30 minute Sicilian Pasta alla Norma

30 minute Sicilian Pasta alla Norma

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Alex Hiller

Alex Hiller

Contributor

www.hillers-kitchen-tools.de
"Pasta alla Norma brings the Sicilian sun to your plate and tastes just like a summer vacation in Italy. For our everyday version of this pasta with tomato and eggplant sauce, all you need is a handful of simple ingredients that you can find in any supermarket. Traditionally, it is served with ricotta salata, a salted, firm ricotta cheese. Here we went for ordinary ricotta, seasoned with salt and pepper. This gives the pasta a wonderfully creamy note! In some recipes, the eggplants are deep-fried in plenty of oil. In our Pasta alla Norma recipe, we skip this and fry the eggplants in a pan until golden brown instead. If using wholegrain pasta, this will keep you feeling full for longer, but normal pasta also goes perfectly with this sauce."
Difficulty
Easy 👌
Preparation
30 min
Baking
0 min
Resting
0 min

Ingredients

2Servings
250 g
whole-wheat penne
1
eggplant
100 g
ricotta cheese
1
onion
2 cloves
garlic
3 sprigs
thyme
400 ml
canned whole peeled tomatoes
salt
pepper
olive oil (for frying)
basil (for garnish)

Utensils

pot, sieve, cutting board, knife, frying pan (large), wooden spoon, tongs, Pasta Magie seasoning

Nutrition per serving

Cal618
Fat9 g
Protein25 g
Carb111 g

  • Step 1/4

    To make the Pasta alla Norma, cook the pasta according to package instructions for approx. 10–12 min. until al dente. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water, and set aside.
    • 250 g whole-wheat penne
    • pot
    • sieve

    To make the Pasta alla Norma, cook the pasta according to package instructions for approx. 10–12 min. until al dente. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water, and set aside.

  • Step 2/4

    Peel and finely dice onion and garlic. Dice the eggplant too. Strip and chop the thyme leaves. In a small bowl, season the ricotta with salt and pepper.
    • 1 onion
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1 eggplant
    • cutting board
    • knife

    Peel and finely dice onion and garlic. Dice the eggplant too. Strip and chop the thyme leaves. In a small bowl, season the ricotta with salt and pepper.

  • Step 3/4

    Heat a little olive oil in a large pan. Add the diced eggplant and fry for approx. 6–8 min. until browned all over and slightly softened. Then add the onion and garlic and sauté for approx. 2–4 min. until translucent.
    • olive oil (for frying)
    • frying pan (large)
    • wooden spoon

    Heat a little olive oil in a large pan. Add the diced eggplant and fry for approx. 6–8 min. until browned all over and slightly softened. Then add the onion and garlic and sauté for approx. 2–4 min. until translucent.

  • Step 4/4

    Add the canned tomatoes and thyme and simmer over a medium heat for approx. 5–8 min. Then season well with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well. Add reserved pasta water if needed. Serve the Pasta alla Norma with a dollop of ricotta and fresh basil.
    • 400 ml canned whole peeled tomatoes
    • 3 sprigs thyme
    • salt
    • pepper
    • 100 g ricotta cheese
    • basil (for garnish)
    • tongs
    • Pasta Magie seasoning

    Add the canned tomatoes and thyme and simmer over a medium heat for approx. 5–8 min. Then season well with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well. Add reserved pasta water if needed. Serve the Pasta alla Norma with a dollop of ricotta and fresh basil.

  • Enjoy your meal!

    30 minute Sicilian Pasta alla Norma
FAQ

Pasta alla Norma is a traditional Italian pasta dish from Sicily. It consists of pasta, a fruity tomato sauce and pan-fried or deep-fried eggplant. It is served with ricotta and fresh basil.

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