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pasta alla norma recipe authentic traditional sicilian eggplant tomato sauce garlic basil ricotta salata italian

Pasta alla Norma

By Kimberly Killebrew
One of Sicily's most iconic pasta dishes, Pasta alla Norma is a testament to the region's rich culinary heritage and how combining a few simple ingredients can result in a masterpiece!
5 from 37 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Roasting Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds) , washed, NOT peeled, and cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes (if using long slender eggplant you can slice it instead)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
  • 4 cloves garlic , minced (be sure to use fresh, pre-minced store-bought garlic doesn't even come close in flavor)
  • 1 small yellow onion , finely chopped
  • 28 ounce quality whole plum tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons quality tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (to help compensate for less anything less than the very best sun-ripened imported Italian tomatoes)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves , plus extra for garnish
  • 14 ounces dried short pasta (e.g., rigatoni, penne, rigatoncini, etc) , cooked until al dente, reserving some of the pasta water
  • coarsely grated ricotta salata for serving , ricotta salata is traditional but if needed can substitute freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 450 F.
    Place the diced eggplant in a large bowl.  Add the olive oil and salt and toss to coat the pieces. Spread the eggplant out in a single layer on a large parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping after about 15 minutes, or until the eggplant is tender and nicely browned.
  • While the eggplant is roasting make the sauce.
    Place the peeled plum tomatoes in a bowl and use your hands to crush them into a chunky sauce.
    Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or a large deep skillet  and cook the garlic for 2-3 minutes until very fragrant.  Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and tender. Add the crushed tomatoes along with the tomato paste, basil, salt, pepper, sugar and red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
    Add the eggplant and simmer for another minute just to let the eggplant heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
  • Add the cooked pasta to the sauce with 2-3 tablespoons of reserved pasta cooking water, and gently stir it in to thoroughly coat the pasta.
    Dish it up and serve it sprinkled with some grated ricotta salata.  If desired garnish with a basil sprig or some torn basil leaves.

Nutrition

Calories: 409kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 13gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 1050mgPotassium: 1111mgFiber: 11gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1408IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 2mg
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Sicilian
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