Penne alla Norma

134 Ratings
  • 5 45
  • 4 41
  • 3 35
  • 2 12
  • 1 1

This classic Sicilian pasta dish combines eggplant, tomatoes, and basil. Put a dollop of ricotta cheese on each plate to stir in for a creamy consistency.

Everyday Food, September 2003

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Recipe Summary

prep:
20 mins
total:
20 mins
Servings:
6
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain pasta; return to pot.

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  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

  • Add eggplant to skillet; season generously with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook until eggplant begins to release juices, about 5 minutes. Uncover; cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes (if bottom of pan browns too much, add a few tablespoons water, and scrape with spoon).

  • Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1/4 cup water to skillet; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

  • Toss sauce and basil with pasta; gently reheat if necessary. Top each serving with a spoonful of ricotta, and garnish with more basil.

Cook's Notes

Crushed red pepper adds spice to this dish. Vary the amount according to taste.

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Reviews (2)

134 Ratings
  • 5 45
  • 4 41
  • 3 35
  • 2 12
  • 1 1
Martha Stewart Member
09/11/2018
Whenever I use eggplant in a recipe, I slice it 1 inch thick (with skin on) and let it sit lightly salted between 2 paper towels to remove any bitterness. Then I move it to a plate in single layer and give it 3-5 minutes on high in a microwave to partially cook it. This prevents it from picking jup too much oil when it is fried. Then cube it and saute as per recipe. I substituted flat leaf parsley for the basil as basil leaves a terrible taste in my mouth--this does not happen to most people.
Martha Stewart Member
09/08/2013
I really enjoyed this. I peeled the eggplant, as other reviews suggested. I doubled the tomato paste and water to make this a little more "saucy." Otherwise, I stuck to the recipe. The ricotta cheese added some good flavor, without it I would think this would be a bit bland. Yummy!
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