In the realm of pasta dishes, there exists a culinary masterpiece that captivates taste buds and delights food enthusiasts from around the world: pasta alla norma. With its vibrant colors, tantalizing flavors, and simplicity of ingredients, this Sicilian classic has earned its place as a beloved dish, often associated with the sunny island of Sicily and its rich culinary traditions. Join us on a culinary journey as we explore the secrets behind crafting the perfect pasta alla norma. In this comprehensive guide, we will unravel the essence of this delectable dish, providing step-by-step instructions, ingredient suggestions, and helpful tips to ensure that you create a pasta alla norma that will transport your taste buds to the heart of Sicily.
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PASTA ALLA NORMA
This traditional Sicilian pasta dish of sautéed eggplant tossed with tomato sauce and topped with ricotta salata makes for a satisfying vegetarian dinner, and it can be thrown together in under an hour.
Provided by Mark Bittman
Categories dinner, easy, lunch, pastas, main course
Time 45m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Slice the eggplant about 1/2 inch thick. Cook in abundant olive oil, without crowding, sprinkling with salt and adding more oil as needed. You will undoubtedly have to cook in batches; take your time and cook until the eggplant is nicely browned and soft. Remove to a plate; do not drain on paper towels. Meanwhile, put a large pot of water to boil and salt it.
- At the end of the cooking the eggplant, the pan will ideally have a couple of tablespoons of oil left. If there's more or less, drain some off or add a bit. Turn the heat to medium, add the garlic and chiles, and cook until the garlic colors a little bit. Add the tomatoes and oregano, along with some salt and pepper; cook until saucy but not too dry, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy. While it's cooking, cut the eggplant into strips and reheat for a minute in the tomato sauce. Drain the pasta and toss it with the tomato sauce and the eggplant. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then top with the parsley or basil and grated cheese and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 418, UnsaturatedFat 5 grams, Carbohydrate 70 grams, Fat 9 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 16 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 757 milligrams, Sugar 9 grams
PASTA ALLA NORMA RECIPE
Pasta alla norma is a satisfying Sicilian pasta with tender eggplant, tomato sauce, and ricotta salata cheese. All the comforting Italian flavors we love in just one pan. This is one vegetarian main dish that even meat lovers will enjoy.
Provided by Suzy Karadsheh
Categories Dinner
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Slice and Salt the Eggplant. Trim the eggplant and partially peel them in a striped pattern (zebra pattern). Slice them into ½ inch thick rounds. Season the eggplant slices with kosher salt on both sides and lay them flat for a few minutes (up to 30 minutes if you have the time). Wipe the eggplant dry and remove excess salt using a paper towel.
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Roast the eggplant. Brush the bottom of a large sheet pan (or two) with extra virgin olive oil. Arrange the eggplant slices in the pans in one single layer (eggplant slices should not overlap, each should be comfortably touching the bottom of the sheet pan). Roast in the heated oven until deeply golden brown, anywhere from 35 to 40 minutes, turning over mid-way through.
- Make the Sauce. Meanwhile, get going on the sauce. In a large deep pan, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, lower the heat and cook, tossing regularly, until the garlic gains a little bit of color. Add the tomatoes (with their juices), oregano and a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a quick boil, then lower the heat and let simmer briefly.
- When ready, add the roasted eggplant to sauce. Let simmer while you cook the pasta.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions (mine took about 11 minutes). Drain and combine the pasta with the eggplant and sauce (if needed, add a little bit of the pasta water and toss until the pasta is well-coated). Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add chopped parsley and grated ricotta salata cheese to finish.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 375.7 kcal, Carbohydrate 70.6 g, Protein 15 g, SaturatedFat 2.3 g, Cholesterol 12.1 mg, Sodium 54.1 mg, Fiber 9.9 g, ServingSize 1 serving
PASTA ALLA NORMA: NORMA'S PASTA
Provided by Food Network
Time 1h
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Cook the penne in a pot of boiling salted water. Stir to prevent the pasta from sticking together. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
- To make the sauce: In a saucepan, heat up 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Gently saute the chopped onions until tender, then add the plum tomatoes and liquid from the can. With the back of a wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes into little chunks. Season the sauce with salt, and pepper, to taste. Cook the tomato sauce for a few minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- In another pan, heat olive oil and fry the eggplant cubes until golden.
- Drain the eggplant cubes on a paper towel to remove the excess oil. Drain the pasta approximately 2 minutes before the 'al dente' stage and add the pasta to the saucepan. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. Add the fried eggplant, basil leaves and sprinkle with ricotta salata. Mix the ingredients together well in the saucepan so that the pasta and the sauce are well amalgamated or combined. Be careful not to overcook the pasta. Transfer the pasta to a warm serving bowl or divide the pasta among warm plates and sprinkle extra ricotta salata on top and serve immediately.
EASY PASTA ALLA NORMA
As an Italian, it just doesn't get better than pasta and eggplant! Give this pasta alla norma a try for a perfect weeknight dinner!
Provided by Cindy Anschutz Barbieri
Categories Fruits and Vegetables Vegetables Eggplant
Time 40m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Add garlic and then eggplant and cook stirring regularly, until softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and thyme. Bring everything to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain well and pour hot pasta into the skillet with eggplant mixture. Toss to combine.
- Garnish with basil leaves and red pepper flakes. Drizzle some olive oil on top and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 658.2 calories, Carbohydrate 107.8 g, Cholesterol 4.4 mg, Fat 17.5 g, Fiber 14.5 g, Protein 21 g, SaturatedFat 3.2 g, Sodium 1029.7 mg, Sugar 13.7 g
PASTA ALLA NORMA
This is an original recipe given to me from Sicilian relatives. Pasta is tossed with a simple tomato sauce, then topped with fried eggplant, ricotta salata, and hot peppers. The cut of pasta is not too important, it is good even with spaghetti.
Provided by Buckwheat Queen
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta
Time 1h7m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Combine eggplant and 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl with water to cover. Place a plate on top of the eggplant to weigh it down and keep it covered in water for about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse eggplant in cool water. Pat dry and cut into cubes.
- Combine tomato puree, 1 teaspoon rock salt, garlic, and basil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce flavors combine, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute eggplant until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and toss with the tomato-basil sauce; divide into 4 serving bowls. Top with eggplant. Sprinkle 1/4 the ricotta and 1/4 the diced pepper over each bowl.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 355.5 calories, Carbohydrate 58.4 g, Cholesterol 7.4 mg, Fat 10.3 g, Fiber 8.5 g, Protein 11.8 g, SaturatedFat 2.5 g, Sodium 4571.7 mg, Sugar 10.4 g
PASTA ALLA NORMA
Try this easy version of an alla norma, which uses roast aubergine instead of fried. It's then tossed with spaghetti and a rich tomato and basil sauce
Provided by Esther Clark
Categories Dinner
Time 1h10m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Toss the aubergines with the salt, then tip into a colander set over a bowl for 30 mins, to extract any moisture.
- Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a casserole dish or saucepan. Tip in the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook over a low heat for 10 mins. Add the garlic and chilli, and cook for 1 min. Tip in the tomatoes and sugar, and bring to the simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
- Pat the aubergine dry with kitchen paper, then toss with the remaining oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 mins until softened and golden around the edges. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions, reserving 100ml of the cooking water.
- Stir the aubergine into the sauce with the basil and capers. Season to taste, then toss the spaghetti in the pan with the sauce and a splash of the pasta water. Divide between four bowls and top with the ricotta and extra basil, if using.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 517 calories, Fat 13 grams fat, SaturatedFat 2 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 79 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 15 grams sugar, Fiber 10 grams fiber, Protein 15 grams protein, Sodium 1.7 milligram of sodium
PASTA ALLA NORMA
Provided by Regina Schrambling
Categories dinner, weekday, pastas, side dish
Time 1h15m
Yield Four to six servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Peel the eggplants and slice them crosswise into disks less than one-half-inch thick. Layer the slices in a bowl, sprinkling coarse kosher salt over each layer. Place a plate over the slices and place a weight on top. Let sit for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the eggplant slices well and pat them dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves and saute for two minutes. Add the eggplant and saute for 15 minutes, turning once or twice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then pour in one-half cup of cold water. Cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Add coarse salt to taste, then add pasta. Cook until al dente, about 9 to 12 minutes.
- Remove the garlic from the eggplant and discard. Drain the pasta well, place it in a shallow serving bowl and pour the eggplant sauce over. Toss well. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with additional ground black pepper.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 403, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 67 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 12 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 561 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams
BAKED PASTA ALLA NORMA
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes in a large ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron. Season generously with salt and toss to combine. Roast, shaking skillet once or twice, until eggplant is tender and tomatoes burst, 25-35 minutes. Let vegetables cool while you prepare the pasta (watch out for the hot handle when you take the skillet out of the oven). Reduce oven temperature to 400°F.
- Whisk eggs and tomato paste in a medium bowl until smooth, then whisk in about three-quarters of Parmesan.
- Cook spaghetti in a pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Immediately drain pasta in a colander and shake to remove excess water; transfer pasta back to pot.
- Add cooled vegetable mixture to pot with pasta. Wipe out skillet and drizzle in a little oil; roll around in skillet to coat. Add egg mixture to pasta and toss vigorously with tongs until pasta is evenly coated. Add capers and 1/2 cup basil and toss again to combine.
- Transfer pasta mixture to skillet and press gently into an even layer. Top with remaining Parmesan, a few whole basil leaves, and an extra sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
- Bake pasta until surface is nicely browned, 30-35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting into wedges for serving.
PASTA ALLA NORMA
Hello, I'm Tony Mantuano, and we are going to do a classic Sicilian pasta called pasta alla Norma. This pasta dish comes from Catania, on the Eastern coast of Sicily, where one of its inhabitants, Vincenzo Bellini, wrote an opera called Norma.
Provided by Tony Mantuano
Categories main-dish
Time 30m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Cook the pasta and sauce: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes less than what the box advises. Meanwhile, cut the eggplants into a large dice. Heat a skillet to high heat, add the olive oil, then the eggplant in one layer. Season with salt and pepper and add more oil if the pan becomes too dry. Continue cooking until eggplant is lightly brown. Add the garlic, chili pepper, dried oregano and stir to keep the garlic from browning. Add tomato passato, bring sauce back to a simmer and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Assemble the dish: When the sauce is finished cooking, turn off the heat and add the basil. Meanwhile, when the pasta is firm to the touch, reserve 1 cup pasta water (you will only need half). Drain the pasta and return it to the pot along with the sauce and ½ cup pasta water. Over low heat gently toss the pasta with the sauce for 2 minutes to allow it to "marry" and absorb some of the sauce. The dish is done when the pasta begins to stick to the bottom of the pot. Garnish with grated ricotta salata cheese and serve.
PASTA ALLA NORMA
This classic Italian dish is said to have been created in the 1800s after the opening night of Bellini's opera Norma.
Provided by Melissa Kelly
Time 1h
Yield Makes 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Place eggplant cubes in colander and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Let eggplant drain 15 minutes. Pat dry, removing excess salt.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add peperoncini and tomatoes with juice; cook until tomatoes begin to soften, about 15 minutes. Remove tomato sauce from heat.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in another heavy large skillet over high heat. Working in 3 batches and adding 1 tablespoon olive oil for each batch, cook eggplant until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer eggplant to tomato sauce in skillet.
- Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water. Add cooking water to sauce; bring to boil. Add spaghetti and basil to sauce and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to bowl; top with ricotta salata and serve.
PASTA ALLA NORMA RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: medium eggplant, kosher salt, olive oil, garlic, whole peeled tomato, red pepper flakes, whole wheat spaghetti, ricotta salata, fresh basil
Provided by Crystal Hatch
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Trim the ends of the eggplant, then slice into ½-inch (1 ¼ cm) thick rounds. Lay the eggplant rounds on a paper towel and season generously on both sides with salt. Let rest for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture. After 10 minutes, pat the eggplant rounds with a paper towel to remove the moisture.
- Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat and grease with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, or your oil of choice. Grill the eggplant for about 2 minutes on each side, or until grill marks are formed. Set aside to cool, then cut into bite-size pieces.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the smashed garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly browned but not burnt, flipping as needed. Remove the garlic from the oil and set aside to cool, then mince.
- To the garlic oil, add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until caramelized. Add the reserved tomato juice and simmer until reduced to a sauce-like consistency, 5-8 minutes.
- Add ½ teaspoon salt, the red pepper flakes, and the minced fried garlic. Stir well, reduce the heat to low, and simmer while you make the pasta.
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and return to the pot.
- Pour the tomato sauce over the hot pasta. Add the eggplant, ricotta salata, and fresh basil. Toss until well combined.
- Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 461 calories, Carbohydrate 73 grams, Fat 13 grams, Fiber 9 grams, Protein 14 grams, Sugar 11 grams
Tips:
- To make the pasta alla norma more flavorful, use fresh, ripe tomatoes. If you don't have access to fresh tomatoes, you can use canned tomatoes, but be sure to drain them well before using them.
- If you don't have ricotta salata cheese, you can substitute Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.
- To make the pasta more creamy, add a splash of cream or milk to the sauce.
- If you like your pasta spicy, add a pinch of chili flakes to the sauce.
- Serve the pasta alla norma immediately after it is cooked, topped with fresh basil leaves.
Conclusion:
Pasta alla norma is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight dinner. It is a great way to use up fresh tomatoes and eggplant, and it is sure to please everyone at the table. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy pasta dish, give pasta alla norma a try. You won't be disappointed!
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