Pasta alla Norma
A classic Catanese pasta tossed in a rich tomato sauce with golden fried aubergines, fresh basil, and salty shaved ricotta salata.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •Wide deep frying pan
- •Large saucepan
- •Colander
- •Coarse box grater
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 20 g
- carbs
- 74 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 18 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place aubergine pieces in a colander, toss with a generous pinch of salt, and drain for 20 minutes.
- 2
Pat the aubergines completely dry using clean kitchen towels to ensure crisp frying.
- 3
Heat olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- 4
Fry aubergines in single-layer batches until deeply golden and tender, then drain on kitchen paper.
- 5
Warm extra virgin olive oil and crushed garlic in a saucepan over medium heat until fragrant.
- 6
Add crushed tomatoes and half the torn basil, simmering gently for 15 minutes until lightly thickened.
- 7
Cook rigatoni in a large pot of boiling salted water until perfectly al dente.
- 8
Discard garlic from the sauce, season with salt and pepper, and stir in most fried aubergines.
- 9
Drain pasta, reserving a small cup of pasta cooking water, and toss pasta into the warm sauce.
- 10
Divide into bowls and garnish generously with grated ricotta salata, remaining aubergine pieces, and fresh basil.
Chef's tips
Salting and drying the aubergine removes excess moisture, preventing it from absorbing too much oil during frying. Use authentic firm ricotta salata rather than soft fresh ricotta, as its dry, savoury punch defines the dish.
Ingredient substitutions
- ricotta salata → mature pecorino siciliano or salted caciocavallo, though the flavour will be sharper
- rigatoni → penne rigate, casarecce, or sedani rigati
Storage
Keep leftover pasta and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a wide pan over medium-low heat with a small splash of water until steaming.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using soft fresh tub ricotta, which turns milky and ruins the texture.
- •Crowding the frying pan, causing aubergines to steam and become soggy rather than crisp.
- •Boiling the pasta past al dente before tossing with the warm sauce.
Serving suggestions
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