This delicious and beautifully easy to make dish comes from Catania on the north coast of Sicily and is always perfect for a cool fall day.   From prep to table should take about ninety minutes but there is not a huge amount of chopping to be done here.  My recipe for this dish varies on a few ingredients, one being the use of ricotta salata which is usually a bit tough to find no matter where I’ve lived so I have always used large grated pieces of romano instead.  I also love a bit of kick to my Norma sauce so I add a good amount of crushed red pepper and then for an extra mellow flavor that melds perfectly, I opt for a few ounces of olives.

Here’s what you will need to make this dish happen: One box of penne pasta, one can of puree tomatoes, one large eggplant, olive oil, a dozen olives, 6 ounces of hard romano cheese, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.

We were joined by our dear friend Oriana for this video. Thanks for her help and smiles when we were making this dish.

Let us know how yours turns out and thanks for watching!

Love,
Generoso

Music: Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No.1 in B flat minor Op.23