A Sicilian classic

If you thought my previous creation was simple, then this is even simpler. It can be on the table in approximately thirty minutes!

If you're not familiar with this dish, then let me do a little explaining.

It's a pasta dish that uses eggplants, tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. A fair bit of olive oil as a matter of fact!

A dish native to Sicily, it's said to be named after Bellini's opera Norma. I ate it everywhere on my recent trip to Sicily.

Eating it numerous times - not once did it disappoint!

It was like perfection on steroids!

The presentation might have differed a little, but the core ingredients were always present.

pasta alla norma pasta dish made with eggplants and tomatoes

Making Pasta Alla Norma at home

For my version of pasta alla Norma, I used spaghetti. That's what I had hiding in my pantry.

I chose to chop up the eggplants in even-sized chunks. You could also slice them into rounds and use them that way. I also made use of fresh tomatoes which are just at their peak now.

If you have canned tomatoes, it's not an issue. Go with those. And please don't be afraid of the olive oil. The eggplants will act as a sponge absorbing that olive oil as you fry them. A little more for the sauce is mandatory.

Finally, if you can get hold of ricotta salata use that to garnish your pasta alla norma. It's a pressed, salted and dried form of ricotta cheese. It's the traditional cheese used for this Sicilian classic.

Cheers!