Pasta alla Norma facts for kids
.jpg)
Pasta alla Norma
|
|
| Course | Primo |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Sicily |
| Main ingredients | pasta, tomato, eggplant, ricotta salata |
Pasta alla Norma is a super tasty Italian dish. It's made with pasta and eggplant. This meal comes from Sicily, a large island in southern Italy. It's especially famous in the city of Catania.
What is Pasta alla Norma?
This dish usually uses spaghetti or other types of pasta. It's covered in a delicious tomato sauce. Thin slices of fried eggplant are added on top. Finally, it's served with grated ricotta salata cheese. Sometimes, fresh basil leaves are sprinkled on for extra flavor.
How It Got Its Name
Pasta alla Norma has an interesting name story. It's named after a famous opera called Norma. This opera was written by Vincenzo Bellini. He was a composer born in Catania.
People say that an Italian writer, Nino Martoglio, tasted the dish. He supposedly exclaimed, "This is a real 'Norma'!" He meant it was a masterpiece, just like Bellini's opera. Even though the story is popular, the name wasn't widely used until many years after Martoglio passed away.
A Famous Dish
Pasta alla Norma is very popular. In 2018, it was even named "dish of the year." This special award came from the BIT Tourism Award. It shows how much people love this classic Sicilian meal!
