A Sicilian chef was so moved by Bellini's opera--and its lead character, that he ran back to his kitchen to create this dish. In the original, this chef used eggplant that he sliced lengthwise and fried.
Pasta seems to have started among specific populations in certain areas and later spread to the whole world. Ancient sources say the Chinese supposedly invented pasta, and the Marco Polo introduced it to Italy in 1292 AD. Pasta was certainly well known in Arab countries, where still today they speak of "makkaroni". From these countries it spread to Greece and Sicily (then an Arab colony). In fact, Palermo was the first historical capital of pasta, because it is here that we have the first historical sources referring to the production of dried pasta in what seems like a small-scale industrial enterprise. In 1150, Arab geographer Al-Idrisi reports that at Trabia, about 30 km. from Palermo, "they produce an abundance of pasta in the shape of strings ("tria" in Arabic) which are exported everywhere, in Calabria and in many Muslim and Christian countries, even by ship. (1 http://www.lapiazzaonline.com/pasta.htm )
In Naples, pasta was made by mixing semolina dough by foot. The pasta maker sat on a long bench and used his feet to mix and knead the dough. The king of Naples, Ferdinando II, was not happy with this method of pasta-making and hired a famous engineer (Cesare Spadaccini) to improve the procedure. The new system consisted of adding boiling water to freshly-ground flour, and kneading by foot was replaced by a machine made of bronze that perfectly imitated the work done by man. In 1740, the city of Venice issued Paolo Adami a license to open the first pasta factory. The machinery was simple enough. It consisted of an iron press, powered by several young boys. In 1763, the Duke of Parma, Don Ferdinando of Bourbon, gave Stefano Lucciardi of Sarzana the right to a 10 year-monopoly for the production of dried pasta - "Genoa-style" - in the city of Parma.(2 http://www.lapiazzaonline.com/pasta.htm )
Pasta Alla Norma
This Sicilian dish brings together the great tastes of
eggplant and tomatoes.
Serves 4
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 large Eggplant, peeled and sliced
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1/2 cup Onion, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Oregano
2 teaspoons Basil
1/8 teaspoon Crushed red pepper
4 cups Tomatoes, diced
Linguine, cooked
Grated aged Ricotta or Romano
Go To Page: 1 2
