🍆 Casarecce alla Norma

Name: Casarecce alla Norma
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italy · Sicily, Catania
Ingredients: 350 g dried casarecce; 2 medium eggplants (about 600 g), cubed; 400 g tomato passata or chopped tomatoes; 1 garlic clove; 2 tbsp olive oil; 60 g ricotta salata, grated; A handful of basil leaves; Salt and pepper

Origin: Italy · Sicily, Catania

480kcal

per serving · 320 g

150kcal

per 100 g

18 gProtein5.5 g / 100 g

14 gFat4.5 g / 100 g

77 gCarbs24 g / 100 g

Casarecce alla Norma is a Sicilian pasta of short twisted casarecce in a tomato sauce with soft, golden eggplant and torn basil. It is finished with grated ricotta salata, a firm, salty aged ricotta that adds a sharp, milky note. The sauce is hearty and savoury, with the eggplant melting into the tomato.

Diets

✓

Vegetarianno meat or fish in a typical recipe

✓

No pork

Not veganbecause of: ricotta salata

Contains glutenbecause of: casarecce pasta

Contains dairybecause of: ricotta salata

Not keto24 g carbs per 100 g

Allergens

Contains (in a typical recipe):

⚠ Gluten ⚠ Milk

What it is made of

casarecce pastaeggplanttomatoricotta salatabasil

Recipe

4 servings45 min

Ingredients

350 g dried casarecce
2 medium eggplants (about 600 g), cubed
400 g tomato passata or chopped tomatoes
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp olive oil
60 g ricotta salata, grated
A handful of basil leaves
Salt and pepper

Method

Salt the eggplant cubes, leave 20 minutes, then pat dry.
Roast or pan-fry the eggplant with 1 tbsp oil until golden and soft.
Gently fry the garlic in the remaining oil, add the tomatoes and simmer 15 minutes; season.
Cook the casarecce until al dente and drain.
Toss the pasta with the sauce, eggplant and torn basil; top with grated ricotta salata.

How to make it lighter

Eggplant soaks up oil when fried; roasting it with a light brush of oil (1 tbsp ≈ 120 kcal) keeps the dish much lighter.
Increase the share of eggplant and tomato and reduce the pasta for a lighter plate.
Ricotta salata is salty and flavourful, so a small grating is enough.

History

Pasta alla Norma is associated with Catania, and the name is usually linked to Vincenzo Bellini's opera Norma, though the exact story is told in different ways. It is traditionally made with maccheroni or other short pasta, and casarecce are a popular Sicilian choice.

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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →