Metric:
400gr Penne Pasta
350gr Canned Tomatoes
250gr Eggplant
150gr Ricotta Cheese
( pressed )
50gr Onion
15ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Clove of Garlic
5 Basil leaves
Salt and Black Pepper
( to taste )
Recipes > Italian Recipes > Italian First Course Recipes > Italian Pasta alla Norma ( Pasta Cca Norma ) Recipes
TRADITIONAL ITALIAN RECIPE: Back in the days you had to wait for the right season in order to have access to all the ingredients and make this dish. Today, seasons are not an issue anymore. Fortunately we have people working very hard getting us all the food we need. Especially young keds working for a handful of peanuts, not knowing what childhood really is... al for you to have your belly filled up every night.
Feeling guilty? ahahaha... you should!
So remember, when you wanna make this dish, make sure you only get ingredients from your are, during the right season ( Eggplants usually are available during the Summer ).
This wonderful pasta dish is hugely popular in Sicily.
Why?
Because in Sicily it is always SUMMER!!! :D
It is named after Vincenzo Bellini's opera "Norma". Bellini was a Sicilian born in Catania.
This dish is a delicious vegetarian dish, that uses a lot of the best ingredients of Sicily - eggplant, ricotta and basil.
Most "Pasta alla Norma" recipes call for frying the eggplant, but I think roasting it is tastier and easier and doesn't take quite so much oil. Totally up to you.
The traditional recipe calls for ricotta salata - a fantastic dry salted ricotta popular in Sicily that is very different from the usual grocery store ricotta. It is a firm cheese that you grate. You can find this item in better grocery stores and Italian delis or online. If you cannot find it at all, try substituting feta cheese but do try to find ricotta salata. It's worth it!
Most of the ricotta salata sold in the U.S. is un-aged and milder than is required for this recipe. Look for aged imported ricotta salata at an Italian specialty market, or substitute caciocavallo, or a mix of feta ( preferably sheep's milk ) and Pecorino Romano cheese.
Skill Level: ![]() |
Time: 45 Minutes |
Price: ![]() |
Serves: 4 People |
Ingredients:
Conversions |
Metric:
400gr Penne Pasta
350gr Canned Tomatoes
250gr Eggplant
150gr Ricotta Cheese
( pressed )
50gr Onion
15ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Clove of Garlic
5 Basil leaves
Salt and Black Pepper
( to taste )
Cups:
5 handfuls Penne Pasta
1.5 cups Canned Tomatoes
1 cup Eggplant
1.3 cups Ricotta Cheese
( pressed )
0.5 Onion
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Clove of Garlic
5 Basil leaves
Salt and Black Pepper
( to taste )
Directions:
01 - Cut the Eggplant into bite sized cubes and and lightly salt, and set aside for few minutes leaving the water to draw out.
02 - Pour the Oil in a frying pan and saute the Onion and Garlic.
03 - Add the Eggplant, Tomato Pulp, Salt and Pepper and cook everything for about 20 minutes.
04 - Cook the Pasta in salted boiling water.
05 - When the Pasta is ready combine with the Sauce.
06 - Top each plate with some fresh Basil, Ricotta Cheese.
Notes:
- Feel free to swap the Ricotta Cheese for some diced Mozzarella Cheese.
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