Ingredients
12 fl oz casarecce , or other short pasta
15 tomatoes , (grape tomatoes), whole pachino
basil
extra-virgin olive oil
olives, chopped
anchovies, chopped
5 fl oz fresh bread, no crusts
2 whole eggplants
garlic
salt
salt-packed capers, rinsed and chopped
Preparation
Dice the eggplant into cubes, place them in a colander, add salt and let rest for 30 minutes to draw out excess liquid.
Tear plenty of basil leaves into pieces with your hands. Wash the tomatoes and dice them into cubes, removing the seeds. Place the tomatoes in a bowl and toss them with a peeled and crushed garlic clove, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and the torn basil leaves.
Heat abundant oil (about two fingers in height) in a frying pan. Dry the eggplant cubes and fry them a few at a time until golden. Drain on paper towels.
Toast the breadcrumbs in a pan with a drizzle of oil, making them crispy.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.
Remove the garlic from the tomatoes and pour over the pasta, with their sauce. Add the fried eggplant and crispy breadcrumbs. Complete the dish with more basil leaves to taste, and some chopped capers, olives, and anchovies.
