Pasta alla Norma
Pasta alla Norma is Sicilian summer on a plate: aubergine fried until creamy inside, a plain tomato sauce and plenty of basil. Salty, crumbly ricotta salata on top adds a fresh dairy note no other cheese quite matches. We stir some of the aubergine through the sauce and pile the rest on top so it keeps its golden edges.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Rest
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 650 kcal
Ingredients
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What to use instead
No ricotta salata? Crumbled firm feta is the best stand-in. Pecorino tastes great too, but it’s made with animal rennet, so the dish would no longer be vegetarian.
Makes: 4 servings
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Salt the aubergine
Cut the aubergines into 2 cm cubes, toss with 1½ tsp salt in a colander and leave for 30 minutes. Pat them thoroughly dry with a tea towel — they’ll soak up far less oil.
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Step 2: Fry the aubergine
Heat 80 ml of the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the aubergine in two batches for 6–8 minutes each, turning, until golden all over and creamy inside. Drain on kitchen paper.
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Step 3: Simmer the sauce
Add the remaining oil to the same pan with the garlic and chilli and sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant but not coloured. Crush in the tomatoes with your hands, add a few basil leaves and simmer for 15 minutes until thick. Season with salt.
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Step 4: Cook the pasta
Meanwhile bring 4 litres of water to the boil with 1 tbsp salt and cook the rigatoni for 1 minute less than the packet says. Scoop out 150 ml of the cooking water before draining.
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Step 5: Toss together
Stir two-thirds of the aubergine into the sauce, then add the pasta and 50–80 ml of the cooking water. Toss over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.
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Step 6: Serve
Divide among bowls and top with the remaining aubergine and torn basil leaves. Grate the ricotta salata generously over each bowl.
Tips & variations
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Variation
For a lighter version, roast the aubergine cubes with 3 tbsp oil at 220 °C for 25 minutes, turning once — a thinner crust, but a third of the oil.
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Swap
No ricotta salata? Crumbled firm feta is the best stand-in. Pecorino tastes great too, but it’s made with animal rennet, so the dish would no longer be vegetarian.
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Tip
The aubergines are salted and so is the cheese, so taste before serving and add extra salt sparingly.
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Storage
The aubergine and tomato sauce keeps for 3 days in the fridge; reheat and toss with freshly cooked pasta.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 650 kcal | 2,600 kcal |
| Protein | 20 g | 80 g |
| Fat | 23 g | 92 g |
| Carbohydrates | 90 g | 360 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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