You’ll love this tasty aubergine pasta recipe.
Pasta Alla Norma is an Italian pasta recipe. A basic Sicilian pasta dish loved by pasta lovers throughout Italy.
Gently fry aubergine (eggplant) in olive oil earlier than including it to a home made pasta sauce.
Add cooked pasta to the aubergine sauce, with a sprinkle of shaved Ricotta Salata cheese (or Parmigiano-Reggiano). With recent basil leaves added to serve.
It may be served sizzling or as a chilly pasta salad in the summertime. You too can add chilli peppers if you happen to like spicy.
Proceed studying or leap to see the entire components and directions on the recipe card.
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See our step-by-step slide present on how one can make this aubergine pasta norma.
Why is it referred to as Pasta Alla Norma?
Pasta Alla Norma is a well-liked Italian pasta dish originating from Sicily.
The title of the dish got here from an Italian Author Nino Martoglio.
When he tasted this aubergine pasta dish, he in contrast it with the perfection of the improbable Italian opera Norma.
Substances
I’ll undergo all of the components wanted to make this aubergine pasta recipe, together with appropriate substitutions.
Aubergine
Aubergines and eggplants are the identical issues; they’ve completely different names in several international locations.
The aubergine is the star of this pasta dish so select ones which might be recent and in season.
They need to be shiny and have a agency texture, with none blemishes. Keep away from ones which might be smooth or have brown spots.
Attempt to decide on aubergines with thinner skins or child aubergines for one of the best outcomes.
Easy methods to put together aubergine?
Years in the past, aubergines wanted to be closely salted and sat with a heavy weight to attract out moisture and bitterness.
Nevertheless, aubergine (eggplant) varieties have been modified and now not have bitterness in them.
Wash and cube into cubes, and add a teaspoon of salt earlier than frying in a beneficiant quantity of olive oil.
Olive Oil
Aubergines / Eggplants love to take in olive oil, making them deliciously smooth inside when sautéed.
Home made Pasta Tomato Sauce
The components on this home made pasta sauce are tomatoes, garlic cloves, recent chilli salt and pepper.
Tomatoes
You need to use recent chopped cherry tomatoes or tinned tomatoes.
I like to make use of recent tomatoes when they’re in season. Nevertheless, tinned chopped tomatoes work nicely.
For further richness add tomato puree to the tomato pasta sauce.
Garlic & Chilli
Use recent garlic minced or finely chopped for this pasta bake sauce.
You need to use recent chillies or chilli flakes.
I additionally love spice on this aubergine pasta dish; nevertheless, if you happen to do not, omit it.
Attempt utilizing Gia Garlic Puree and Gia Chilli Puree for a faster aubergine pasta tomato sauce.
Enable the sauce to simmer and thicken while cooking the pasta. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and combined dried herbs for further flavour.
Pasta
Prepare dinner the pasta in boiling salted water, stirring sometimes. Observe cooking time to packet directions or rather less if you happen to prefer it al dente.
Add drained pasta into the aubergine and tomato sauce.
What pasta form to make use of?
In a conventional Pasta Alla Norma tubed pasta shapes are used.
Nevertheless, any pasta form will work on this pasta dish.
I like to make use of rigatoni, penne pasta or fusilli. Try the improbable large fusilli pasta within the footage for this aubergine pasta bake.
Cheese
In Italy, Ricotta Salata cheese finishes this cooked pasta dish.
Ricotta Salata is an Italian sheep’s milk cheese.
It’s agency and closely pressed and salted. It may be grated or shaved over pasta and salad.
Nevertheless, within the UK, it’s not so available.
Substitute Cheese
If you cannot supply Ricotta Salata for this recipe, attempt utilizing Parmigiano-Reggiano (parmesan cheese).
It has an identical texture and offers an important Italian flavour.
Basil
Add loads of recent basil leaves reduce into small items to serve. If utilizing dried basil, use sparingly.
Ought to I reduce or tear basil?
There’s a appreciable debate right here. When served as a garnish, some consider recent basil ought to all the time be torn, not reduce. In order to not bruise the basil.
Then again, others consider the bruising of the basil releases the flavour.
I take advantage of kitchen scissors to chop my recent herbs as I discover it does not bruise as a lot as a knife.
Is that this the proper means? I do not know nevertheless it all the time works for me!
Aubergine Pasta Bake
You possibly can flip this into an aubergine pasta bake. Switch the cooked pasta and pasta sauce into an oven baking dish.
Add torn mozzarella on high, able to be oven-baked for 10 minutes.
To maintain this aubergine pasta vegan pleasant, omit the cheese or use a vegan choice.
Chilly Pasta Salad
The primary time I attempted this dish in Italy, I had it chilly, referred to as Pasta alla Norma Fredda. (Fredda interprets to chilly in Italian).
We get pleasure from it cold and warm, so we make it serve 6!
It makes dinner for the 4 of us. There may be sufficient left to function a chilly pasta salad for lunch the following day.
Add to a lunch field or a chilly pasta salad sharing plate at household gatherings or BBQs.
Serving Recommendations
This pasta dish is nice served as a fundamental course with our home made dough balls on the aspect.
It will also be served with olive and herb focaccia or garlic bread.
Whether or not vegetarian or vegan, this aubergine pasta alla norma recipe is ideal for the entire household!
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Aubergine Pasta (Pasta alla Norma)
Substances Â
- 2 Aubergine (Eggplant) diced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 5 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 500 grams Fusilli Pasta or different pasta resembling macaroni, spaghetti, penne.
- 2 tins Chopped Tomatoes
- 4 cloves Garlic finely chopped or pureed
- 1 Chilli finely chopped or minced
- Black Pepper to style
- 60 grams Parmigiano-Reggiano or Ricotta Salata shaved to serve
- Basil recent chopped to serve
DirectionsÂ
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Reduce the aubergine into cubes and sprinkle with salt.
2 Aubergine (Eggplant), 1 teaspoon Salt
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Warmth the olive oil in a pan over medium warmth. Add the Aubergine, gently fry till smooth and golden, about 8 minutes.
5 tablespoon Olive Oil
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Add chopped tomatoes, garlic, chilli & black pepper with the aubergine. Flip to excessive warmth.As soon as effervescent, flip the temperature all the way down to low and simmer.
2 tins Chopped Tomatoes, 4 cloves Garlic, 1 Chilli, Black Pepper
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While the sauce simmers, cook dinner the pasta to the directions on the packet.
500 grams Fusilli Pasta
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Drain the pasta. Stir into the thickened pasta sauce.
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Prime with recent basil and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano or Ricotta Salata.Season to style with salt and pepper.Serve heat or chilly!!
Basil, 60 grams Parmigiano-Reggiano or Ricotta Salata
Vitamin
Energy: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 10gFats: 16gSaturated Fats: 3gPolyunsaturated Fats: 2gMonounsaturated Fats: 10gLdl cholesterol: 7mgSodium: 559mgPotassium: 428mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 185IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 143mgIron: 2mg
This aubergine pasta recipe submit was initially posted 15/06/2020 and was up to date 04/05/2022 to incorporate substitute components, new pictures and a straightforward recipe card.
Aubergine Recipes
Attempt our Turkey and Rice Stuffed Aubergines for extra recipes utilizing aubergines, Thai Inexperienced Beef Curry. Or come again quickly as we’ve simply created an aubergine curry!
Italian Recipes
In case you love Italian meals, take a look at our Rice Salad which pairs nicely with Italian Hen Drumsticks.
We even have a scrumptious Italian Pot Roast With Pasta, or attempt our Italian Eggs Benedict for breakfast.
I hope you loved this recipe; we’d love to listen to your ideas under or depart a evaluate of our recipe.Â
