Fusilli alla Norma

Method

1. Dice the aubergine, add a pinch of salt and let it rest for 3 minutes to allow it to lose its water.
2. Rinse it, dry with a cloth and sauté in a teflon pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Set aside.
3. In the same pan, brown the sliced onion, add the tomatoes, the peeled garlic cloves and cook for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the basil leaves, shredded, and set aside.
4. Cook the fusilli in plenty of boiling salted water. Before draining, remember to set aside a spoonful of pasta water to better toss and stir pasta and sauce.
5. Drain the pasta al dente and toss it in the pan with the tomato sauce.
6. Add the aubergines, sprinkle with grated salted ricotta (or another mature cheese) and serve.

Chef's tip

You can use whatever pasta format you prefer, but make sure you don't overcook it, leave it 'al dente' instead!

Serving suggestion

After such a filling, satisfying pasta we suggest you to serve a green salad or some light side dishes such as vegetables or Parma raw ham.

Wine selection

Grillo for the white wines; Riesi DOC, Valpolicella DOC, Bardolino or Cerasuolo for the red ones; Rosato Salento IGT among the rosé wines.

Family tip

We recommend using 1 litre of water for every 100 g of pasta.

Dish history

This delicious pasta is one of the most typical Sicilian dishes! Invented in the city of Catania, where it's called 'Pasta Ca' Norma' in local dialect, the original recipe is characterised by fresh tomato sauce, fried aubergines, basil and a typical hard cheese called 'ricotta salata' (salty ricotta). It's recalled that it was the playwright Nino Martoglio, from Catania who, at the early 20th century, named this pasta after the famous opera 'La Norma' by Vincenzo Bellini: in his opinion, both of them were superb. Ideal in summer, when tomatoes, aubergines and basil are in season. Enjoy!