Lasagne alla Norma is a classic Sicilian eggplant lasagna, made with layers of pasta, fried eggplant, tomato sauce, and ricotta. It's a baked Italian pasta dish inspired by one of the most famous recipes from Sicily, Pasta alla Norma.
The name “alla Norma” is a tribute to La Norma, the celebrated opera by Sicilian composer Vincenzo Bellini. According to tradition, the dish was compared to the opera for its perfect balance of flavors, a true symphony of taste created with just a few simple ingredients.
This lasagna version uses the same elements as the original Pasta alla Norma, with the addition of fresh ricotta, which makes the dish richer and creamier. Fried eggplants, light tomato sauce, fresh ricotta, and grated salted ricotta come together in a comforting baked dish that highlights the authentic flavors of Sicilian cuisine.
If you prefer a lighter option, you can also make lasagne alla Norma with grilled eggplant instead of fried. You will find all the tips to do this at the end of the recipe.
With only a handful of ingredients, this Italian eggplant lasagna is perfect for preparing ahead of time and tastes even better the next day. It is excellent warm, at room temperature, or even cold, with an extra sprinkle of freshly grated salted ricotta.
Lasagna alla Norma is a vegetarian Italian recipe that works beautifully for a family lunch or a relaxed dinner with friends. Let’s see how to make this traditional Sicilian lasagna step by step.
Ingredients
Prep Time: 20 Min | Cook Time: 20 Min | Servings: 8
Doses for a 13x9 inch lasagna pan
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE
- 1 liter (about 4 cups) of tomato passata, homemade or store-bought. I reccomend Mutti tomato passata
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 fresh basil leaves
- Salt, to taste
The Filling
- 300 g (about 10 oz) fresh ricotta cheese
- 200 g (about 7 oz) ricotta salata, finely grated
- 2 medium eggplants
- 1 liter (~4 cups) of extra virgin olive oil, for frying
For Lasagna
- About 10 lasagna sheets: you can make fresh homemade pasta following our step by step recipe
- Or you can buy authentic Italian flat lasagna, oven ready (no cooking or boiling necessary), made with durum wheat flour (we recommend Tuscanini brand).
Instructions
The Tomato Sauce
Step 1) - The first thing to do is to make a light tomato sauce. So in a sauce pan pour the tomato passata, add two cloves of garlic, the basil leaves and a pinch of fine salt to taste.
Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. The tomato sauce have to be quite runny. So if you see that it's too thick add some water. That's necessary to bake tha lasagna to perfection. When ready, turn off the heat and set aside. It's better not to add oil to the tomato sauce in order not to make the lasagna too greasy.
The Filling
Step 2) - After washing and drying the eggplants, slice them lengthwise. Make some slices about 1 cm (½ inch) thick. Then cut the ends of the eggplant into cubes (the first and last slice).
Step 3) - Now fry the eggplant slices in plenty of extra virgin olive oil, both the slices and the cubes. Fry them to a temperature of 170°C (340°F). Do not exceed the recommended temperature: check with a kitchen thermometer.
Drain with a skimmer and place them on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil. Set aside.
DO NOT salt the fried eggplants. During the preparation of the eggplant lasagna you will need to add the salted ricotta which is already very salty.
Step 4) - Now place the fresh ricotta in a bowl. Add two or three tablespoons of tomato sauce and mix everything until you get a reddish, homogeneous and thick cream. Set aside.
The Layers
Step 5) - Take a 13x9 inch lasagna pan and spread a little ricotta cream on the bottom. Then place the first layer of lasagna. Cover the lasagna with a little ricotta cream. Then add a layer of fried eggplant slices.
Step 6) - Add 3 or 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce and a little grated salted ricotta. This cheese is very tasty so do not overdo it with the quantity between one layer and another.
The Baking
Step 7) - Keep going with the layers until you run out of ingredients, taking care to finish the last layer with only the ricotta cream on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 20 minutes.
Step 8) - When cooked, take your lasagne alla Norma out of the oven and add the diced fried eggplant and more grated salted ricotta. Decorate with a few basil leaves and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
YOU MUST ALSO TRY:
- Eggplant Caponata
- Sarde a Beccafico Recipe
- Eggplant Rollatini Recipe
- Pumpkin Lasagna
- Lasagna with Pesto Green Beans and Potatoes
- Vegetable Lasagna
Storage
You can keep the Lasagne alla Norma in the refrigerator, covered with cling film or in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
You can even make it the day before, kept in the refrigerator covered with cling film and cook the next day.
It's possible to freeze it only if you have used all fresh ingredients. It's better to freeze eggplant lasagna still raw. It will be sufficient to defrost them in the refrigerator about 24 hours beforehand and then bake them in the oven as usual.
Tips
- RICOTTA CREAM: Don't put too much ricotta cream between one layer and another and on the top of the last layer. Too much ricotta and tomato sauce cream makes Eggplant Lasagna too mushy and overly covers the texture and flavor of the fried eggplants.
- OIL: Don't use to much oil and salt. Eggplants fried in extra virgin olive oil give the dish the necessary seasoning and a great flavor. If we add oil to the tomato sauce too, the dish would be too heavy and greasy.
- SALT: Use salt with moderation because salted ricotta is really very tasty and salty. With the addition of too much salt to the tomato sauce or to the fried eggplant you risk ruining the result.
Variations
The authentic recipe for lasagne alla Norma is made with eggplant slices fried in extra virgin olive oil, as described in our recipe.
- VEGETABLE OIL: Of course, you can decide to fry the eggplant in vegetable oil if you prefer. The flavor is less intense, but undoubtedly an excellent variation.
- GRILL: If you want to make a lighter and less caloric dish, maybe better for the summer season, don't fry the eggplants but grill them. So cut the eggplants into slices. Then heat a non-stick grill pan and grill the eggplant slices on one side and then on the other. In this case you can add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the tomato sauce.
- HERBS: For an even fresher and particular taste, you can replace the basil leaves with mint leaves.
Recipe Card
Lasagne alla Norma (Traditional Italian Eggplant Lasagna)
Ingredients
For the Tomato Sauce
- 1 liter tomato passata -~4 cups
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 basil leaves
- salt - to taste
For the Filling
- 300 g Ricotta cheese - ~10 oz
- 200 g grated Ricotta Salata cheese - 7 oz
- 2 eggplants
- 1 liter extra virgin olive oil - ~4 cups, for frying
For Lasagna
- 10 lasagna sheets
Instructions
THE TOMATO SAUCE
- In a sauce pan pour the tomato passata, add two cloves of garlic, the basil leaves and a pinch of fine salt to taste.
- Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. The tomato sauce have to be quite runny. So if you see that it's too thick add some water. That's necessary to bake tha lasagna to perfection. When ready, turn off the heat and set aside. It's better not to add oil to the tomato sauce in order not to make the lasagna too greasy.
THE FILLING
- After washing and drying the eggplants, slice them lengthwise. Make some slices about 1 cm (½ inch) thick. Then cut the ends of the eggplant into cubes (the first and last slice).
- Fry the eggplant slices in plenty of extra virgin olive oil, both the slices and the cubes. Fry them to a temperature of 170°C (340°F). Do not exceed the recommended temperature: check with a kitchen thermometer.
- Drain with a skimmer and place them on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil. Set aside. DO NOT salt the fried eggplants. During the preparation of the eggplant lasagna you will need to add the salted ricotta which is already very salty.
- Place the fresh ricotta in a bowl. Add two or three tablespoons of tomato sauce and mix everything until you get a reddish, homogeneous and thick cream. Set aside.
THE LAYERS
- Take a 13x9 inch lasagna pan and spread a little ricotta cream on the bottom.
- Then place the first layer of lasagna.
- Cover the lasagna with a little ricotta cream.
- Then add a layer of fried eggplant slices.
- Add 3 or 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce and a little grated salted ricotta. This cheese is very tasty so do not overdo it with the quantity between one layer and another.
- Keep going with the layers until you run out of ingredients, taking care to finish the last layer with only the ricotta cream on top.
THE BAKING
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 20 minutes.
- When cooked, take your lasagne alla Norma out of the oven and add the diced fried eggplant and more grated salted ricotta.
- Decorate with a few basil leaves and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
srff says
Finally an eggplant lasagna I'm willing to make. Looks excellent, thank you.
Julie says
This looks very tasty. I have always grilled the eggplant slices, brushing them with some olive oil into which I have marinated garlic and chili. Thank you for the recipe.
Julie H Melbourne, Australia