Daily Italian Recipe · Pasta
Pasta alla Norma-style Penne
Golden fried aubergine, tomato and basil bring Sicily to this Pasta alla Norma-style Penne. Aged Tuscan pecorino replaces the traditional ricotta salata in this clearly labelled variation.
Total time
50 minutes
Serves
2 people
Difficulty
Easy
Origin
Sicily
Pasta alla Norma is closely associated with Catania, on Sicily’s eastern coast. Its defining ingredients are fried aubergine, tomato, basil and a finishing snowfall of ricotta salata.
The name is popularly linked to Vincenzo Bellini’s opera Norma, although the precise naming story is uncertain. This version preserves the Sicilian frying-and-tossing technique while using aged Tuscan pecorino for a sharper finish.
Ingredients
- 200 g Penne Rigate Molisana, from the current 500 g packShop
- 300 g Home Made Tomato SauceShop
- 30 g Aged Tuscany Pecorino DOP, finely gratedShop
- 350 g aubergine, trimmed weight
- 150 ml extra virgin olive oil, for shallow-frying; most will remain in the pan
- 8 g fresh basil leaves
- 12 g fine sea salt, for the pasta water
- 1 g fine sea salt, for the fried aubergine
- 2 litres water, for cooking the pasta
Method
- 1
1. Prepare the aubergine
Keep the skin on and cut the aubergine into 1 cm-thick half-moons, quartering any especially wide slices. Pat thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Grate the pecorino and pick the basil leaves.
- 2
2. Fry until golden
Heat the olive oil in a 24 cm frying pan to approximately 175–180°C. Fry the aubergine in uncrowded batches for 6–8 minutes per batch, turning halfway, until golden on both sides and tender throughout. Let the oil return to temperature between batches. Drain on kitchen paper and season with the 1 g salt.
- 3
3. Warm the tomato sauce
While the aubergine fries, bring the 2 litres water to the boil in a large pot. In a separate wide sauté pan, gently heat the tomato sauce for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tear in half the basil. If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it with 30 ml water from the pot.
- 4
4. Cook the penne
Add the 12 g salt to the boiling water, then add the penne. Cook for 1 minute less than the packet’s stated al dente time, stirring occasionally. Before draining, reserve 150 ml pasta cooking water.
- 5
5. Finish in the sauce
Transfer the drained penne to the tomato sauce. Add 30 ml reserved pasta water and toss over medium heat for about 1 minute, until the pasta is al dente and evenly coated. Add more reserved water only if needed, 15 ml at a time. Gently fold in half the fried aubergine without crushing it.
- 6
6. Dress and serve
Divide between two warm plates. Arrange the remaining aubergine on top, scatter over the grated pecorino and finish with the remaining basil, torn just before serving. Serve immediately.
Chef's secret
Keep half the fried aubergine out of the sauce until plating. You get both tender, tomato-coated pieces and golden slices with their fried edges still distinct.
Did you know?
Ricotta salata, the traditional finishing cheese for Pasta alla Norma, is salted and aged rather than soft and spoonable like fresh ricotta. Aged Tuscan pecorino gives this variation a firmer, sharper sheep’s-milk accent.
Common mistakes
- Crowding the frying pan: the oil temperature drops and the aubergine absorbs more oil instead of browning.
- Cooking the penne fully before tossing: it needs its final minute in the tomato sauce, not an extra minute beyond al dente.
- Treating pecorino exactly like ricotta salata: its stronger flavour calls for a restrained topping and cautious seasoning.
Storage & reheating
Best eaten freshly made. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow, sealed container within 2 hours and use within 2 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan with 15–30 ml water per portion until steaming hot throughout, stirring carefully. Add fresh basil after reheating; the aubergine will be softer than when first fried.
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FAQ
Is this traditional Pasta alla Norma?
It follows the classic aubergine, tomato and basil preparation, but traditional Norma is finished with ricotta salata. The aged Tuscan pecorino makes this a Norma-style variation.
Can I roast the aubergine instead?
You can, but frying is the traditional technique and gives the characteristic flavour and texture. For the intended result here, shallow-fry in small batches.
How much of each shop product does this use?
For two servings, use 200 g from the current 500 g penne pack, the full 300 g tomato sauce pack and 30 g from the 100 g pecorino pack. The pasta’s current catalogue name does not identify it as gluten-free; check the package if that is a dietary requirement.