Bucatini with Anchovies and Eggplant

Method

1. Cut the eggplants into thick slices, then into strips and finally into small dice (like confetti).
2. Place the diced eggplant in a colander over a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for about 20 minutes to draw out bitterness.
3. Meanwhile, clean the fresh anchovies: remove the head, gut, and backbone, then open them flat. Keep them whole or split as desired.
4. Finely slice the spring onion (including some green part) and one clove of garlic.
5. After 20 minutes, rinse the eggplant dice and squeeze them dry with a clean cloth.
6. Heat plenty of extra virgin olive oil in a pan to 170–180°C. Fry the eggplant dice until golden and crisp. Drain and set aside, reserving the oil.
7. In a large pan, add a generous amount of the reserved oil, the sliced spring onion, and the grated garlic. Sauté gently.
8. Add a piece of chili pepper and fresh mentuccia (nepitella) leaves to the pan.
9. Cook the bucatini in salted boiling water for 6 minutes (or according to package). Remove them 1 minute early, reserving pasta water.
10. Add the fresh anchovies to the pan with the soffritto. Cook briefly, breaking them up with a spoon to create a creamy sauce.
11. Transfer the undercooked bucatini into the pan with the anchovy sauce. Add a splash of pasta water.
12. Add the fried eggplant dice to the pan. Toss everything together vigorously to emulsify the sauce. If needed, add more pasta water to achieve a creamy texture.
13. Turn off the heat. Optionally, grate some ricotta salata over the pasta (ignore the 'no cheese with fish' rule for this traditional Roman touch).
14. Serve immediately, drizzling with a little raw extra virgin olive oil and garnishing with extra mentuccia.