Authentic Pasta alla Norma recipe: Sicilian pasta with eggplant and salted ricotta
Pasta alla Norma is a symbol of Sicilian cuisine. Originally from Catania, at the foot of Mount Etna, this colourful dish celebrates the generosity of southern Italian produce: golden eggplants, homemade tomato sauce, salted ricotta and fresh basil.
Its name pays tribute to the opera Norma by Vincenzo Bellini, a composer from Catania. The writer Nino Martoglio, amazed by the flavour of this dish, exclaimed:
“È una Norma!” — in other words: “It’s a masterpiece!”
Since then, Pasta alla Norma has become an essential classic, a symbol of Sicilian culinary culture.
Ingredients for the Pasta alla Norma recipe (serves 4)
For the pasta
400 g rigatoni, penne or maccheroni
2 large eggplants
500 g peeled and crushed tomatoes (or homemade tomato sauce)
100 g grated ricotta salata
3 garlic cloves
A few fresh basil leaves
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil from Sicily
Salt and pepper
Tip: the quality of the salted ricotta and olive oil makes all the difference in Pasta alla Norma.
Step-by-step preparation
Step 1: Prepare the eggplants
Wash and cut the eggplants into 1 cm slices.
Salt them and let them drain for 30 minutes.
Rinse, dry, then fry them over medium heat until golden.
Drain on paper towels.
Light version: bake the eggplants in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil.
Step 2: Prepare the tomato sauce
Sauté the garlic cloves in a little olive oil.
Add the crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper.
Let it simmer for 15–20 minutes.
Remove the garlic and add the fresh basil.
Step 3: Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook the pasta al dente.
Drain, keeping a little of the cooking water.
Step 4: Assemble the Pasta alla Norma
Mix the pasta with the tomato sauce.
Add the eggplant slices.
Loosen slightly with some cooking water.
Serve hot, topped with grated ricotta salata and basil leaves.
Chef’s tip: grate the ricotta just before serving to preserve its flavour.
Variations of Pasta alla Norma
Fresh ricotta: for a creamier texture.
With red chili: to spice up the sauce.
Grilled eggplants: a lighter version, perfect for summer.
Vegetarian Pasta alla Norma: without animal cheese, for a vegan version.
