Pasta with Tuna and Eggplant

Method

1. Finely chop half a red onion.
2. Cut the eggplant into 1 cm cubes (about 1 cm thick strips, then cubes).
3. Cut the cherry tomatoes: halve small ones, quarter larger ones.
4. In a pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the chopped onion until golden and translucent.
5. Add the eggplant cubes, season with salt and pepper, and cook covered over medium-low heat to sweat the eggplant.
6. Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil and cook the short pasta (e.g., maccheroni, farfalle).
7. Once the eggplant has changed color, add the cherry tomatoes, cover, and raise the heat to create a Maillard reaction on the bottom of the pan.
8. When bits stick to the pan, deglaze with a ladleful of pasta cooking water and stir to form a creamy sauce.
9. Add the drained tuna, mix well.
10. Add the capers and pitted olives. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.
11. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and add to the sauce. Toss over heat for a minute.
12. Turn off the heat, add grated Pecorino Romano, fresh basil leaves, and a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.
13. Plate and serve with additional Pecorino and freshly ground black pepper if desired.