Pasta alla Norma, the Original Sicilian Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Pasta alla Norma made of? ›

Originally from Catania, a city on the eastern coast of Sicily, Pasta alla Norma is a delicious Sicilian pasta made with tender eggplant and tossed in a herby tomato sauce and a sprinkle of ricotta salata cheese. This eggplant pasta recipe makes a satisfying vegetarian dinner that even meat lovers enjoy!

It was named in honor of the native of Catania Vincenzo Bellini, the composer of the opera Norma. It is said that the Italian writer Nino Martoglio exclaimed "This is a real 'Norma'!", meaning a masterpiece, when he tasted the dish, though the name is not attested until decades after his death.

Pasta Alla Norma is a traditional eggplant and pasta dish from Sicily in Italy made of fried eggplant tossed with pasta and tomato sauce and topped with ricotta salata. In the past, it was called "pasta con le melanzane" which literally means "pasta with eggplant".

The dough, made with only water and semolina, is quickly rolled up on a knitting needle, so as to obtain a narrow and hollow in the center type of pasta, more or less long, perfect to accommodate the Sicilian version of the classic Ligurian pesto.

“Alla” is a word that in Italian grammar is called "preposizione" (preposition). It is used to relate the words "pasta" and "gricia". You know what pasta is, you know what pasta is, "gricia" is the recipe with which pasta is cooked.

Salting and pat-drying eggplants are common steps in many recipes for drawing out excess moisture. Eggplants have a spongy texture that absorbs fats and flavors perfectly, but only when slightly dehydrated with the help of a couple of sprinkles of salt, explains Norton.

Pasta was first brought to Sicily in Italy from the Arabs. This type of pasta was called Itriyya and because of its Middle Eastern origins, the pasta used to have Middle eastern flavours such as raisins and cinnamon!

It is much more likely that the pasta we enjoy today was introduced by Arab traders in Sicily during the 8th and 9th centuries. Traders from North Africa would carry dried strands of durum wheat and water for sustenance during long voyages.

Origins. Although popular legend claims Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy following his exploration of the Far East in the late 13th century, pasta can be traced back as far as the 4th century B.C., where an Etruscan tomb showed a group of natives making what appears to be pasta.

noun. [ feminine ] /'nɔrma/ (regola) rule , regulation , standard.

What makes Sicily different from Italy? ›

One of the biggest difference between Sicilians and Italians is that the former is an autonomous region while the latter is comprised of 20 different regions. In other words, Sicily is its own country within a country.

The symbolism of Medusa: Why is Medusa on the Sicilian flag? The three legs of the central figure represent a trinacria, or triangle, from the Greek name for Sicily, Trinacria, as well as the island's three corners: Peloro (northeast), Passero (southeast), and Lilibeo (west).

Pasta alla Norma is arguably the best representation of Sicilian cuisine out there, making the most of local tomatoes, aubergines, garlic, basil and ricotta salata, salted ricotta. It's called Norma after the nineteenth century opera of the same name – both the dish and the music are regarded as true masterpieces.

It is a most unusual Italian lasagna, made by layering sheets of lasagna with grated apples, dried fruit, nuts, and poppy seeds. Sciabbó, a lasagna made with pork ragú seasoned with dark chocolate, is a traditional Christmas day dish in Sicily, especially in the Enna province.

As the sauce cooks over a low flame, the tomatoes caramelize and turn jammy, melding and combining with the vodka. This leaves the eater with a sauce that's creamy and rich, and luxuriously silky on the tongue.

The ingredients are simple—just spaghetti (or another long pasta), and the carbonara is made with pancetta or bacon, eggs, Parmesan, a little olive oil, salt and pepper. The silky carbonara sauce is created when the beaten eggs are tossed with the hot pasta and a little fat from the pancetta or bacon.

Vodka sauce was definitively invented in by Armando Mei for his midtown restaurant Fontana di Trevi, debuting on the menu in 1967. Mei called his penne alla vodka, as the dish most often known as in the United States. It was a combination off tomatoes, vodka, and cream.

Usually, Italian pasta is made from 100 percent durum wheat, which is usually called semolina flour. Therefore, Italian pasta is higher in protein. Semolina flour also stands up to the rigors of the cooking process much better than other types of flour.