Pasta alla Norma
Pasta alla Norma is Catania’s signature pasta, built on typical list of Sicilian staples: eggplant, tomato, garlic, and a salty aged cheese grated on top. The name comes from a bit of local legend. In the early 1900s, the Catanese playwright Nino Martoglio reportedly tasted the dish and declared “Chista è ‘na vera Norma!” — “this is a real Norma!” — comparing it to Vincenzo Bellini’s opera Norma, still the proudest thing to come out of Catania. The name stuck.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (360 g) spaghetti or linguine
- 1 lb (450 g) eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- A pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 1/2 lb (675 g) pulped tomatoes, canned is fine
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp oregano, or to taste
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup (14 g) Italian parsley or basil, finely minced, for garnish
- 1 cup (100 g) shaved Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, to serve
Preparation
Roast the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Combine the eggplant cubes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and red pepper flakes in a bowl and toss until the eggplant is well coated. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet large enough that the cubes aren’t touching. Roast for about 25 minutes, turning the cubes halfway through.
Make the sauce: While the eggplant roasts, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring now and then, until the garlic starts to color, 1 to 2 minutes — don’t let it burn. Add the pulped tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and oregano. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the roasted eggplant and taste for seasoning.
Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and add to the tomato-eggplant sauce, tossing to combine and warming through if needed.
Serve: Garnish with parsley or basil and serve with grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan.
Notes
For a more traditional finish, swap the Pecorino or Parmesan for ricotta salata if you can find it.
The sauce keeps well and reheats nicely the next day — flavors deepen overnight.
