Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma with eggplant is a classic Sicilian dish from Catania that uses Eggplant as its main ingredient. Eggplant happens to be one of my most favorite ingredients to use in cooking. It is versatile and absorbs the flavor of the other elements.

This is a highly flavorful dish that is perfect for vegetarians or individuals that are looking for a delicious and easy recipe. The rich tomato sauce, with the eggplant complements the spaghetti well. The crunchy & caramelized onions are divine. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese and you have a highly satisfying meal in the comfort of your home.

This pasta recipe is incredible with a glass of red wine. Pair it with a lovely salad and enjoy it in your garden with your loved ones. This ideal meal comes together easily and it is incredibly comforting to enjoy on a relaxing afternoon.

What do you need to make Pasta alla Norma?

Eggplant, Onion, Garlic, Black pepper, Onion Powder, Salt, Ginger Powder, Dried Basil, Dried Oregano, Paprika Powder, Worcestershire Sauce, Brown Sugar, Tomato Paste, Spaghetti, Butter, Olive Oil and Diced tomatoes.

The eggplant is the heart of this recipe. After-all, it is called Eggplant Alla Norma for a reason. Eggplant is a very interesting member of the nightshade family. Other members of the eggplant family include tomatoes and potatoes. Eggplant is rich with nutrients such as B1 and B6, it also contains the antioxidant referred to as nasunin which is found in abundance on the purple skin of the vegetable. Fresh onion and garlic is also caramelized for the pasta sauce.

The thing about eggplants is that it can be rather bland, it is also quite spongy in texture. In order for eggplant to be delicious, one has to rely on external elements such as spices and butter to enhance its flavor. When eggplant is cooked with salt, pepper and butter, this simple vegetable is transformed into a rich and buttery component of the Pasta alla norma.

Some recipes choose to bake it in the oven, we’ve tried that before, and we prefer the grill it on a pan method. Baking the eggplant in the oven requires at least 40 minutes of bake time. It is much quicker to cook the eggplant on the grill pan. Plus, the taste is phenomenally better than the oven-bake version of eggplant. When you bake eggplant in the oven, moisture gets trapped inside of the spongy layer, it lacks in flavor and doesn’t quite caramelize like on the grill pan.

We’ve used a combination of spices that bring out the flavor of the tomato sauce. During the grilling process of the eggplant, we’ve chosen to use simple salt, butter and black pepper. However, in the preparation of the sauce, we chose a number of different spices to accentuate the flavor of the tomato sauce. Dried basil and oregano gives the tomato sauce a Mediterranean taste, whilst paprika powder provides that smokey taste. The onion and ginger powder deepen the flavors of the sauce, black pepper and salt are essential ingredients. Tomato paste deepens the flavor of the diced tomatoes. The brown sugar lessens the acidity of the tomato sauce. And, the Worcestershire sauces adds that special factor to the Pasta alla norma which rounds up the flavors.

Spaghetti is the perfect pasta for this dish. It is long, silky and entangles with the sauce. The smooth spaghetti serves as the ideal surface of the flavorful sauce. Other substitutes include penne, tagliatelle and fusilli.

Instructions

Caramelize the ingredients: Chop the onion, Mince the Garlic. The next step is to cook your onion and garlic in some olive oil. Make sure that your garlic is finely chopped as it will release more flavor into your pasta sauce. Browning and caramelizing your ingredients is instrumental to the taste of this dish.

Cook the tomato sauce: Add the diced tomatoes on top of your onion & garlic. Add the spices, sugar + condiments. The tomato sauce needs to simmer for thirty minutes, mix the ingredients well. Ensure that your stove temperature is on medium low heat.

You can also cover the surface area of the surrounding stove with some foil, this is to ensure that the sauce does not splash onto the stove surface.

Eggplant: Begin by washing and slicing the eggplant. Preheat the stove to medium-high heat. Add butter and Olive oil. Put the eggplant on a hot grill pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper. Grill for eight to ten minutes. Once the eggplant is cooked, set aside.

Spaghetti: Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions, drain and set aside. Usually, it takes 8 minutes to cook on medium high heat. Drain pasta and set aside.

Add the sauce and pasta: Mix the sauce with the pasta, add some pasta water to the sauce, this will make the sauce smoother and cling onto the surface of the spaghetti. Add a few drops of olive oil into the tomato sauce with the spaghetti. Add the grilled eggplant on top of the spaghetti with the sauce. Decorate with fresh basil, this herb adds a lovely flavor to this dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and enjoy.

What can you Serve with Pasta Alla Norma?

Pasta alla norma pairs with so many different dishes. Consider Garlic bread as a side dish. Caprese salad along with the fresh mozzarella cheese will add to the creaminess of the dish. Other ideas include Bruschetta as an appetizer. Sautéed Brussels sprouts or Garlic Butter Green Beans are also incredible side-dishes that will amplify the taste of this pasta dish.

How to Store Pasta all Norma?

Allow to cool, then store for two to three days in the fridge. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. You can freeze for two to three months. When thawing, remove from freezer and leave on the counter top for two to three hours, then reheat on stove-top.

Will Diced tomatoes Work for Pasta alla Norma?

Yes! Most Italians use crushed tomatoes to make Pasta alla norma dish; however, if you use fresh tomatoes to bring out the flavor of the tomatoes, you have to use butter (approximately two tablespoons). Make sure to add the tomato paste as well. That will add a ton of flavour.