Pasta alla Norma

Name: Pasta alla Norma
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italy
Ingredients: 400 g pasta (rigatoni or maccheroni); 2 large aubergines; Olive oil, for frying; 2 garlic cloves; 800 g peeled tomatoes; 1 bunch of basil; 100 g ricotta salata (or pecorino); Salt and pepper

Local name: Pasta alla Norma

Catania's pride, fried aubergines, a basil-scented tomato sauce and a shower of grated salted ricotta.

Published on 6 October 2025·Updated on 10 September 2026

#pasta#aubergine#tomato#basil#Sicily

Photo: Paoletta S., CC BY 2.0

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 55 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium

Method

Cut the aubergines into 1 cm slices. Salt them and leave for 30 minutes, then pat dry.
Fry the slices in a shallow layer of hot oil until golden on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper.
In a wide pan, gently colour the garlic in 3 tbsp oil. Add the crushed tomatoes and half the basil. Simmer for 20 minutes, season.
Cook the pasta al dente in a large pan of salted water. Drain, keeping a ladle of cooking water.
Toss the pasta with the sauce and a splash of cooking water. Add two thirds of the aubergines, roughly chopped.
Serve with the remaining aubergines on top, the rest of the basil and a generous grating of ricotta salata.

Ricotta salata is a pressed, salted ricotta with a dry texture. If you cannot find it, pecorino romano or well-drained feta will do the job.

The techniques this recipe uses

Drain and rinse
Canning liquid clouds a sauce and salts it blind: rinse until the water runs clear.

This recipe also appears in

Summer recipes

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 488 kcal
Protein: 18.6 g
Fat: 4.8 g
Carbohydrate: 94.1 g
Fibre: 10.3 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Do I really need to salt the aubergines first?

Salting for thirty minutes draws out some of the water, which limits how much oil they soak up and gives golden slices rather than spongy ones. Pat them dry thoroughly before frying, or the oil will spit.

What can replace ricotta salata?

It is a pressed, salted ricotta, dry enough to grate and quite unlike fresh ricotta, which would not work here. Pecorino romano or well-drained feta, grated, play the same salty, dry role.

Can I roast the aubergines instead of frying them?

Yes, brushed with oil and roasted until golden. The result is lighter but less melting, because frying gives the flesh the almost creamy softness that defines this dish.

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