Penne alla Norma

While touring Sicily, I stumbled across this pasta dish, Penne alla Norma, at one of the restaurants that my friends and I ate at.  After speaking to our program coordinator, we found out that it is actually one of the classic pasta dishes from Sicily.  That's not to say you can't get it from other places around Italy.  I remember having a wonderful plate of it in San Benedetto del Tronto, which you may remember from my post on Brodetto.  My friends and I enjoyed this dish so much that when we returned to Ascoli Piceno, we spent some time in the kitchen replicating it.  Since then, it has become one of my favorite pasta dishes to make.

Penne alla Norma mixes pasta with a light tomato sauce, roasted eggplant, red pepper flakes, and some ricotta cheese.  When my friends and I replicated it, we actually used a product that we found in Italy that was close to cream, except for the fact that its state of matter was closer to a solid than a liquid.    Instead of the cream, I now use ricotta cheese, which is a more traditional ingredient for this dish.  It still creates a pinkish sauce, but also adds some texture.  I used ricotta from a tub since that's what I had on hand, but ricotta salata would be even better.  The red pepper flakes add a great kick, and really reminds you that this is a southern dish.

Penne alla Norma

-serves 6-8 people-

Ingredients:

1 pound penne

1 eggplant

salt

red pepper flakes

extra virgin olive oil

2 cups marinara sauce

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon basil

Process:

1. Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch cubes.  Place the cubes on a paper towel.  Sprinkle salt on the eggplant and cover with another paper towel.  Let the eggplant sit for about 15 minutes to extract some of the liquid in it.
2. Put the eggplant on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and olive oil.  Put the eggplant under the broiler for a few minutes, just until they begin to get a golden brown color.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add the penne and cook as directed, about 8 minutes.  Remove pasta and drain.
4. Toss the pasta with the eggplant, marinara sauce, ricotta, basil, and another pinch of red pepper flakes (depending on how hot you would like it).

Ryan's Sue's rating of Penne alla Norma - 4.5.

Comments

[Jeanne]

Wow, the food in that picture looks delicious! I've had this dish a few times at restaurants but that version looks way better. Recently, I've read a few recipes for making ricotta at home. Maybe this is the recipe to try it on.

[Sue]

Wow, thanks, Jeanne! What were the versions you have had like? Ive seen recipes that dont really use a marinara sauce, but instead just add diced tomatoes to the pasta.

[Jeanne]

You're welcome. How about you fly down tomorrow and make some? I think they had larger slices of eggplant and they were heavier on the diced tomato, like you said, without the ricotta. They were all good, but this one looks perfect.

[Kate]

Ohhh how I miss that cream. I wish we could buy stock in it. Looks delish!!

[Sue]

I know! That cream was amazing. Im sure our arteries are thanking us for not being able to find it here though!

[Momma]

I'd never had this but love eggplant. What a great dish. Can't wait to try variations. Charlie took some leftovers for lunch and had to share. Yum! Thanks, Suz.

[Karisa]

Making it now! Can't wait to try it!

[Sue]

So glad you were able to make it! I hope you like it. This dish is one of the first things I think of when I think of my trip to Sicily.

[Sue]

So glad you were able to make it! I hope you like it. This dish is one of the first things I think of when I think of my trip to Sicily.