Pasta alla Norma | The Foodie Pilgrim

By John, 5 July, 2019

Region

Description

"Pasta alla Norma"

We had this all over Sicily and then in Rome. It's a classic Sicilian dish of simple ingredients that must be fresh and well-prepared. Make this in summertime when the eggplant is fresh and flavorful. The tomatoes can be fresh in season or canned, but canned tomatoes without preservatives are better than "fresh" tomatoes out of season (the tomatoes were fresh when they went into the can). I like Cento brand canned tomatoes.

Yield

4 Servings

Preparation time

20 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz Pasta (penne is common)

1 eggplant (medium size)

1 T Olive oil

1 Onion (small, chopped)

1 clv Garlic (crushed)

10 oz Tomatoes (seeded and diced)

5 Basil leaves

5 oz Ricotta Salata (grated)

Instructions

Put on a pasta pot full of water to boil.
Cut the eggplant into cubes and lightly salt to draw out excess water and bitterness. It is not necessary to peel the eggplant.
Put the oil in a hot skillet and saute the onion and garlic.
Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels.
When the onions and garlic are ready, add the eggplant and tomatoes and cook for 15-20 minutes.
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water.
When the sauce is ready, remove it from the heat.
When the pasta is cooked, toss the pasta with the sauce, then dress it with the basil and grated ricotta salata. Serve hot.

Notes

This was available all over Sicily. According to the stories, it was named for Vincenzo Bellini's heroine from his opera Norma, or else for the beauty of the opera itself.

Ricotta salata is not ricotta! Ricotta salata is a dried, gratable form that you can sometimes get at Whole Foods in Hingham.