Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma, named in honor of the opera by Sicilian composer Vincenzo Bellini, is a meatless pasta dish that will appeal to everybody at the table. The star of this Italian classic is fried or sauteed eggplant, which is tossed in a rich homemade tomato sauce with fresh basil and aromatics. Topped with salty ricotta salata (a firm, aged version of fresh ricotta), it has the heart and soul of Sicily in every bite.

This pasta dish is usually made with deep-purple Italian eggplants, but any variety will do. In this recipe, we sear rather than fry the eggplant, so it takes on a slightly smoky flavor and rich texture as it cooks. That eggplant turns an otherwise simple dish into something extraordinary. Pasta alla Norma is an excellent eggplant recipe for cozy weeknight meals with the family, for a knockout date-night, or for when you need something to pull together for unexpected guests.

Ingredients for Pasta alla Norma

• Eggplant: Choose Italian eggplants that are shiny and heavy for their size. They should ideally have few blemishes, or none at all. You can also use Japanese eggplant, Chinese eggplant or graffiti eggplants, among other varieties.
• Olive oil: Use extra virgin olive oil from one of the best olive oil brands, as you’ll get more flavor and more nutritional punch than you would from regular olive oil.
• Aromatics: Onion and garlic are culinary cousins that give the tomato sauce its enticing nuance.
• Crushed tomatoes: Using canned, crushed tomatoes gives the sauce a slightly rough, rustic texture. Some brands of canned tomatoes contain citric acid, which can give them a sharper taste. If you’re sensitive to that, see if you can find a brand without it. You can also use canned whole San Marzano tomatoes; just snip them with scissors or crush them by hand.
• Seasonings: Sugar (an optional ingredient) balances the acidity of tomatoes and eggplant. Salt brightens all the flavors. Crushed red pepper flakes add a bit of heat.
• Fresh Herbs: Fresh basil and oregano are pungent and aromatic, making for an exceptional sauce. Chop extra fresh basil to sprinkle on top right before serving.
• Ziti: Ziti is a smooth, tubular pasta shape that’s good at trapping sauce, which makes for bites that burst with flavor. Other chunky pasta shapes work well in this recipe, too.
• Ricotta salata cheese: Ricotta salata is the result of salting fresh ricotta cheese, pressing the liquid out, and aging it for up to two months. You’ll easily find fresh ricotta in the dairy aisle of your grocery store, but you may need to go to the cheese counter or a specialty cheese store for ricotta salata. If you want to earn your merit badge, you can make DIY it by starting with homemade ricotta a couple of days in advance. Salt it, place it in a sieve with a weight on top, and leave it in the fridge for 24 hours before crumbling it onto your pasta.

Directions

Step 1: Brown the eggplant

In batches, cook the eggplant in oil in a Dutch oven until it’s browned on all sides. Remove it with a slotted spoon, and keep it warm.

Step 2: Make the sauce

Add the onion to the same Dutch oven, and cook it until it’s tender. Add the garlic and cook it with the onion for one minute longer.

Add the crushed tomatoes, and stir to loosen any browned bits from the pan. Then add the basil, oregano and salt, and the optional sugar and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce, uncovered, until it thickens, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Cook the pasta and finish the dish

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions, then drain it. Add the noodles to the sauce along with the cooked eggplant, and toss to coat them. Portion the pasta into bowls and sprinkle it with cheese before serving it.

Pasta alla Norma Variations

• Vary the veggies: Eggplant is a crucial part of this dish, but you can add other veggies as well. Try seared zucchini or yellow squash, wilt some spinach, or toss in chopped roasted bell peppers. Sauteed mushrooms would be nice, too.
• Add a crispy topping: Toast some bread crumbs in olive oil and sprinkle them over the pasta.
• Add protein: This dish starts vegetarian, but you can add white anchovies for a bit of a twist, or cooked ground beef, pork or chicken to add more substance.

How to Store Pasta alla Norma

Store pasta alla Norma in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. A glass container is best if you don’t want the red sauce to stain your plastic ones.

What’s the best way to reheat pasta alla Norma?

Reheat pasta alla Norma in a wide pan on the stovetop. If it’s dry, add a little bit of olive oil and some water, and heat it over medium-low heat, tossing it frequently, until warmed through.

Pasta alla Norma Tips

Can you use a different pasta shape for pasta alla Norma?

Pasta alla Norma usually features tubular pasta shapes like ziti, since they pair well with chunky sauces. Instead of ziti, you could use penne rigate or rigatoni, or choose something like corkscrew-shaped fusilli. Long, skinny noodles like spaghetti and linguine don’t work as well with the eggplant.

What should you serve with pasta alla Norma?

Italian vegetable dishes such as baked zucchini, roasted herb-and-lemon cauliflower, or Sicilian Brussels sprouts are excellent side dishes to serve with pasta alla Norma. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with Sicilian cookies like cuccidati or torcetti, but an orange-ricotta cake roll would be delightful, too. And don’t forget to pour a glass of Italian red wine. A nice Chianti would be a great pairing—it tends to go well with tomatoes—but if you want to stick with something Sicilian, try a rich nero d’Avola.