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Pasta Alla Norma is a classic Sicilian dish that’s full of flavor. It has scrumptious eggplant, pasta and Parmesan cheese, and is smothered in a wonderfully seasoned tomato-based sauce.
What a great pasta dish that is crammed packed with the typical Italian flavors you’d expect. Although it’s not vegetarian because of the parmesan cheese, it doesn’t have any meat, and yet it will absolutely fill you up. This is a definite must try with eggplant as the star ingredient, and with the bonus of being a fantastic budget friendly dinner.
Pasta Alla Norma
- Easy to make
- Great Italian flavors
- Very economical
- Delicious comfort food
This is a traditional pasta dish from the city of Catania in Sicily, which uses deep fried eggplants, basil, garlic, tomatoes, and ricotta salata (cheese). I have made it on the healthier side by baking the eggplant instead of deep frying it. I also substituted the cheese for parmesan since I already had it in the fridge.
Ingredient Notes
- Eggplant – Use medium sized eggplants cut into cubes including the peel.
- Oil – I use olive oil.
- Onion – Yellow onion, finely chopped but of course, use a white onion if that’s what you have. The only difference is white onion may take a little longer to soften.
- Garlic – Fresh, minced. Always adds great flavor!
- Red Pepper Flakes – Adds the right amount of heat to the dish. Feel free to adjust to taste.
- Tomato Sauce – The base for the sauce.
- Italian Seasoning – I use my Italian seasoning or use store bought.
- Pasta – Use any type of pasta you have such as rigatoni, spaghetti, or penne.
- Cheese – Freshly grated parmesan makes all the difference.
- Basil – Fresh is best and adds to the Italian profile.
How to make Pasta Alla Norma
- Prep oven and baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cook the eggplant: Toss the cubed eggplant with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread it in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, flipping half way through.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions, until al dente.
- Make the sauce: In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the red pepper flakes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the skillet and stir. Bring to a boil, then simmer the sauce for 5 minutes on low heat. Stir in the eggplant.
- Finish the pasta: Toss the pasta with the eggplant sauce gently in a large serving dish, or in the skillet if your skillet is large enough.
- Serve: Serve immediately garnished with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Frequently Asked Questions
What other cheese can I use?
Ricotta Salata since this dish is traditionally made with it. Pecorino Romano is often substituted as well.
Is ricotta and ricotta salata the same?
Unlike ricotta, however, ricotta salata is pressed and aged for at least 3 months, resulting in a much drier cheese. It has a firm texture and salty flavor (salata means salted), making it ideal for grating.
What does it mean to cook pasta al dente?
Al dente (Italian for “to the tooth”) is where pasta tastes and feels the best. It’s chewy and firm, holding its whole shape in whatever sauce you put it in. It’s always best to follow the package instructions since different pastas shapes or sizes require different cooking times.
Some Tips
- Before draining the pasta, scoop out ½ cup of the pasta water. If your sauce needs a little thinning, pasta water works better than adding water because it has a lot of flavor.
- Always aim for freshly grated Parmesan cheese versus the store bought. This way not only will you get extra melty cheese in your pasta, but there will be no added preservatives.
Leftovers
Fridge
You can store this pasta alla Norma in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. Just be sure to allow it to fully cool before placing it in the fridge.
Freezer
This pasta dish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can absolutely freeze it for future dinners. It will last up to 6 months stored in an airtight container. Keep in mind after cooked pasta freezes and thaws, it will become a bit softer in texture.
Let the pasta thaw overnight in the fridge to make reheating easier and reduce the risk of breaking the pasta.
More Delicious Recipes To Try
Pasta Alla Norma
Equipment
Ingredients
Eggplants
- 2 medium eggplants cut into 1 inch cubes (with peel)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 28 ounce tomato sauce or tomato passata (2 14.5 oz cans)
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
Pasta Alla Norma
- 12 ounce pasta such as rigatoni, spaghetti, penne, etc.
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 4 leaves fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Prep oven and baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cook the eggplant: Toss the cubed eggplant with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread it in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, flipping half way through.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions, until al dente.
- Make the sauce: In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the red pepper flakes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the skillet and stir. Bring to a boil, then simmer the sauce for 5 minutes on low heat. Stir in the eggplant.
- Finish the pasta: Toss the pasta with the eggplant sauce gently in a large serving dish, or in the skillet if your skillet is large enough.
- Serve: Serve immediately garnished with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Tips & Notes:
- Before draining the pasta, scoop out ½ cup of the pasta water. If your sauce needs a little thinning, pasta water works better than adding water because it has a lot of flavor.
- Always aim for freshly grated Parmesan cheese versus the store bought. This way not only will you get extra melty cheese in your pasta, but there will be no added preservatives.
- You can store this pasta alla Norma in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. Just be sure to allow it to fully cool before placing it in the fridge.
- This pasta dish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can absolutely freeze it for future dinners. It will last up to 6 months stored in an airtight container. Keep in mind after cooked pasta freezes and thaws, it will become a bit softer in texture.
