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You are here: Home / Food Story / SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history – all you need to know!

SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history – all you need to know!

08/10/2018 by Filippo Trapella 10 Comments

Pasta alla Norma is a classic pasta originating from the Sicilian city of Catania. A recipe simple in ingredients, eggplants, tomatoes, basil, garlic and Ricotta Salata, but so tasty and rich in history. The eggplants are deep fried, then tossed into a fresh tomato sauce along with the pasta and cheese. Here the recipe and legend of Pasta alla Norma!

SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history - all you need to know!

INGREDIENTS

  • 14 oz ( 400g) short pasta
  • 1 big eggplant
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 8 Roma tomatoes (alternatively 1 Lb tomato pulp)
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pint ( 500 ml) sesame oil (or extra-virgin olive oil)
  • 8 fresh basil leaves
  • 4 tbsp Ricotta Salata (alternatively, Pecorino)
  • 4.5 tbsp coarse salt
  • to taste table salt

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SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history - all you need to know!

PASTA ALLA NORMA HISTORY AND LEGEND

The Pasta alla Norma has been invented in the Sicilian city of Catania, probably in the XIX Century.

The name of this simple and delicious recipe is a tribute to the opera “Norma” by Vincenzo Bellini.

The legend tells that the playwright Nino Martoglio, tasting a dish of this pasta, exclaimed: Chista Γ¨ ‘na vera Norma! (this is a true Norma!) referring to the Bellini’s opera.

Another legend gives us the date of birth of Pasta alla Norma: 26 of December 1831. That was the world premiere night of the opera, and the Pasta alla Norma was created for that occasion and served to the invited.

SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history - all you need to know!

FRESH OR CANNED TOMATOES?

The tomato sauce is critical to prepare this recipe to perfection.

During the tomato season, fresh tomatoes are the best option. But, the Sicilian can’t wait the summer to eat the Pasta alla Norma, so a good quality canned tomato pulp is more than a decent alternative!

SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history - all you need to know!

CUTTING THE EGGPLANTS

The eggplants cuts are a personal choice.

Traditionally, the eggplants are reduced into very thin rounds, but several chefs prefer to cut the vegetables into dices or sticks.

Personally, I prefer mixing the two techniques, slicing into rounds the first tiny part of the eggplant, and dicing the rest of the vegetable.

In this way, I will have different tastes into the plate, crispy rounds and smooth bites.

SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history - all you need to know!

FRYING OIL

For a Sicilian there are no questions: you want your eggplants fried into extra-virgin olive oil!

Unfortunately not in all the countries olive oil is as convenient as in Italy: somewhere is very expensive. So, frying with good sesame oil is a good option, and honestly, the taste doesn’t change so much.

SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history - all you need to know!

CHOOSING THE PASTA

The tradition wants short pasta! You either can use penne or caserecce or ziti depending on your taste.

Today, I prefer caserecce: because their shape, they catch the sauce optimally: delicious!

SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history - all you need to know!

RICOTTA SALATA AND OTHER CHEESE

If the eggplant is the king of this recipe, Ricotta Salata is definitely his Queen!

This cheese with a characteristic salty flavor and firm texture is typical in the city of Catania and often used grated on Sicilian pasta dishes.

Alternatively, use Pecorino or Caciocavallo.

SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history - all you need to know!

PASTA ALLA NORMA RECIPE

Yield: 4

SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history - all you need to know!

SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history - all you need to know!

Pasta alla Norma is a classic pasta originating from the Sicilian city of Catania. A recipe simple in ingredients, eggplants, tomatoes, basil, garlic and Ricotta Salata, but so tasty and rich in history. The eggplants are deep fried, then tossed into a fresh tomato sauce along with the pasta and cheese. Here the recipe and legend of Pasta alla Norma!

Prep Time 45 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 14 oz short pasta ( 400g)
  • 1 big eggplant
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 8 Roma tomatoes (alternatively 1 Lb tomato pulp)
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pint sesame oil (or extra-virgin olive oil) (500 ml)
  • 8 fresh basil leaves
  • 4 tbsp Ricotta Salata (alternatively, Pecorino)
  • 4.5 tbsp coarse salt
  • to taste table salt

Instructions

TOMATO SAUCE

  1. First, peel and crush the garlic. Then, pour the garlic in a saucepan along with 2 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil, and saute until lightly golden.
  2. If you prefer to use fresh tomatoes (this is my choice in season), chop and add them into the saucepan, otherwise use canned tomato pulp.
  3. Now, add 4 basil leaves and cook 15 minutes over medium heat. Eventually, mix the sauce with a blender and salt to taste.

FRYING EGGPLANTS

  1. While the tomatoes are cooking, cut 12 thin rounds from the smaller part of the eggplant, then reduce the other part into dices or sticks.
  2. Now, heat the sesame oil (or extra-virgin olive oil) until reach 340° F (170° C), then fry the eggplant pieces and rounds, a few at a time, until golden.
  3. Rest the fried eggplant over paper towels to drain the oil in excess.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

  1. Cook the pasta into a 5 Qt pot filled with boiling water and 4.5 tbsp of coarse salt.
  2. Raise the pasta "al dente" and toss into the tomato sauce.
  3. Finally, add the eggplants, a generous sprinkle of Ricotta Salata, and 4 basil leaves.
  4. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 705Total Fat 122gSaturated Fat 18gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 98gCholesterol 5mgCarbohydrates 49gFiber 7gSugar 9gProtein 10g

The writers and publishers of this blog are not nutritionists or registered dietitians. All information presented and written within our blog are intended for informational purposes only. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional. The writers and publishers of this blog are not responsible for adverse reactions, effects, or consequences resulting from the use of any recipes or suggestions herein or hereafter. Under no circumstances will this blog or its owners be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from your reliance on nutritional information given by this site. By using this blog and its content, you agree to these terms.

© Filippo Trapella - philosokitchen.com
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Pasta

Did you like this recipe? please click here, leave a comment and vote 5 stars!
This simple action help the growth of this blog and make me very happy πŸ™‚

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SICILIAN PASTA ALLA NORMA recipe and history - all you need to know!

Filed Under: Food Story, My Authentic Italian Recipes, Pasta, Rice & Co., Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: basil, caciocavallo, caserecce, cheese, eggplants, Fiood Story, italian, italy, norma, pasta, pecorino, ricotta, Scicily, Sicilian, tomato sauce, traditional, vegetarian, ziti

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Comments

  1. Barbara Higgins says

    11/21/2018 at 8:33 am

    We recently did a two-week tour of Sicily, and I wanted to find the recipe for Pasta Alla Norma. So happy to find it and be able to print it out online. Wish I could print out entire article with history of the recipe and other notes.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      11/21/2018 at 1:22 pm

      thanks for your comment Barbara. Hope you enjoyed Sicily: last time I’ve been there 2 years ago it was amazing!

      Happy Thanksgiving!
      F.

      Reply
  2. sally laRhette says

    12/12/2019 at 9:00 am

    A fresh and delicious presentation of great ingredients, Well Done!

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      12/12/2019 at 9:31 am

      Thank you Sally!

      Happy cooking πŸ™‚
      F.

      Reply
  3. Lesley says

    01/19/2020 at 9:19 am

    I traveled to Catania often in the Navy. Alla Norma was one of my favorite dishes! Never had it in the States. Thank you for reviving it for me!

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      01/19/2020 at 9:50 am

      Thanks for your comment Lesley!

      Happy cooking πŸ™‚
      F.

      Reply
  4. Dianne says

    03/10/2020 at 6:48 pm

    we just returned from Catania,,this was one of our favorite dishes that we enjoyed,,
    Our daughter and her family live in Catania so we hope to return one day,
    Dianne

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      03/10/2020 at 6:56 pm

      Thanks for sharing your story Dianne! I love Sicily too, and I hope to come back there as soon as possible.

      Happy cooking πŸ™‚

      F.

      Reply
  5. Kevin says

    04/11/2021 at 5:51 pm

    That’s just the way I learned to cook it when I lived near catania while serving nearby is the Navy.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      04/11/2021 at 6:25 pm

      Thanks for your comment Kevin, memories like yours enrich my recipes even more!

      Happy cooking πŸ™‚
      F.

      Reply

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