Traditional Pasta alla Norma Recipe (Sicilian Eggplant Pasta)
You don't need meat to prepare a delicious and mouthwatering serving of pasta. If you don't believe me, then you haven't tried the traditional Pasta alla Norma --- a popular pasta dish from Sicily that combines eggplant and tomato sauce. Simply delicious!
Servings: 2
Calories: 702kcal
Equipment
- Medium-Sized Saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants, chopped into chunks
- 1 to 1 & 1/2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- 7 ounces pasta (about 200 grams)
- 2 & 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 & 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
- handful of fresh basil
- salt and pepper, to season
- ricotta salata, grated, for serving
Instructions
Prepare eggplant and pasta:
- Place a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil.
- Once the oil is extremely hot, add the chopped eggplants carefully.
- Adjust the heat to medium and cook the eggplants evenly.
- Remove the fried eggplants from the pan and place them on kitchen paper to drain excess oil.
- Set aside.
- Prepare your preferred pasta by boiling salted water on a pan and cooking it as per package instructions.
Prepare pasta alla norma sauce:
- Place a medium to large skillet on medium-high heat and pour the olive oil.
- When the olive oil is ready, adjust the heat to medium and add the garlic.
- Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and fresh basil leaves.
- Mix, cover with a lid, then bring to a quick boil.
- Adjust the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for about six to eight minutes.
- Add the chunks of fried eggplant.
- Mix, and combine evenly.
- Add the cooked pasta and mix, making sure that the pasta is coated with the sauce.
- Transfer your pasta alla norma into plates and serve with grated ricotta salata.
Video
Notes
- Cook's Tip #1: It generally takes twelve to fifteen minutes to fry the eggplants over medium heat --- it all depends on how big you chopped the eggplants.
- Cook's Tip #2: Do not fry all the eggplant at once unless using a large pan.Do it in batches instead. For reference, it takes me two rounds to fry one medium-sized eggplant.
- Cook's Tip #3: Let the sauce simmer for a longer time when you think it's too watery.
- Cook's Tip #4: Do not forget to season the sauce properly; remember that the eggplants were not seasoned.
Nutrition
Calories: 702kcal | Carbohydrates: 116g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 1820mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 496IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 5mg