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Authentic Pasta alla Norma Recipe
Have you ever tried Pasta alla Norma? If not, you're in for a treat!This traditional Sicilian dish is bursting with flavor and has become a staple in Italian cuisine. Named after the famous opera "Norma" by Vincenzo Bellini, this dish is a tribute to the beautiful island of Sicily, where eggplant and tomatoes are plentiful.Pasta alla Norma is a simple dish that combines the rich flavors of eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, and basil, all tossed together with perfectly cooked pasta. The ingredients come together in a harmony of flavors that is sure to satisfy your cravings.
Ingredients
- 350 g rigatoni pasta - 12 oz, penne or fusilli are also good choices
- 500 g eggplant - 1.1 pound (about two eggplants)
- 200 g ricotta salata cheese - 7 oz
- 500 g fresh tomatoes - 1.1 pound, grape tomatoes or San Marzano
- 2 cloves garlic
- 7-8 leaves fresh basil - for the sauce + more to decorate
- fine salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ liter oil for frying - 2 cups
Instructions
- Take the tomatoes, rinse and dry them then cut into pieces.
- In a large saucepan add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Then, over medium heat, sauté two garlic cloves, peeled and left whole so that if you wish you can remove them. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, stir and cover with a lid. Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and have released their sauce.
- Once ready, transfer the tomatoes in a food mill placed on a bowl and pass them in order to obtain a juicy and smooth sauce.
- Transfer the tomatoes sauce back to the saucepan and add a pinch of salt to taste.
- Then simmer gently for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil to cook the pasta.
- Wash the eggplants, dry them well, then cut into thin slices, about 5 millimeter thick (about 0,20 inch). The thinner the better. Some prefer to cut the eggplants into cubes, but for greater crunchiness and the final look of the dish, we prefer to make very thin slices.
- Fry the eggplants
- As they are golden brown, drain them with a skimmer.
- Transfer them to a tray covered with a kitchen paper towel to absorb the excess oil then add fine salt to taste.
- Add the basil leaves to the tomato sauce. Cook the pasta al dente, drain and pour directly into the saucepan. Stir well to flavor.
- Grate plenty of ricotta salata cheese, not too finely (use a grater with large holes).
- Finally, place the pasta seasoned with the tomato sauce in a dish, add some fried eggplant on top, sprinkle a little grated ricotta salata, add a couple of basil leaves to decorate and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 530kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 19gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 56mgPotassium: 839mgFiber: 8gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1339IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 150mgIron: 2mg
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