Pasta alla Norma
Sicilian pasta with eggplant & ricotta salata
Ingredients
- 400 g Rigatoni
- 2 Eggplant
- 1 tin San Marzano tomatoes (DOP)
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 bunch Basil
- 80 g Ricotta salata
- 150 ml Extra-virgin olive oil
- 50 g Salt
Method
- Cube the eggplant and toss with a spoonful of the salt.
- Let the salted eggplant weep in a colander for 20 minutes, then pat it dry.
- While the eggplant weeps, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- While the eggplant weeps, slice the garlic thin.
- While the eggplant weeps, crush the tomatoes by hand.
- While the eggplant weeps, tear the basil.
- Fry the eggplant in plenty of oil over medium-high heat until deep golden — about 8 minutes — then drain on paper.
- In the same skillet, soften the garlic in a slick of the oil until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Tip in the tomatoes and simmer until thickened, about 12 minutes.
- While the sauce simmers, drop the rigatoni into the boiling water and cook one minute shy of al dente (firm to the bite).
- Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain the rigatoni.
- Fold the eggplant and rigatoni through the sauce off heat, loosening with pasta water if needed.
- Plate, shower with grated ricotta salata, and finish with the basil.
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About Pasta alla Norma
Pasta alla Norma is the signature pasta of Catania, on the eastern coast of Sicily, and one of the defining dishes of the island's kitchen. It pairs short tube pasta such as rigatoni with fried eggplant, a bright tomato sauce, torn basil, and a generous grating of ricotta salata, the pressed and salted sheep's-milk cheese that gives the dish its salty, faintly tangy finish. Local lore holds that it was named for Bellini's opera Norma as a compliment to its perfection, and the combination has stayed essentially unchanged: tomato, eggplant, basil, and that particular cheese.
Eaten together, it is a study in contrasts, the silky fried eggplant and sweet tomato playing against the firm bite of the pasta and the salty, crumbly shards of ricotta salata melting into the heat. Basil lifts the whole thing with a herbal freshness. This version insists on the steps that separate a good Norma from a mediocre one: salting the cubed eggplant and letting it weep in a colander so it fries up deeply golden rather than greasy, crushing whole San Marzano tomatoes by hand for a rustic sauce, and using the same skillet so the eggplant's flavor carries through. It is a vegetarian main that eats like a treat, best served the moment the pasta is tossed and showered with cheese.
Pasta alla Norma: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Pasta alla Norma?
A serving has about 497 calories — 16.9g protein, 88.3g carbs, 8.2g fat, 8.9g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Pasta alla Norma gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Rigatoni. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Pasta alla Norma dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Ricotta salata. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Pasta alla Norma take to make?
About 46 minutes start to finish, but only around 31 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
How many servings does Pasta alla Norma make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.