🔥 Hot Tip: No Need to Sweat It
You've probably heard that eggplant needs a good salting session to draw out bitterness before frying. The truth? You can skip it. Modern eggplant is rarely bitter, so fry it straight away and season while it’s hot.
2. Simmer Down
Wipe out the pan, leaving behind a little of that flavorful oil, and return it to medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, then add crushed tomatoes, half the basil, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 20–25 minutes to thicken.
🔥 Hot Tip: Master the Pull Out
Leave the basil leaves on their stems when adding them to the sauce. The stems make it easy to pull out the whole bunch once the basil has infused the sauce, instead of fishing out individual leaves later.
3. Get Into the Good Stuff
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and make the topping by blending feta and Beituti Hot Honey Tahini Sauce until smooth. Add cold water, if needed, for a perfectly dollopable texture.
🔥 Hot Tip: Stay Flirty and Feta-Free
Going dairy-free? Swap the feta for a vegan feta alternative and blend as usual. You may need an extra splash of cold water to get that same smooth, dollopable consistency.
4. Take the Plunge
Using our playlist timer, cook the noods until al dente (about 14 minutes), then drain.
5. Toss Things Around
Remove the basil from the sauce, then fold in the noods and half of the fried eggplant. Give everything a good toss until saucy and tangled.
6. Put It Where You Want It
Serve up the noods with the remaining fried eggplant and basil, and as many dollops of hot honey tahini feta as you can handle.
🔥 Hot Tip: Get Hands-On
Want perfectly placed dollops? Spoon the hot honey tahini feta into a small plastic freezer bag, snip off one corner, and squeeze away. Start with a small opening — you can always make it bigger.
7. From Hot to Chill
If that meal has you feeling hotter than usual, slap on your Codi New York Hydrogel Face Masks, kick back, and cool off together. You’ve earned it.
Want More Where That Came From?
If this recipe got you all hot and saucy, don’t stop now — join Please Send Noods to get more cheeky recipes, premium small-batch pasta, and other flirty extras delivered right to your door every month.