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Pasta alla Norma (Traditional Sicilian)
Traditional dish · Italian
A classic Sicilian pasta dish featuring fried eggplant, a rich tomato sauce, salted ricotta cheese, and fresh basil. This is the authentic, time-honored version.
Ingredients
- Rigatoni pasta400g
- Eggplant2 large
- Canned whole peeled tomatoes800g
- Garlic3 cloves
- Fresh basil1 bunch
- Salted ricotta (Ricotta Salata)100g
- Extra virgin olive oil150ml
- Saltto taste
- Black pepperto taste
Steps
- 1
Cut eggplants into 1-inch cubes. Salt them generously and let them drain in a colander for at least 30 minutes to remove excess moisture and bitterness. Rinse and pat dry.
- 2
Heat 100ml of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant cubes in batches until golden brown and tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- 3
While eggplant fries, prepare the sauce. In a separate pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- 4
Add the whole peeled tomatoes (crushing them with your hands or a spoon), a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- 5
Cook rigatoni pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- 6
Add the fried eggplant and most of the fresh basil leaves (torn) to the tomato sauce. Stir gently.
- 7
Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss to coat evenly. If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water.
- 8
Serve immediately, garnished with grated salted ricotta and the remaining fresh basil leaves.
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