Eggplants stuffed with spaghetti alla norma

The eggplants stuffed with spaghetti alla Norma are a dish that combines traditional Sicilian cuisine with an original and creative presentation. Here is a recipe you can follow to prepare them:

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants
• 200 g of spaghetti
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil as needed
• Grated salted ricotta cheese as needed
• Fresh basil
• Salt and pepper as needed

Preparation

1. Wash the eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise. With a small knife, score the flesh to make a grid and gently scoop out the eggplants to obtain “boats”. Save the extracted flesh.
2. Brush the eggplant boats with a bit of oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake them in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 20 minutes or until softened.
3. In the meantime, in a frying pan, sauté the garlic in a bit of oil. Add the cubed eggplant flesh and cook until it becomes soft.
4. Add the tomatoes cut into cubes and cook for another 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and hand-torn basil leaves.
5. Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water until al dente, drain them and dress them with the prepared sauce.
6. Fill the eggplant boats with the spaghetti alla Norma, sprinkle with grated salted ricotta cheese and a few leaves of basil.
7. Bake again for a few minutes, until the cheese is lightly golden.
8. Serve immediately.

Curiosity

This dish is named after the opera “Norma” by the composer Vincenzo Bellini. It is said to be so named because of the praises like “it’s a real Norma,” referring to the excellence of the dish, comparable to the work of the famous composer from Catania. The original recipe calls for the use of eggplant, fresh tomato, salted ricotta, and basil—simple ingredients but full of flavor.