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HOW TO MAKE

Fusilli alla Norma

Fusilli with Norma sauce

90 MinuteS to prepare and cook
Medium Difficulty
Want to learn how to cook this authentic Italian recipe of Fusilli alla Norma? Sign up today for chef Riccardo Alberti’s next class.

Recipe Overview

Fusilli or Busiate (Sicilian name) is a shape of pasta originating from southern Italy. They are produced in many regions and basically, they are curled pasta. The Norma sauce is a variation of the classic tomato sauce with the addition of fried eggplants, salted ricotta, and basil. This is a masterpiece of Sicilian gastronomy. In the city of Catania, where this sauce took its origin, the word “Norma” means supreme goodness.

 Ingredients

Total Served: 2

For the pasta:

1
200 grams (1.2 cup) Semolina Flour
2
100 grams (0.42 cup) Warm water

For the Norma sauce:

1
400 grams (14 oz) Whole peeled tomatoes
2
1 Baby eggplant or Japanese eggplant
3
50 grams (1.76 oz) “Ricotta salata” /Salted ricotta, grated
4
20 Basil leaves
5
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

+

1
½ Onion
2
Ground black pepper
3
Salt to taste
4
1 liter (4.17 cups) Seed oil to fry the eggplant (sunflower, corn, peanut, soy)

Equipment Needed to Make Fusilli alla Norma

The following tools will be used to create Fusilli alla Norma. Not all of them are necessary and can be replaced with more manual operations, but we suggest using all of these to make the recipe as easy-to-create and yummy as possible. Click on any of the items to learn more about them and purchase them.
Working surface where to roll out pasta
Sharp kitchen knife
Skewer (chopstick, bamboo stick, iron stick or any kind of stick to shape the fusilli)
Cutting board
Bench scraper
Mixing bowl
Plastic wrap
Frying pan
Saucepan
Pot

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions for Fusilli alla Norma

Let’s get started with creating Fusilli alla Norma. Follow the instructions in order below to create this tasty fall dish.
Make the dough:
1
Pour the flour on a work surface and form a well in the center.
2
Pour the water into the well.
3
Whisk with a fork and incorporate the flour a bit at a time until all the moisture is absorbed and the dough looks lumpy.
4
Work the dough with both hands until a mass forms, start to knead it.
5
Repeat until the dough is a smooth but elastic mass.
6
Wrap the dough in plastic and set it aside to rest at room temperature for 25 minutes.
Make the sauce:
1
Pour 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan and turn the heat on.
2
Cut the onion finely and add it in the saucepan.
3
Once it will be translucent add 2 basil leaves and the peeled tomatoes and mash the tomatoes with a fork or wooden spoon.
4
Season with salt and pepper and cook it, on a low heat to simmer for 30 minutes (if the sauce reduces to fast, cover the pan with the lid).
5
Turn the heat off, add the ricotta salata in the sauce and stir to combine.
Shape the fusilli:
1
Cut a ¼ dough and roll it with the fingertips to obtain a long and thin loaf, kind of a long snake, of 0.5 cm/0.2 in thick.
2
Cut the long snake into strips of 10 cm/4 in length each.
3
Place a skewer diagonally to one end of the strip and hold it with your hand.
4
Use the other hand to roll the skewer over the pasta strip thus creating a spiral around it.
5
Remove the skewer from the pasta and that’s it!
6
As all the fusilli are prepared, arrange them on a tray, well-spaced from each other.
Cook and serve:
1
Preheat the seeds oil to 170°C/330°F in a frying pan, slice the eggplant into little rings and fry them a few at a time.
2
Once brown and crunchy, strain them on a paper towel and season with salt.
3
Bring a large pot of water to boiling over high heat.
4
Season the water with coarse salt and cook the fusilli for about 5-6 minutes.
5
Return the sauce to medium heat and add the basil leaves left.
6
Using a strainer spoon, transfer the pasta in the sauce and stir to mix.
7
Serve immediately with the remaining grated ricotta and the eggplant slices on top.
Buon Appetito!
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Tag Chef Riccardo Alberti, @riccardocookingclass

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