AKA Pasta Alla Norma , this is a traditional first course offered throughout Italy. Norma was the name of an opera by Bellini that was popular when poet, writer, and scholar Nino Martoglio was so impressed by the dish that he declared it a masterpiece, like the opera. This dish is so loved that other noteworthy acts are now referred to as “alla Norma,” meaning “successful” or “grandiose,” in some parts of Sicily. This is one of my family’s favorite dishes.