Pasta Alla Norma

4.50 from 2 votes

Pasta Alla Norma is a classic Sicilian dish that's full of flavor. It has scrumptious eggplant, pasta and Parmesan cheese, and is smothered in a wonderfully seasoned tomato-based sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Dinner, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 609kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

Eggplants

2 medium eggplants cut into 1 inch cubes (with peel)
2 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Sauce

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
28 ounce tomato sauce or tomato passata (2 14.5 oz cans)
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Pasta Alla Norma

12 ounce pasta such as rigatoni, spaghetti, penne, etc.
½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
4 leaves fresh basil chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep oven and baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cook the eggplant: Toss the cubed eggplant with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread it in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, flipping half way through.
Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions, until al dente.
Make the sauce: In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the red pepper flakes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the skillet and stir. Bring to a boil, then simmer the sauce for 5 minutes on low heat. Stir in the eggplant.
Finish the pasta: Toss the pasta with the eggplant sauce gently in a large serving dish, or in the skillet if your skillet is large enough.
Serve: Serve immediately garnished with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Notes

Before draining the pasta, scoop out ½ cup of the pasta water. If your sauce needs a little thinning, pasta water works better than adding water because it has a lot of flavor.
Always aim for freshly grated Parmesan cheese versus the store bought. This way not only will you get extra melty cheese in your pasta, but there will be no added preservatives.
You can store this pasta alla Norma in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. Just be sure to allow it to fully cool before placing it in the fridge.
This pasta dish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can absolutely freeze it for future dinners. It will last up to 6 months stored in an airtight container. Keep in mind after cooked pasta freezes and thaws, it will become a bit softer in texture.

Nutrition