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Pasta Alla Norma

Devashish
This classic Sicilian dish, Pasta Alla Norma, brings together tender eggplant, aromatic herbs, and perfectly cooked pasta in just 42 minutes. Whether you're planning a weeknight dinner or hosting guests, this nutritious recipe offers 15g of protein and plenty of essential vitamins, making it both delicious and nourishing.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean, Sicilian
Servings 4
Calories 476 kcal

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Frying pan
  • immersion blender

Ingredients
  

For the sauce

  • 3.5 lb tomatoes, ripe (1.5 kg)
  • 1 lb purple Italian eggplant (450g)
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese, salted (100g)
  • 3 garlic cloves

For the eggplant

  • coarse salt
  • 1 liter extra virgin olive oil or seed oil for frying

For the pasta

  • 3 1/2 cups Barilla or De Cecco Rigatoni or Mezze Maniche pasta (360g)

Instructions
 

  • Wash and dry the eggplant well. Cut the eggplant into slices about ¼ inch lengthwise. Sprinkle with salt and leave slices to drain for at least 15 minutes.
  • Coarsely chop tomatoes and transfer them to a saucepan with oil, salt, 2 cloves of poached garlic, and basil. Allow it to cook for about 30 minutes.
  • Remove the garlic (if you like more flavor, leave it in the tomatoes); Purée the tomatoes with an immersion blender at a very low speed.
  • Transfer sauce to a frying pan, add the last clove of garlic and a few basil leaves.
  • Fry eggplant slices at 350°F (180°C) in extra virgin olive oil, drain them, and pat them well with paper towels. Add slices to tomato sauce.
  • Cook the pasta al dente in boiling salted water (3 liters of water with 1.5 tablesoons (30g) of salt). Drain when ready.
  • Sauté the pasta in the pan with the sauce and eggplant over high heat for a couple of minutes.
  • Flavor it with remaining basil, divided among the plates, and add a generous amount of grated salted ricotta on each plate.
  • Serve the plates of Pasta Alla Norma while very hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 476kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 15gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 4014mgPotassium: 1366mgFiber: 10gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 3576IUVitamin C: 58mgCalcium: 158mgIron: 2mg
Keyword ricotta salata, Sicilian eggplant, summer pasta, traditional Italian
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