Sicilian Pasta alla Norma with Fried Eggplant and Ricotta Salata
Sicilian pasta alla Norma with fried eggplant, basil tomato sauce, and grated ricotta salata: a simple, generous first course.
Want a simple but striking Sicilian first course, with fried eggplant and that savory note of ricotta salata that makes it unmistakable? Pasta alla Norma is exactly that.
It’s one of Sicily’s signature dishes, born in Catania, and it relies on just a few perfectly balanced ingredients: short pasta, a tomato sauce scented with basil, soft sweet fried eggplant, and ricotta salata grated at the very end. Nothing complicated, but every element counts.
It has at least three real advantages: it’s budget-friendly and vegetarian, it’s at its best in summer when eggplants are in season, and it comes together in under an hour with easy-to-find ingredients.
The most important tip involves two details: salt and drain the eggplant before frying, so it stays sweet and absorbs less oil, and always add the ricotta salata raw, grated directly over the plate. It’s the cheese that delivers the finishing touch of a true Norma.
Set a few eggplant cubes aside for garnish: besides looking good, they give one more bite of that golden flavor.
Ready? Let’s make pasta alla Norma.
Base preparations used
To make this recipe
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Large non-stick pan
Useful for cooking and sautéing ingredients evenly without overcrowding the surface.
Steps
- Cut the eggplants into cubes, place them in a colander with a little salt, and let them drain for 20 minutes. Rinse and pat them dry well.
- Make the sauce: warm a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil with the garlic clove, add the passata, season with salt, and add a few basil leaves. Cook gently for 15 to 20 minutes, then remove the garlic.
- Fry the eggplant cubes in hot oil until golden, then drain them on paper towels. Set a handful aside for garnish.
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente. Drain it, reserving a ladle of pasta water.
- Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce, add the fried eggplant, and toss over high heat for a minute, loosening with a little pasta water if needed.
- Plate and finish with grated ricotta salata, the reserved eggplant, and a fresh basil leaf.
Helpful tips
Salting and draining the eggplant reduces bitterness and the oil it absorbs while frying.
Add the ricotta salata raw, grated over the plate: it gives the savory note that defines a real Norma.
Set a few eggplant cubes aside to garnish: it makes the dish prettier and more inviting.
For a lighter version, bake the eggplant with a drizzle of oil instead of frying.
Average nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 68.0 g
- Sugars
- 8.0 g
- Protein
- 14.0 g
- Fat
- 16.0 g
- Saturated fat
- 4.0 g
- Fiber
- 6.0 g
- Sodium
- 420 mg
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