Pasta alla Norma

Overview of Pasta alla Norma:

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Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma is a classic Sicilian dish made with pasta, eggplant, tomato sauce, basil, and ricotta salata cheese. It is named after the opera Norma by Vincenzo Bellini.

History

The dish is said to have originated in Catania, a city on the east coast of Sicily. It was named in honor of the opera Norma by the Catanian composer Vincenzo Bellini. The term "Norma" in the name of the dish is used in the Sicilian dialect to mean something is excellent or follows the norm.

Ingredients

The main ingredients of Pasta alla Norma are:

• Pasta - traditionally, a large tubular pasta like rigatoni or penne is used.
• Eggplant - this is fried until golden and then added to the sauce.
• Tomato sauce - a simple sauce made from ripe tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil.
• Basil - fresh basil leaves are used to garnish the dish.
• Ricotta salata - a salty, dried ricotta cheese that is grated over the top of the dish.

Preparation

To prepare Pasta alla Norma, the eggplant is first cut into cubes and fried until golden. Meanwhile, the tomato sauce is prepared by sautéing garlic in olive oil, adding tomatoes and simmering until the sauce is reduced. The cooked pasta is then tossed with the tomato sauce and the fried eggplant. The dish is served with a garnish of fresh basil leaves and a generous sprinkling of grated ricotta salata cheese.

Variations

There are many variations of Pasta alla Norma. Some recipes include other vegetables such as bell peppers or zucchini. Others add a touch of heat with red pepper flakes. The type of pasta used can also vary, with some recipes calling for spaghetti or bucatini instead of the traditional rigatoni or penne.

See also

• List of pasta dishes
• Sicilian cuisine
• Italian cuisine

External links

• [recipe/pasta-allanorma Recipe for Pasta alla Norma]

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