This delicious Pasta alla Norma recipe is a classic, authentic Italian pasta dish with eggplant and tomatoes. It's perfect for a special occasion and is one of the tastiest ways to make pasta.
Pasta alla Norma, a famous Sicilian recipe, combines fried eggplant (or roasted, in this case) and a slow-cooked tomato sauce with pasta for an incredibly satisfying dish.
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What is Pasta alla Norma?
This iconic tomato and eggplant pasta dish is a Sicilian classic originally from Catania on the Eastern coast of Sicily.
It's named in honor of a famous opera called Norma - when the composer tasted the dish, he exclaimed that the pasta was the "true Norma".
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- A classic Italian pasta recipe that's perfect for a special meal. Serve it for a dinner party, birthday, date night, anniversary, or other celebration!
- Takes about an hour to make, but there is some hands-off time.
- The time it takes to simmer the sauce and roast the eggplant results in a rich sauce that provides an excellent base for this delicious recipe.
Pasta alla Norma Ingredients
- Fresh Eggplant - you'll need medium Italian eggplants - they are typically the standard eggplants sold in most grocery stores. Try to find ones with greener leaves on the top, the browner the leaves, the older the eggplant.
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes - you can use crushed tomatoes or plum tomatoes. If you use whole, plum tomatoes, make sure to smash them with the back of the spoon so they make a smooth sauce.
- Pasta - you can use dried or fresh pasta. I recommend a larger, tube-shaped pasta like rigatoni, as this will soak up the sauce.
- Ricotta Salata or Parmesan Cheese - ricotta salata is the traditional cheese used in this recipe, but it can be difficult to find at every grocery store. Parmesan cheese and Pecorino Romano work well as a substitute.
- Yellow Onion - diced onion adds the perfect allium flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic Cloves - use fresh minced garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - you'll use olive oil to roast the eggplant and cook the onions and garlic.
- Tomato Paste - tomato paste is a great hit of concentrated tomato flavor.
- Dried Oregano - adds a fantastic herby flavor to the sauce.
- Red Pepper Flakes - adds a little bit of sweet heat.
- Sea Salt - brightens the flavor of the tomatoes and eggplant.
- Ground Black Pepper - adds just a little bit of heat.
- Fresh Basil Leaves - bright, fresh basil tops of the pasta dish and adds beautiful flavor and color!
How to Make Italian Eggplant Pasta
- Step 1: On a rimmed baking sheet, combine eggplant cubes, ¼ cup olive oil, half the salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Step 2: Bake eggplant at 400 F for 40 minutes until golden brown, tossing occasionally.
- Step 3: Cook the pasta according to package directions.
- Step 4: Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes.
- Step 5: Add the garlic, the remaining oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
- Step 6: Add the canned tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil, then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Step 7: Stir the roasted eggplant into the sauce.
- Step 8: Stir the pasta into the eggplant tomato sauce and sprinkle on cheese and fresh basil. Stir to combine and serve immediately.
Tips for Making Pasta alla Norma
- Cooking Eggplant - It's essential to coat the eggplant in a healthy amount of olive oil or it will stick to the sheet pan. If you want to use less oil, you'll need to cook the eggplant on a silpat or parchment paper.
- Cheese - if you can't find ricotta salata, use parmesan cheese or pecorino romano in its place. I do not recommend using ricotta cheese as it is wetter and has a creamier texture than ricotta salata (which has been aged and pressed).
- Herbs - you can substitute Italian seasoning blend in place of the oregano.
Storage
- Refrigerate - This recipe will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container.
- Reheat - You may need to use a tablespoon or two of water when reheating to loosen up the sauce.
full of flavor!
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Pasta alla Norma
This authentic Pasta alla Norma recipe is a classic, Sicilian dish that is full of rich flavors.
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Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta short rigatoni, paccheri, or other tube shape pasta
- 1 ½ pounds eggplant about 2 medium, diced into ½-inch cubes
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus 1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup grated ricotta salata or parmesan cheese
- ½ cup fresh basil roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- On a rimmed baking sheet combine eggplant, ¼ cup olive oil and half the oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Toss to combine. Bake eggplant for 20 minutes, to.
- Cook pasta according to the package directions, strain, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When heated, add the diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, the remaining oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
- Then add the canned tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil, then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickend and is jam-like.
- Add the eggplant to the tomato sauce and stir to combine.
- Add the pasta to the sauce. Stir to combine and top with grated cheese and basil.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 481kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 567mg | Potassium: 931mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 625IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 3mg
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