Eggplants Stuffed with Spaghetti alla Norma

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 garlic cloves
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Grated salted ricotta to taste
• Fresh basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

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

Trivia

This dish takes its name from the opera “Norma” by composer Vincenzo Bellini. It is said that it was so named for the praises, of the type “it’s a real Norma”, referring to the goodness of the dish, comparable to the work of the famous composer from Catania. The original recipe involves the use of eggplant, fresh tomato, salted ricotta, and basil, simple ingredients but full of flavor.