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Sicilian Pasta Alla Norma

Sicilian Pasta alla Norma is made up of crispy fried eggplant smothered in rich tomato sauce and topped with salty, grated cheese. Originating in Sicily, where eggplants grow in abundance, this vegetarian dish is comfort food at its finest. Additionally, its unique blend of flavors captures the essence of Sicilian cuisine, offering a truly delightful culinary experience.

Traditionally made with ricotta salata, we are putting a small twist on this ingredient (as it can be tricky to source) but keeping it just as satisfying.

Add this to your meat-free Monday menu options and make a Sicilian Nonna very proud!

For this recipe I chose Pasta Liguori, it enhances the dish with its premium quality. The pasta’s texture complements the flavors of this pasta dish, creating a delightful Sicilian masterpiece.

Watch the Sicilian Pasta alla Norma video recipe:

How to Make PASTA alla NORMA Like an Italian – Eggplant Sicilian Pasta

  Vincenzo’s Plate Tips to make Sicilian Pasta alla Norma

Use Great quality pasta

The type of pasta you use has a big impact on your dish and is the start of whether your meal will come together well.

One of the best pasta brands you can use is: Pastificio Liguori. It’s an Italian brand that only uses the best quality semolina wheat and a slow drying process – one of the key elements to making dry pasta.

Use A Salty Cheese

Traditionally, sicilian pasta alla Norma calls for ricotta salata. However, if this type of cheese is not available to you – because it’s one of those ingredients that can be hard to find, you can substitute it for Pecorino Romano or parmesan.

Just make sure it is freshly grated and thick – not fine. You want to really taste it as a part of the dish not simply have it melt into the sauce.

Cut the Eggplant into Strips

Sicilian Pasta alla Norma recipe originated in the Sicilian town of Catania, where they keep the eggplant slices whole (in circles). However I like to cut it into strips because it makes them easier to eat along with the pasta. When picking up pasta using your fork it means you can have a taste of every element in each bite – and that’s exactly how I like it.

Of course, the shape and thickness of your eggplant is ultimately up to you so try different options and choose what you enjoy best.

Use Flour

Before frying the eggplant strips for Pasta alla Norma, it’s always a good idea to roll them around in some plain flour. This will help them crisp up nicely if you prefer a crunchier texture. While this step is optional, I do recommend frying a handful of eggplant strips this way to garnish each plate when serving.  

Crush Your Garlic

The best way to add garlic to any sauce is by crushing it. Not only it is quicker and easier than chopping, but it also helps to release the aromas and juices better. Trust me, you will love it.

Add Pressure to Your Tomatoes

As you cook your sauce, you may find that some of the tomatoes are still intact. Use your wooden spoon to apply pressure and break them down to release the rest of the juices and prevent watery sauce.

Don’t Chop Your Basil!

Always break the basil leaves off the stems with your hands. Don’t rip them up, and don’t chop the basil on the chopping board. When you do this, the aromas and flavor stay on the chopping board and don’t make it into the dish!

How to Serve Sicilian Pasta Alla Norma

To serve Sicilian Pasta alla Norma, just spoon it onto a plate and top it with crispy eggplant strips, your cheese of choice, and some fresh basil. Furthermore, add a generous sprinkle of cheese to maintain the perfect balance, resulting in a dish bursting with flavor.

Sicilian Pasta alla Norma

Sicilian Pasta alla Norma gets its flavor from using fresh ingredients in different ways. Crushed  tomatoes to release their juices, fried eggplant to get it crispy, crused garlic for the best aromas — and always, always cook your pasta al dente! This meat-free dish is actually quite meaty and the flavour profile will surprise you in the best possible way.

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Equipment

• knife
• Chopping-board
• large pot or Dutch oven
• wooden spoon
• Mesh strainer
• Shallow fry pan
• Large saute pan
• Garlic crusher
• Kitchen Tongs
• Tomato masher
• Paper towels
• Cheese grater

Ingredients

  

• 500 g Liguori penne rigatoni pasta 17.6 oz
• 800 g Peeled whole tomatoes 28.2 oz
• 1 large Eggplant sliced into 1cm / ¼” pieces
• Ricotta Salata or Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano — depending on availability
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• Handful fresh basil leaves
• 5-6 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil EVOO
• 2-3 cups Sunflower oil 473 ml
• Salt and pepper as much as required
• Plain flour enough to coat the eggplant strips
• 2-3 Tbsp water

Instructions

 

For the eggplant:

• Start by removing the top and bottom of your eggplant, then slicing it into 1cm thick pieces. Stack the slices and cut them into 4-5 strips.
• Coat the eggplant strips in flour to help them get nice and crispy then leave them to the side for any excess flour to fall off.
• Next, heat a generous amount of sunflower oil in a shallow fry pan — about 2-3 cups. Once it begins to ripple (you’ll see bubbles) add in the eggplant strips.
• Fry for 5 minutes or so (until they turn a nice, dark brown color), making sure not to burn them. Remove them from the pan and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel to help absorb excess oil.

For the sauce:

• Start by using your tomato crusher to crush your whole peeled tomatoes gently. You can also use your hands for this if you don’t have a tomato crusher.
• Next, heat the saucepan over medium heat and add about 5 Tbsp EVOO. Once the oil is heated, crush garlic into the oil and add a splash of water to keep it from burning.
• Gently cook the garlic, moving it around with your wooden spoon for about 30 seconds to release the beautiful aromas.
• Once the garlic starts to brown, add crushed tomatoes. Gently cook your sauce for about 20 minutes — 30 minutes if you can, stirring it every so often. Slow and steady is better so if it starts to bubble up, reduce the heat and cook it for longer.
• Once you can stir your sauce without it looking watery it’s time to add salt and pepper to taste.
• Next add in the eggplant strips and gently stir to incorporate them into the sauce. Do this for a minute or two, and then turn off the heat.
• Now add fresh basil, picking the leaves off the stems using your hands. Quickly stir this basil into the sauce so the flavors can make love, and set the sauce aside to rest.

For the pasta:

• Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add about 1 Tbsp of salt once it does.
• Put your pasta into the salted, boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes – or using packet instructions until it’s al dente.
• Stir the pasta a few times to keep it from sticking to the bottom of your pot using the same spoon that you used for your sauce.
• Once cooked, strain your pasta — but be sure to first reserve some pasta water (about half a mug - 4-5 ounces).

Bringing it all together:

• Put your sauce back on the stove at a low heat.
• Add the pasta and mix it into the sauce with your wooden spoon.
• Now add half a mug of pasta water to the sauce. The pasta will absorb the sauce, and this will help everything thicken and combine. Add a little more pasta water after stirring, and toss the ingredients together well.
• Now, you’ll want to break off some more basil leaves, add them to the pasta and stir to combine.
• Add spoonfuls of the desired amount onto a plate and top with the crunchy eggplant.
• Then, take your cheese grater (using the side with the larger holes) and grate your cheese over it. You want the cheese to come out in large and long pieces, not small, fine pieces.
• Top with some fresh basil leaves.

Video

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E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!

Want to discover more Vegetarian Italian Pasta dishes? Here you can find my 2 favorite ones I’m sure you’re gonna love:

• RIGATONI ALL’ORTOLANA. This recipe is a must-try for anyone seeking a vegetarian pasta delight that doesn’t compromise on flavor.

• VEGETARIAN CARBONARA is  the most amazing vegetarian pasta recipe! This is my spin on the traditional Carbonara  for anyone unable to eat pork.

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