Pasta alla Norma Recipe (Classic Sicilian Eggplant Pasta You’ll Love!)
Few dishes capture the essence of Sicily quite like Pasta alla Norma. It’s humble yet elegant, simple yet bursting with flavor. Originating from the city of Catania, this dish is named after Vincenzo Bellini’s famous opera Norma — because, according to local legend, it was declared “a masterpiece,” much like the opera itself.
Ingredients
- Main Ingredients
- 12 oz 340 g pasta – rigatoni, penne, or ziti (short pasta holds the sauce best)
- 1 large about 1 lb / 450 g eggplant – cut into ½-inch cubes or slices
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil – plus more for drizzling
- 1 small onion – finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 1 can 14 oz / 400 g crushed tomatoes – or use fresh ripe tomatoes in season
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes – optional for a touch of heat
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- ½ cup 120 ml reserved pasta cooking water – adjust as needed
- To Finish
- 3 oz 85 g ricotta salata – grated or crumbled (substitute Pecorino Romano or feta if unavailable)
- Fresh basil leaves – a handful torn or chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil – for drizzling before serving
- ½ cup crumbled tofu