In the Sicilian Kitchen with Pasta Alla Norma

By Devaki Das

My grandmother lies on a bed, ridden with dementia, a wisp of her former spirited self captured in a body that withers round her soul. My memories, however, of a younger beautiful her are intact. Here is a woman who has nurtured the soul of her family with her enormous talent for creating unforgettably good food. And she has given me a gift – a determination to continue in her footsteps to bring honest food steeped in authenticity & tradition to our dinner table.
Isn’t that precisely what food should be – a vehicle of nutrition and tradition? Isn’t this the reason why our most beloved festivities revolve around a kitchen table teeming with delectable and comfort eats because on that table is a blue print of our fondest memories all dished and huddled together?

A little time and an iota of love is all that is required to turn a meal into something memorable. Bringing the family dinner back into the home is essential in grounding and rooting those memories that will sustain our children for a lifetime.
In my quest to bring world cuisines to the kitchen table in our Fairfax home, I am always delighted to discover a handful of fresh ingredients at the heart of all old world cuisines. Therefore, like so many others, I am heartened that the ‘Farm to Table’ movement has gained such momentum these past few years. The thought of bringing local produce into our kitchens and by doing so supporting local farmers to my mind is a wonderful thing. But in a world that is so rapidly shrinking, where people of diverse ethnic backgrounds jostle for space, it is equally exciting to use these fresh local ingredients to create flavors from the world over.
Ever since I watched Il Postino, years ago (an incredible Italian film about a blossoming relationship that unfolds between the village postman and the Chilean poet Pablo Naruda), I have been inspired by the honesty of Sicilian food.

What makes Sicily remarkable is that it is the other Italy.

So many cultures have had control over Sicily and have left their mark – the Greeks, Phoenicians, Arabs, Normans… In Venice, it’s always been just the Venetians. Well, except for that Austrian occupation, but that doesn’t count! And this rich and varied history permeates into its people, culture and the food.

One of the most prominent dishes from Eastern Sicily is Pasta Alla Norma, named after Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “Norma”. Bellini just like this dish was also born in Catania, Sicily. As the story goes, Nino Martoglio, a famous Catanese writer and poet being “confronted” with this wonderful dish said: “this pasta is a Norma” a word synonymous with perfection in the world of opera. And so this dish gets its name.

Pasta alla Norma is a typical Sicilian dish with eggplants, sweet & ripe tomatoes, ricotta salata, fresh basil, olive oil and maccheroni pasta.
Purists will insist on three things – one, that the pasta must be maccheroni… Well, I am using strozzapreti and secondly that the eggplant slices must be fried in olive oil. I will say this – the amount of oil an eggplant can guzzle down scares the bejesus out of me so I have decided to oven roast the eggplant.

Roasting the eggplant brings forth the inherent sweetness in the vegetable and is a splendid treatment. I have also chosen to leave the skin on not only because it is loaded with nutrients but also because the occasional crunch it adds goes a long way towards a richer texture.

From this point on, the flavors are only improved with stewed tomatoes, lots of fresh basil and Ricotta Salata cheese for which there is simply no substitute.

Parmesan, which seems to be the solution to all of pasta grievances, will simply not do! This salty sheep’s milk cheese, similar to feta in texture, has a one-of-a-kind flavor and does wonders in bringing all the flavors in the pasta together.

Ricotta Salata is easily available at specialty food stores like Wegmans, Whole foods and Trader Joes. Pasta alla Norma with all these wonderful ingredients, fresh flavors is made all the more attractive by the fact that it’s quick to put together.

So join me in the kitchen as we dream of Sicily and dine on Pasta Alla Norma.

Better still, why not satisfy the ardent epicure in you and step into Sicily with me as we journey through East Coastal and Baroque Sicily this Oct 9-17, 2011 for a once in a lifetime experience.

More details here link

Recipe for Pasta Alla Norma ~ Sicilian Style Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Tomatoes, Basil & Ricotta Salata

Serves 4-6
Preparation time – 30 minutes
Cooking time – 30 minutes

Shopping List

1 large (1-1/2 to 2 lbs) eggplant
3/4 lb maccheroni pasta or pasta of your choice
1 small yellow onion
4-5 garlic cloves
10-12 leaves fresh basil
1 large (28 oz) can good quality whole tomatoes
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
5-6 oz Ricotta Salata cheese
1/4 cup olive oil for roasting eggplant
2 tbs olive oil for sauce
1/2 tbs salt for roasting eggplant

Cooking Method

Pre heat the oven to 450 deg F.

Eggplant – Cut the egg plant into 1" thick slices. Arrange on a baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Rinse under tap water and dry completely by pressing down kitchen paper towels. Wipe down the baking tray. Arrange the eggplant slices onto the tray in a single layer and drizzle the olive oil over the slices.

Using a pastry brush liberally apply the olive oil to the entire surface of the eggplant slices on both sides.

Roast in the hot oven for 10-15 minutes till golden brown and soft. Set aside to cool. Once cool slice into 1" wide strips.

Cook’s Note – If you like the crispy skin like I do, do not peel. Also do not cut the eggplant any thinner than 3/4-1" thick or else it will roast into burnt crisps.

Onion & garlic – Peel, cut and discard skin and ends. Place in a mini-chopper and finely chop.
Tomatoes- Roughly dice retaining all the juices.
Ricotta Salata – Crumble and set aside.

Basil – Cut into slivers but do not cut till the very end or the leaves will brown.

In a sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add the chopped onions and garlic and sauté for 5-7 minutes till the onions have softened but not browned. Stir regularly to prevent burning at the edges.

Add the diced tomatoes with all the juices and the red pepper flakes.

Stir and cover with a tight fitting lid. Simmer for about 20 minutes till the sauce is infused with flavor.

Meanwhile bring pot water to a boil and cook the pasta till al dente following with instructions on the packet.

Once the pasta is cooked, add it to the pot of sauce and toss together. Now add 1/2 the egg- plant, 1/2 the cheese and 1/2 the basil. Toss once again to combine.

Add the remaining eggplant and basil, toss and serve. Pass the remaining crumbled Ricotta Salata round the table.

Enjoy!

www.weavethousandflavors.com

Share this article

About Devaki Das

Devaki’s journey began in Mumbai, winding through Sydney and Singapore and finally resting in Virginia. She has undergraduate & post graduate degrees in Architecture & Urban Design and has spent the last 11 years working in Architecture and Construction.

Devaki was born into a family of ardent cooks. She took her first steps in the kitchen at age 9 and by 14 had published her first cook book - Home Cooking of Gujarat

She spends her time designing epicurean travels, writing a tutorial food blog while raising her two little boys. Join her as she cooks, muses and writes with abandon.

Download Article PDF

Download Article PDF