Good morning 💚❤everyone!!! Today I want introduce to you this wonderfull dish : Pasta alla Norma. This is an Sicilian Recipe made in whole Italy but the city that give birth this plate it’s also the city that give birth to me : Catania! In my city we also call it ” pasta cca sassa e i mulinciani fritti” aka pasta with tomato sauce and fried eggplant.
The history of the name have origin probably from a apocryphal exclamation by the Italian writer Nino Martoglio who, upon tasting the dish, exclaimed “This is a real ‘Norma’!”, comparing it with the exceptional perfection of the Vincenzo Bellini Opera Norma.
According to others, the recipe would have been perfected, reinterpreted and developed on the basis of traditional cuisine by a chef on the occasion of the celebrations for the new opera from Catania. Since it has always been a fairly consolidated practice by top chefs and event organizers to pat homage to illustrious guests of honor with dishes created ad hoc, perhaps in one of the many receptions Bellini himself was present in his land.
Ingredients (serving 4)
- 320 gr good quality pasta
- 3 medium eggplants
- 2 jars tomato sauce
- 3 medium size eggplant
- 160 gr ricotta salata ( seasoned salted ricotta cheese)
- seeds oil for fry
- basil leaves
Method
Wash the eggplants and cut 2 of them in to cubes, the third one cut into thin slices. In a large non-stick saucepan put a generous amount of oil and when it reaches the ideal temperature start to fry the cubes and the eggplant slices in small quantities so you will not lower the oil temperature too much and the fry will be optimal. When they are golden remove them with a spotted spoon and put them to drain the excess oil on a plate covered with absorbent paper. Heat the two jars of sauce in a pan, season with salt and pepper and set aside. When the eggplant cubes will be ready put them into the pan with the sauce and let simmer low gas for few minutes. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water (I cooked 2 minute less because I need to sauté the pasta in the saucepan) , put in the simmering sauce the drained spaghetti and let them absorb the sauce. Add basil leaves only at the end because too much warm change his flavor.
Assemble the plate : spaghetti with eggplant sauce , 5/6 slices of fried eggplant, sprinkle with grated seasoned salted ricotta and finish with basil leaves .
Italian Recipes Homemade 