Caroline's Cooking

Internationally inspired recipes for everyone to enjoy - mostly healthy, always tasty

Pasta alla Norma (pasta with eggplant & tomato)

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This shop to create this easy pasta alla Norma has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PickedAtPeak #CollectiveBias

pasta alla Norma

As you may have seen me mention before, we are a house of pasta lovers. However we all too often default to pesto as our way to serve it. Not that that’s bad, of course, but it is nice to change things up too.

This pasta alla Norma makes a great alternative with simple, delicious flavors of tomato, eggplant and basil, and it’s so easy to make.

pasta alla Norma

I have made many other pasta recipes but the thing is, since pasta is one of my go-tos for a quick meal, they don’t all work when I’m short on time. This pasta alla Norma is different. It’s perfect for those busy nights and it’s made even easier with the Prego Farmers’ Market® sauce and fresh produce I picked up at Walmart to make it.

Since my basil has just about given up living for the year, Prego’s Farmers’ Market® tomato & basil sauce is a great way to get that fabulous herb flavor out of season. You may know I’m not a huge fan of ready-made things, but this sauce is made with the kind of ingredients I’d find at the farmer’s market. Vine-ripened tomatoes, basil and garlic, each picked and made into this tasty sauce when they were in their peak.

Pasta alla Norma is a simple combination of eggplant, tomato sauce and topped with ricotta salata, but it's a winning formula. Easy to make, easy to enjoy. A great easy meal. @Walmart #AD #PickedAtPeak

The origins of pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma is a traditional dish from Sicily, a place I’ve only been to for a couple days years ago but which I instantly loved. I hope to get back some time, especially now that I have learned and tried more Sicilian dishes, like stuffed squid and pasta con sarde a mare.

It’s not entirely clear how the dish got it’s name. Some say it’s because it respects ‘the norms’, others say it’s named after the opera called Norma written by a Sicilian composer.

One thing is for sure, though: it uses simple ingredients typical of Sicilian cooking and makes them into something truly delicious.

making pasta alla Norma How to make an easy pasta alla Norma

The Prego sauce makes this already easy pasta alla Norma even easier. I’ve made it more hands-off by roasting the eggplant rather than frying it as well – this also cuts down the amount of oil used.

Once you’ve roasted the eggplant, you simply add it to the warmed sauce along with the cooked pasta then serve toped with some ricotta salata. Since ricotta salata can be hard to find, feta makes a good substitute. Lots of tasty flavors with hardly any work.

Pasta alla Norma makes a great go-to meal for busy nights. It’s an incredibly simple dish but it’s pleasantly filling and has great flavors. Tomato, basil, eggplant and cheese is such a winning combination, you are bound to love it as much as we did. And you can always use another easy pasta recipe, right?

Pasta alla Norma is a simple combination of eggplant, tomato sauce and topped with ricotta salata, but it's a winning formula. Easy to make, easy to enjoy. A great easy meal. @Walmart #AD #PickedAtPeak

pasta alla Norma
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Pasta alla Norma

This pasta dish could hardly be easier, but it's veggie-packed, satisfying and delicious.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: 30 minute meal, pasta sauce, sauce with eggplant, traditional Italian pasta recipe
Servings: 4
Calories: 674kcal
Author: Caroline's Cooking

Ingredients

  • 1.125 lb eggplant aubergine (1 large - approx 1lb 2oz/500g)
  • 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil (or a little more if needed)
  • 23.5 oz jar Prego's Farmers' Market® tomato & basil sauce
  • 1 lb pasta 450g, as you prefer - I used rigatoni which works well
  • 2 oz ricotta salata 55g (or feta if not available)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.
  • Dice the eggplant into approx 1/2in/1cm dice by cutting it in to slices then cutting each slice into cubes. Put them on a baking sheet/tray or in a baking dish and drizzle over the olive oil. Try to drizzle lightly so you don't get a few cubes absorbing all the oil. Toss then bake for approx 20-25min until cooked. Turn them once or twice gently as they cook.
  • Meanwhile, boil water to cook the pasta and cook it following the packet instructions.
  • Drain the pasta then warm the tomato & basil sauce, add the pasta and cooked eggplant and mix well.
  • Serve the pasta with a little ricotta salata/feta crumbled over the top.

Nutrition

Calories: 674kcal | Carbohydrates: 109g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 647mg | Potassium: 1092mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 21.8% | Vitamin C: 13.1% | Calcium: 11.8% | Iron: 15.8%

Try these other easy pasta recipes:

Remember to pin for later!

Pasta alla Norma is a simple combination of eggplant, tomato sauce and topped with ricotta salata, but it's a winning formula. Easy to make, easy to enjoy. A great easy meal. @Walmart #AD #PickedAtPeak

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Comments

  1. Beth Neels says

    December 18, 2018 at 11:57 am


    That looks absolutely delicious! I love roasted eggplant! Prego has always been my favorite sauce in a jar, but I have not seen this new line yet! I have to go find it!

    Reply

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