Cooking Steps

• Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place cubed eggplant on a large, rimmed sheet pan and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Toss, and spread the eggplant in an even layer. Season with salt and pepper to taste and roast for 25 - 30 minutes until golden, tossing halfway through.
• About 15 minutes before the eggplant has finished roasting, place cherry tomatoes on a small sheet pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast until just starting to burst, about 10-12 minutes. Set aside.
• While the vegetables roast, make the tomato sauce. Cut a thin piece off the bottom of each tomato—the side opposite the stem. Starting at the cut end, grate each tomato on the largest holes of your box grater into a medium mixing bowl. Stop grating just before you reach the skin. Set aside.
• In a large skillet or frying pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onion until slightly soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and chili flakes, if using; cook for 30 more seconds.
• Add the grated tomatoes to the onion mixture and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer until tomatoes have thickened slightly, about 10-15 minutes.
• Once the eggplant is ready, add it to the skillet along with the roasted cherry tomatoes. Reduce heat to very low while you cook the pasta.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package instructs. Save 1 cup of pasta water and drain the rest.
• Add the cooked pasta along with ½ cup of pasta water to the skillet and increase heat to medium. Let it gently bubble away, stirring often until the sauce has thickened and the pasta is perfectly cooked, about 2-3 minutes. If the sauce looks dry, add more splashes of water, as needed. Remove from heat and add the chopped basil. Taste, and add more salt and/or pepper, if needed.
• Serve pasta drizzled with a little more olive oil, chopped basil, and a generous dusting of cheese.