Pasta alla Norma
Pasta alla Norma, a dish with a unique legend, is highly appreciated, cooked everywhere on the island, and is a triumph of simple summer tastes.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 cup durum wheat semolina pasta
- 5 ripe tomatoes
- 1½ cup tomato puree
- 2 eggplants
- 1 cloves garlic
- 10 leaves fresh basil
- ¾ cup salted ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- coarse salt
Instructions
- Evenly dice the eggplant.
- Draw their bitter juices out. Place them into a strainer with salt for 30 minutes as described above.
- Fry the eggplant pieces in plenty of super-hot extra virgin olive oil.
- Make sure about the quantity and the temperature of the oil, it should be about 350°F (180°C). One trick to see if the oil is hot enough is to put a small piece of bread into the oil. If it sizzles, the oil is ready. The eggplant pieces should float easily to the top of the oil. The thermic shock will seal the surface and prevent the food from getting too greasy.
- Drain them on a paper towel and keep warm.
- Remove the excess oil from the pan; make sure there are no burnt remnants of eggplant. Leave a little oil in the pan.
- Drop the tomatoes into plenty of boiling water for a couple of minutes so that they peel more easily. Remove the skin and seeds, coarsely chop them, and put them into the pan. Add the garlic and cook over low heat until tender. Remove it from the heat when done.
- Wash and dry the basil and add it to the tomato sauce.
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water (follow the cooking time on the package).
- Drain it and put it into a serving bowl, add the tomato sauce, and toss well.
- Divide it into single-serve dishes and top with the eggplant pieces; sprinkle the tops with grated ricotta cheese and add some fresh basil leaves for a strong Mediterranean taste.
- The typical Sicilian way to serve your Pasta alla Norma is to lay some eggplant pieces in a shallow bowl, then place some pasta in the shape of a small volcano and top with a little tomato sauce. Top with more eggplant pieces and sprinkle with grated ricotta cheese. It vaguely resembles the Etna volcano; the tomato sauce is the lava flow, the white of the cheese is the snow on the top. Your Pasta alla Norma is ready to be served and enjoyed!
Nutrition
Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 1327mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1900IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3mg