Baked Pasta Alla Norma with Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage

Another one of my favorites from Chrissy Teigen’s Cravings Cookbook that I’ve put my personal twist on. I really enjoy her recipes because they are easy to make, and simply delicious.  I find her to be really hilarious and thoroughly enjoy the backstories to each of her recipes. As a person who blogs and appreciates a good story I feel as though I am in that moment with her.  And you have to admire that despite being a model she doesn’t hold back when it comes to food. I’m going to now end my chef crush on Chrissy Tiegen, but would first just like to say kudos to her for liking a couple of my pics on Instagram, which to me is pretty awesome.

So I’ve made this dish a hand full of times and it never disappoints.  Pasta Alla Norma is a Sicilian dish that is usually made with fried eggplant, tomatoes, ricotta, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil.  By default t’s a vegetarian dish, so for any vegetarians out there just omit the turkey sausage.  I’m sorry, I’ve tried giving up meat but miserably fail every time SMH.  That said, I’ve made it with venison sausage from my father in law that he personally hunted all the way from North Carolina, as well as created with variations of lamb, grass fed ground beef, and ground turkey sausage. Honestly, you can’t go wrong no matter what you use.  Don’t worry it will still be yummy.  Feel free to use the pasta sauce recipe below, or your favorite jarred pasta sauce to save time.  Thanks for reading and enjoy the recipe!

Print Recipe

Baked Pasta Alla Norma with Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage

Course

Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine

Italian

Prep Time

1 hour

Cook Time

1 hour

Servings

people

Ingredients

Pasta Sauce

• 2 28 oz cans of tomatoes Marzano whole peeled
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp minced garlic I used roasted whole garlic cloves that I get it from a local grocer.
• 1 whole diced onion Spanish onion
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp thyme Fresh or dried
• 1 tbsp oregano Fresh or dried
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp red hot sauce I love franks hot sauce
• 1 tsp paprika I like to use smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 Ibs sweet italian turkey sausage Like Jennie-O or use sausage of choice
• 1 tsp cajun seasoning For sausage

Eggplant

• 2 large purple eggplants Cut into cubes
• 1 cup olive oil For soft cooked eggplants
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes Use less if you don't like spicy foods
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper Freshly ground

Pasta

• 16 oz penne or ziti Cook per package direction and drain
• 1 container ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 lbs fresh mozzerella
• 1 cup fresh basil Torn
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Course Main Dish, Side Dish Cuisine Italian Prep Time 1 hour Cook Time 1 hour Servings people Ingredients Pasta Sauce 2 28 oz cans of tomatoes Marzano whole peeled 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp minced garlic I used roasted whole garlic cloves that I get it from a local grocer. 1 whole diced onion Spanish onion 2 whole bay leaves 1 tsp salt 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tbsp thyme Fresh or dried 1 tbsp oregano Fresh or dried 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp red hot sauce I love franks hot sauce 1 tsp paprika I like to use smoked paprika 1 1/2 Ibs sweet italian turkey sausage Like Jennie-O or use sausage of choice 1 tsp cajun seasoning For sausage Eggplant 2 large purple eggplants Cut into cubes 1 cup olive oil For soft cooked eggplants 2 tsp red pepper flakes Use less if you don't like spicy foods 1 tbsp salt 1 tsp black pepper Freshly ground Pasta 16 oz penne or ziti Cook per package direction and drain 1 container ricotta cheese 1 1/2 lbs fresh mozzerella 1 cup fresh basil Torn 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

Pasta Sauce

1. Gather all the ingredients, chop, mince and cut as directed to make putting the alla norma together easier.
2. Heat olive oil on medium heat, add diced onions and cook for about 10 minutes making sure to stir and not burn. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.

   
3. Add tomato paste and cook for about two minutes, while continuing to stir. Add 2 cans of whole tomatoes, and either use hands to crush or use a potato masher.

   
4. Add bay leaves, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, sugar and hot sauce. Cook for 20-25 minutes until sauce thickens.

   

Eggplant

1. While sauce is cooking chop eggplants into medium sized cubes. Heat 1 cup of olive oil in a deep skillet on medium heat. When the oil is hot add eggplants, then season with the salt, pepper flakes and black pepper making sure to stir.

   
2. Cook eggplant until it browns and softens ~20 minutes. While sauce and eggplant are cooking, cook pasta per directions on package and drain.

   
3. Brown sausage in a separate skillet and add Cajun seasoning. Add more as needed per personal preference. TIP: Always a good idea to taste your food and tweak to your liking. Add cooked sausage to sauce and let simmer until ready to add to pasta.

Baking Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 9x13 inch casserole dish with parchment paper. TIP: Though parchment paper is not necessary, it makes cleaning a whole heck of a lot easier! Cube mozzarella into small pieces

   
2. Once all the components are completed, add pasta, pasta sauce, ricotta, basil, 2/3 of mozzarella, pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes in a large pan and mix.

   
3. Place mixture into casserole dish, top with remaining mozzarella, and make sure to press cheese into pasta. Bake for 60 minutes or until you notice the yummy burnt ends of pasta on the top (see image). Cool slightly after baking and serve hot.

   
4. Last but not least, enjoy this delicious meal slightly adapted from Chrissy Teigen's Cravings Cookbook. Thank You, This African

   

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