by Austin Coe Butler
In 1831 Vincenzo Bellini wrote an opera called Norma, and the name became synonymous with a masterpiece. This dish is called Norma because it’s awesome. An earlier version of pasta alla Norma was called pasta con la melanzane (pasta with eggplant) and was immensely popular in Sicily, particularly in the city of Catania. In honor of Bellini, a native of Catania, the dish was renamed. According to legend, Nino Martoglio, a prominent Sicilian writer, exclaimed while eating this dish, “chista è ‘na vera Norma! (this is a real ‘Norma!’)”
Norma is the perfect summer dish, evoking the fragrance, freshness, and flavors of the season. The base of the dish revolves around lightly fried eggplants in a fresh tomato sauce—two vegetables that are stubbornly only good for the few fleeting months of the sundrenched summer. If you garden or visit the farmer’s markets, July is the month our first big crop comes in, and the markets finally fill with produce. I have some dark, slender Japanese eggplants and gem-like fairytale eggplants that I harvested and used in this dish. My basil persists on flowering this time of year, so I’m happy to prune it for the sake of this dish.
If you don’t want to fry the eggplant, you can simply cut them in half, place them cut side down on a baking sheet, and place them under the broiler till the skins darken and the flesh steams itself and softens. Scoop the flesh out and add it to the tomato sauce with the wine.
If you know someone who insists they don’t like eggplant, make this dish for them. They just might exclaim that it is “Norma!”
Ingredients:
1 pack or 500 g of dried pasta, preferably a tubular shape like rigatoni
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 eggplants, cut into half inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 stalks of basil
1 cup of dry white wine, like Sicilian Grillo or Pinot Grigio
Pecorino Romano or Ricotta Salata
EVOO
Oil for frying (I prefer sunflower oil)
Bring a large pot of abundantly salted water to a boil.
Fry the eggplant in your oil of choice at 390º F for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle the hot eggplant with salt. Cooked this way, the eggplant has a delicate crispness and delectable creaminess and sweetness. I personally like frying in a wok, as the convex shape of the pan allows you to fry more in less oil.
Set a saucier or saucepan over medium heat. Add enough EVOO to cover the bottom of the pan, about four tablespoons or more. Once shimmering, add the garlic and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and a two-finger pinch of salt. Cover and stir occasionally. The juice from the tomatoes and olive oil will turn opaque, almost creamy. Add one stalk of the basil, whole or with the leaves torn, along with half the fried eggplant and the wine. Simmer for a few more minutes for the wine to reduce.
Cook the pasta. Two minutes before al dente, transfer the pasta to the saucepan along with a ladle of the pasta water. Toss to combine (SPADELLARE!!) until the pasta is cooked through and married with the sauce. Serve immediately on a warm plate and top with the remaining eggplant, a grating of Pecorino Romano, fresh basil torn over it, and a crack of black pepper. Buon appetito!
