Words by Fabrizia Lanza. Photograph by Guy Ambrosino.
Stories abound about the origins of this dish—who was Norma?—but the name of this recipe most likely came long after its “invention.” Indeed, pasta with tomatoes and fried eggplant is an almost intuitive combination in a place where both vegetables grow so abundantly. Mounding the fried eggplant on top of the seasoned pasta preserves its integrity— the dish naturally comes together as everyone scoops out their portion.
Dive more into Sicilian recipes with The Food of Sicily by Fabrizia Lanza.
Looking for other pasta recipes? In addition to Pasta all Norma, you might want to try:
Occhipinti Ricotta Filled Ravioli with Norma Sauce
Mezzatorre Hotel’s Bucatini Allo Scarpariello Pasta
Pesto Alla Trapanese: Sicilian Almond Pesto Pasta
Pasta alla Norma: Sicilian Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 pounds 900 g firm eggplant, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes
- fine sea salt
- 1 pound 450 g dried ziti or other tubular pasta
- 3 cups 480 ml good-quality tomato sauce, homemade or store-bought, warmed
- 4 ounces 115 g ricotta salata cheese, grated
- a handful of coarsely chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Pour at least 2 inches (5 cm) of vegetable oil into a wide heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium heat until it is hot enough to fry in (see Deep-Frying, page 30). Set a wire rack in a sheet pan.
- Once the oil is ready, carefully lower as many eggplant cubes as will fit without crowding into the hot oil. Fry, flipping occasionally, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried eggplant to the rack to drain. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat to fry the remaining eggplant cubes.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain.
- Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl, along with the warmed sauce and half of the grated ricotta salata and half of the basil. Toss gently to combine. Pile the fried eggplant over the pasta and top with the remaining grated ricotta salata and basil. Serve at once.
Excerpted from The Food of Sicily by Fabrizia Lanza (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2023.