After the success of last year’s inaugural season of Cooking with Opera, West Australian Opera have launched a brand digital series of Cooking with Opera, where presenter Daniele Foti-Cuzzola visits some of Subiaco’s most prominent restaurants and eateries; who put their own unique spin on historical opera dishes.
From the melba toast, to the Donizetti cake and the mozartkugel; these historic opera dishes reinforce opera’s influence beyond the stage and how some of opera’s most beloved works, stars and composers inspired some of the World’s greatest chefs.
This brand-new iteration of Cooking with Opera not only includes a brand-new video series that is released weekly on West Australian Opera and See Subiaco’s socials; but there are also a number of showstopping activations and dining experiences that will allow you to experience, see and taste opera up until April 15. Try two melba toast inspired dishes at Subiaco hotspot Boucla Café; indulge in Whisk Creamery’s take on the mozartkugel gelato, book an opera inspired high tea at Eli + Matt Patisserie or book an opera inspired Italian cooking class at Subiaco’s Multicultural Language Centre.
City of Subiaco Mayor Penny Taylor said this unique event combining art with some of Subiaco’s greatest eateries was something the whole community would enjoy. “We’re thrilled to partner with West Australian Opera to bring sounds of opera to the tastes of Subiaco in this innovative month-long series,” she says.
To coincide with West Australian Opera’s and See Subiaco’s brand-new digital series – Cooking with Opera, presenter and writer Daniele Foti-Cuzzola shares an operatic inspired dish that’s worth singing about.
The Pasta alla Norma, is a Sicilian staple. Legend has it that Sicilian writer, Nino Martoglio was so overwhelmed upon trying the eggplant pasta dish for the first time that he exclaimed, “this is a real Norma!”, comparing the exceptional flavour to the much-loved opera, Norma by Vincenzo Bellini.
Pasta alla Norma Recipe
Serves 2 people
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized eggplant sliced
- 500g of chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup olive oil
- 250g Barilla Casarecce
- 2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
- Salt
- 1 cup fresh basil
- Grated baked ricotta for serving
Method
- Heat olive oil in a frypan over medium heat and fry the eggplant until slightly browned on both sides.
- Remove the eggplants from the fry pan, cut in half and set aside.
- Add an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Allow the oil to heat, then add garlic and fry until translucent, be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add tomatoes and salt and cook over medium heat. Stir and then leave to simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Make sure the sauce does not dry out.
- Add pasta to a pot of boiling salted water and stir so pasta does not stick together. Cook until pasta is al dente.
- While pasta is cooking add eggplant and stir gently to combine.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain with a colander and add to the tomato sauce mixture. Stir gently and combine.
- Remove pasta from the pan. Add fresh basil leaves and grated baked ricotta to serve.
Buon Appetito!
For more information about See Subiaco and West Australian Opera’s Cooking with Opera series visit https://www.waopera.asn.au/shows/events/cooking-with-opera/
