Pasta alla Norma is one of the most popular first courses of Sicilian cuisine. According to tradition, its name derives from the opera Norma, by the Catania composer Vincenzo Bellini (1831). Apparently it was the poet Nino Martoglio, also from Catania, who tasted it and was so impressed by its goodness that he exclaimed "Chista è‘ na vera Norma" (This is a real Norma!).
The original recipe requires simple and characteristic ingredients of the Mediterranean tradition: tomato sauce, fried eggplants, garlic (not onion) and seasoned sheep's ricotta.
What about the pasta format? Macaroni, of course. The only exception is the Trapani version of the Norma, which allows the use of busiate, a traditional format of fresh pasta, worked with a knitting needle called buso. If you want to experiment, never dare with long pasta, like spaghetti: only rigatoni or, at most, penne are accepted.
Read our full recipe here.