The original recipe of Pasta alla Norma as the tradition of Catania demands

When I think of summertime, my thoughts immediately go to the sea and vacations, to enchanting places such as Sicily where natural beauties are combined with dishes that leave one speechless. This is the case of one of the most symbolic dishes of this region, Pasta alla Norma. It is a dish having poor origins and having been made before its consecration in the 1800’s, known more simply as pasta cu sucu di mulinciani or pasta ca sassa e mulinciani. In fact, eggplants were introduced by Arabs from India in Sicily at the beginning of the fourth century and derive their common name from unhealthy apple (the fruit), because it is not edible raw. Nevertheless, history inextricably ties this dish to the city of Catania and its composer Vincenzo Bellini. However, the stories about the origin of its name are two, one linked to the premiere of the opera Norma by Vincenzo Bellini at the Scala Theatre in Milan and the other to an exclamation of the playwright Nino Martoglio.
In the first version, everything is linked to the debut of Vincenzo Bellini’s opera Norma at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan on December 26, 1831. The opera had a shaky start but in time became the most famous of his ten operas. It is said that, during the evening of the debut, a Sicilian chef created a special dish especially for the occasion: Pasta alla Norma. Who knows if, besides the name of the opera, the chef was also inspired by the name of the soprano interpreter of Norma, Giuditta Pasta.
According to another version, in an unspecified day of 1920 took place a lunch at home Musco-Pandolfini, in Via Etnea in Catania, which saw around the same table Angelo Musco, his sister Anna and her husband Giuseppe Pandolfini (the hosts), his nephews Turi and Janu, the latter with his wife Saridda D’Urso, and Nino Martoglio, who with the famous actor had established for some time an artistic bond. When the dish was brought to the diners, Martoglio, struck by the aroma and the goodness of the Sicilian dish, turned to the cook and exclaimed: “Signora Saridda, chista è ʼna vera Norma” (Mrs. Saridda, this is a real Norma). A joke that from that moment onwards gave the name to the pasta par excellence of Catania.
To get ready for September 23rd, National Day of Pasta alla Norma, here is my original recipe and super faithful to the tradition of Pasta alla Norma as they demand in Catania.

DETAILS
– Difficulty: easy
– Preparation time: 1h
– Doses: 4 people
– Cost: low

INGREDIENTS
– 800g of peeled tomatoes
– 460g of eggplant (1 eggplant)
– 320g of macaroni
– 100g of salted sheep’s milk ricotta
– 6g garlic (2 cloves)
– 2g of fresh basil (8 leaves)
– Salt and extra virgin olive oil to taste

Tools used:
– Vegetable Cutter:
– Food scale:
– Precision food scale:
– Bowls of various sizes:
– 225ml oil dispenser:
– Spatulas set:
– Spatula with long handle:
– Silicone spatula:

Follow me on:
– Instagram:
– Facebook:
– Twitter:
– Website: