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A close up of pasta alla norma in a bowl
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5 from 2 votes

Pasta Alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma is a traditional Sicilian pasta dish made with eggplant, tomatoes, basil and topped with Ricotta Salata cheese. This flavourful and comforting dish is super simple and easy to make, perfect for weeknights.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 482kcal
Author: Emily Wyper

Ingredients

  • 1 medium/large eggplant (aubergine) cut into ½ inch sized cubes
  • 14 oz rigatoni or short pasta shape (400g)
  • 28 oz canned whole plum tomatoes (800g)
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 large handful fresh basil roughly chopped
  • Ricotta Salata for grating on top (see notes)
  • 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt

Instructions

  • Cut the eggplant (aubergine) into ½ inch sized cubes there's no need to salt or peel it.
  • Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet or frying pan on a medium heat. Once hot add the eggplant and fry until golden and cooked through (5-8 minutes). Remove from the pan and set aside to drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little salt .
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta (14oz/400g) until al dente (about 2-3 minutes less than the packet instructions).
  • Meanwhile, make the sauce. Add the finely chopped garlic (2 cloves) to the skillet with a little olive oil
  • Fry for a few seconds until fragrant then add the tomatoes (2 cans) and chopped fresh basil (large handful). Use a wooden spoon to break up the whole tomatoes into the sauce, season with salt.
  • Simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes until the pasta is ready. Add the pasta to the sauce with the eggplant and toss to combine in the sauce.
  • Serve in bowls with a grating of ricotta salata on top.

Video

Notes

  • Quality of the eggplant - when choosing the eggplant make sure it's heavy and firm. It shouldn't feel spongy when pressed or be bruised.
  • Salt the eggplant after cooking - there's no need to salt the eggplant to release excess moisture before cooking but we do need to add flavour afterwards so sprinkle some sea salt over it as it's draining on kitchen paper.
  • Ricotta Salata - This can be a tricky ingredient to find outside of Italy. If you don't have it I suggest using Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino. You could also try mixing one of those cheeses with a little feta to try and replicate the tanginess of the ricotta salata.
  • Canned tomatoes - I say this over and over but high-quality tomatoes are a must for a good tasting sauce especially when the recipe is quick. I use canned whole plum tomatoes but you can also use crushed or tomato passata (tomato puree in the US).
  • Make it spicy - if you'd like to add a little heat you could add fresh red chilli in with the garlic or red pepper flakes to the sauce.
  • Roast instead of frying - roasting the eggplant will make the dish slightly healthier since there is less oil involved but won't give you an authentic taste. Toss the eggplant in olive oil, scatter on a baking sheet and bake at 220C/430F for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
  • Leftovers & storage - leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days. I don't recommend freezing.

Nutrition

Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 615mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 293IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 3mg