The Sicilian classic from Catania features golden brown fried eggplants meeting an aromatic tomato sauce with basil, crowned with shaved Ricotta salata. The dish is said to be named after Bellini's opera Norma, making it a true masterpiece. Hearty, fruity, and vegetarian. Rigatoni hold the sauce perfectly in their tubes.
Why this works
When cut, eggplants have a sponge structure of air-filled cells that soak up oil like a paper towel. Salting draws out water, causing the cells to collapse, and the sponge absorbs only a fraction of the oil during frying. Additionally, bitter compounds migrate out with the escaping water. This is less important with modern varieties than in the past, but it remains crucial for the texture.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Salt the eggplants
Salt the eggplant cubes and let them draw water for 15 minutes, then pat them dry. This prevents them from becoming bitter and makes them absorb significantly less oil when frying.
- 2
Fry the eggplants
Fry them in plenty of hot olive oil in batches until golden brown and soft. Let them drain on paper towels afterwards.
- 3
Tomato sauce
Sauté the garlic in oil in the same pot, add the tomatoes, and season with a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper. Let everything simmer until thick for 12 to 15 minutes and let the basil stems simmer along, as they provide a lot of flavor.
- 4
Boil the pasta
Boil the Rigatoni al dente, save some pasta water, and drain them.
- 5
Combine
Add the fried eggplants and the pasta to the sauce and toss everything with a little pasta water. Fold in the basil leaves and serve with plenty of shaved Ricotta salata.
Our best tips
- Salt and pat the eggplants dry before frying, as this significantly reduces bitterness and oil absorption.
- Fry the eggplants until truly golden brown instead of just steaming them, because the roasted flavors carry the dish.
- Ricotta salata is not available everywhere, but well-drained feta is a decent substitute.
Tasty variations
In the oven
Roast the eggplant cubes with oil in the oven at 220 °C instead of frying them for less fat and great roasted flavors.
Vegan
Replace the Ricotta salata with roasted almonds or nutritional yeast.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 647 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 106 g |
| – of which sugar | 14 g |
| Fat | 10 g |
| Fiber | 11 g |
Where the 647 kcal come from
per serving
These lines have no quantity (“to taste”) or no table value, so they are missing from the total.
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need to salt eggplants?
They are rarely bitter in modern varieties, but salting draws out water so they absorb less oil during frying and become beautifully golden brown. The step is worth it.
What is Ricotta salata?
An aged, salted, and pressed ricotta that is firm enough to shave and has a mild salty taste. It is available in well-stocked stores, or you can substitute firm feta or mild pecorino.
Which pasta fits best?
Short, hollow shapes like Rigatoni or Maccheroni that absorb the sauce and eggplant pieces well. Traditionally, short tubular pasta is often used in Sicily.
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