1. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat, and drizzle the Olitalia Extra Virgin Olive Oil to coat the pan. Let it heat for about 2 minutes.
2. Add the whole cloves of garlic to the pan and sauté them for 3-4 minutes, or until they turn brown. Make sure to keep the cloves whole, as they will be removed later.
3. While the garlic is cooking, cube the eggplant and place the cubes in a colander. Sprinkle salt over the eggplant cubes and let them sit for 10 minutes. This helps remove any bitterness. Afterward, pat the eggplant dry with paper towels.
4. Remove the browned garlic cloves from the pan, and in the same pan, fry the cubed eggplant until they become golden brown. This may take a few minutes. Once fried, place the eggplant cubes on a tray lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the hand-crushed Ciao Italian Whole Peeled Tomatoes with torn basil leaves, salt, and pepper to taste.
6. Add the seasoned tomatoes to the same sauté pan with the remaining oil and cook them over low-medium heat for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
7. Around 5 minutes into simmering the tomatoes, start boiling a pot of water. Once it comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook it until al dente, usually for about 5-7 minutes or as per the package instructions.
8. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the tomato sauce in the sauté pan. Add 4 ounces (120 ml) of the pasta water to the sauce as well. Stir the pasta and sauce together for about 1-2 minutes to ensure the pasta is well coated.
9. Finally, add the fried eggplant cubes and shaved ricotta salata to the pan, continuing to stir for another 2-3 minutes until the flavors are well-absorbed.
10. Serve and enjoy!

*We recommend making your own homemade Fresh Pasta or Extruded Pasta!