Pasta alla Norma is a classic Sicilian dish that features pasta tossed with a flavorful tomato sauce, topped with fried eggplant, and sprinkled with grated ricotta salata cheese. The dish is a beautiful combination of flavors and textures, with the sweetness of the tomatoes, the slight bitterness of the eggplant, and the salty cheese creating a harmonious balance. This article will provide you with a recipe for making Pasta alla Norma, along with tips and suggestions for creating the perfect dish.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
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
FRESH TOMATO PASTA TOSS
My parents went on vacation last year just as their tomato crop - and mine - was ready to harvest. After freezing as many tomatoes as I could possibly want or use, I had to come up with new ideas for using tomatoes. My husband loved this creation! It really is a great way to use tomatoes.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 30m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- To remove peels from tomatoes, fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Place tomatoes, one at a time, in boiling water for 30 seconds. Immediately plunge in ice water. Peel skins with a sharp paring knife and discard. Chop pulp; set aside. , Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, cook garlic in oil over medium heat for 1 minute or until tender. Add the parsley, basil, oregano, salt, sugar, pepper and reserved tomato pulp. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Add cream; heat through. , Drain pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Pour tomato sauce over pasta; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 288 calories, Fat 7g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 12mg cholesterol, Sodium 352mg sodium, Carbohydrate 49g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 10g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
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 SORTA
Say "ciao" to your new pasta alla Norma. This updated version of the Sicilian classic includes prosciutto, which is fried until golden. Its rendered fat is used to start the dish and provide a rich, nuanced flavor, and the cooked bits are used to finish it for a salty crunch. To save on time, the eggplant roasts while a quick sauce of cherry and canned tomatoes, shallots, garlic and chile comes together on the stovetop. Just before serving, the eggplant, pasta and mozzarella (in place of the traditional ricotta salata) are tossed together until melty and delicious. Some rules are worth breaking.
Provided by Colu Henry
Categories dinner, for two, weekday, pastas, main course
Time 45m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a large rimmed sheet pan, toss the eggplant with 1/4 cup olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Spread everything evenly in one layer and roast until golden, 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through to ensure even browning.
- While the eggplant roasts, make your sauce: In a deep, 12-inch skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to crisp and brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add the shallot, garlic and chile to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot has softened and the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they start to burst, pressing the tomatoes gently down with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon to help them along, 5 to 7 minutes. You want some of them to collapse and some to maintain their structure. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices and season with salt and pepper. Simmer while the eggplant finishes roasting, about 15 minutes more. If the sauce appears dry, add 1/4 cup pasta water.
- While you're making the sauce, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
- When the eggplant is done, add it to the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss until everything is well coated with sauce, adding more pasta water if needed. Stir in the mozzarella and toss until it begins to melt.
- Serve in the skillet or in bowls and top each portion with crispy prosciutto and fresh herbs. Season with flaky salt, if using.
BALSAMIC-TOSSED PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATO, ARUGULA AND MOZZARELLA
From Cooking Pleasures magazine. The heat from the pasta helps to melt the cheese and warm the sauce. You can also use a combination of basil and arugula for a tomato caprice taste.
Provided by CookGordon
Categories < 60 Mins
Time 45m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Make sauce: In large bowl, stir together tomatoes, arugula, garlic, mozzarella, salt, pepper and oil. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions; drain. Toss with sauce. Add vinegar; toss.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 616.3, Fat 28.2, SaturatedFat 9.6, Cholesterol 44.8, Sodium 947.3, Carbohydrate 73.6, Fiber 10.8, Sugar 3.2, Protein 20.1
PASTA ALLA NORMA....PASTA TOSSED WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE, FLAVOR
This dish originated in the city of Catania in Sicily, the home of the famous Italian composer Vincenzo Bellini. Although there are conflicting stories exactly how the dish was named and by who, most believe it was in honor of Bellini and his famous opera "Le Norma" composed in 1831. The dish is actually quite simple yet surprisingly deliciously. Pasta is tossed with fresh tomato sauce, seared eggplant and shredded ricotta salata cheese just before serving. Individual flavors are retained and complimented when combined. The fresh sauce is usually traditional, made with olive oil, garlic, onion, fresh peeled or good quality canned tomatoes from Italy, and plenty of fresh basil. My recipe replaces garlic and olive oil with Peter's Garlic Oil; olive oil infused with pot roasted garlic, Tuscany seasoning and a hint of red pepper flakes. It adds terrific complex flavors to the sauce while seasoning the eggplant. Preparation of the eggplant is important. It is peeled and thick sliced lengthwise. The eggplant is then "sweated" with salt to release its dark bitter liquid. If electing to cook the eggplant by sautéing, lightly coat the pan with oil from Peter's Garlic Oil. If oven baking, liberally brush slices with the seasoned olive oil and place on cookie sheets. Brush with enough additional flavored oil to keep the eggplant from drying out. Either way, be careful to remove the eggplant as soon as the slices are cooked through. Please don't overcook. However, my very favorite way is to liberally brush the eggplant with the seasoned oil and grill both sides. Once lightly browned and grill marks appear, brush again with more garlic oil. Lower heat and place eggplant on a sheet of aluminum foil on the grates for final cooking. Grilling really intensifies the flavor of the eggplant. Ricotta Salata is salted cheese made from the whey of sheep's milk. It is the cheese most associated with this dish. Our family was partial to Pecorino Romano, another salty cheese.
Provided by Peter Steriti
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 2h45m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Pete's Garlic Oil, place olive oil in a butter melting pot. Remove the rough tips of garlic and cut cloves in half lengthwise. Add to pot along with Tuscany seasoning and red pepper flakes. Turn heat to medium. When the oil just begins to simmer lower heat enough to maintain.
- Remove garlic skins when released. Continue simmering until cloves tan and soften; monitor their progress. Heat can be increased slightly to hasten the process being careful not to burn garlic.
- Sauté onion in ¼ cup of oil from Peter's Garlic Oil in a pot. When translucent, remove onion. Simmer tomatoes and the sprig of basil in the same pot for about 45 minutes, adding water, salt and pepper as needed.
- Peel and slice eggplant lengthwise about ¼ inch thick. Lightly salt the eggplant on both sides and place in a pasta colander over the sink or a pot. After a half hour or so the eggplant will "sweat" its dark, bitter liquid. Wipe the salt off, rinse and dry on paper towels.
- When mostly dry, brush both sides with the oil from Peter's Garlic Oil. Grill on medium heat until lightly browned on both sides. Brush with additional oil and finish cooking by placing slices on a sheet of aluminum foil on grill over low heat or in a cookie tray in the oven. When cooked through, cut eggplant into 1 inch squares. You can also use one of the other methods, sautéing or oven cooked, both discussed above.
- To assemble, cook pasta al dente and strain. Place pasta in a bowl. Remove sprig of basil from the tomato sauce. Mix pasta with desired amount of sauce. Add and mix eggplant into the pasta with tomato sauce reserving enough to place some on top as a garnish. Grate Ricotta Salata or Pecorino Romano over each plate to taste (not shown so you can see texture) and serve.
- Option, add a second can of tomatoes when cooking the sauce. Use as additional sauce over the pasta if you prefer a slightly wetter sauce. If not, simply reserve the excess. This delicious sauce will never be wasted!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 602.4, Fat 30.9, SaturatedFat 4.7, Cholesterol 63.8, Sodium 193.8, Carbohydrate 70.7, Fiber 8.4, Sugar 4, Protein 14.1
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:
- Use fresh tomatoes for the sauce. This will give it the best flavor.
- If you don't have fresh tomatoes, you can use canned tomatoes. Just be sure to drain them well and rinse them before using.
- Use a good quality olive oil. This will also help to give the sauce a great flavor.
- Don't overcook the sauce. It should only simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and cook until it is al dente. This means that it should be cooked through, but still have a slight bite to it.
- Add some fresh basil to the pasta before serving. This will give it a beautiful flavor and aroma.
Conclusion:
Pasta alla Norma is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is made with fresh tomatoes, basil, and ricotta cheese, and it is tossed with cooked pasta. This dish is sure to please everyone at the table.
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