Serves 4

Ingredients

• ½ lb small tomatoes 

• Fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley 

• Salt and pepper

• 1 box Casarecce pasta (12 oz)

• Fresh mint

• 1 ½ lb eggplant

• Course grain salt

• Peanut oil for frying 

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 1 lb swordfish 

1. Cut the eggplant into ½ inch cubes. Sprinkle with course salt and let sit in a colander over a bowl, weighted down by another bowl full of water, for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.

2. In the meantime, cut the swordfish into ½ inch cubes, quarter the tomatoes, and finely chop the parsley.  

3. Put a large, salted pot of water to boil for the pasta. 

4. Heat an inch of peanut oil to 330ºF to fry the eggplant. Before frying, rinse the eggplant and drain onto a paper towel or kitchen cloth and pat dry. Fry a large spoonful at a time and remove from the oil with a slotted spoon when they are a light golden color. Let it cool down and dredge any excess oil by putting it on a plate or tray lined with paper towels.

5. While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan with high sides. Smash the garlic cloves and add to the oil until fragrant, then remove. Add in the chopped parsley and tomatoes and let sauté for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add in the eggplant and swordfish, gently stirring so as not to break apart the fish and let cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

6. When the pasta is cooked add it to the pan and mix until well combined with the sauce. Remove from the heat and add in mint, ripping it into smaller pieces by hand. Mix everything together again and serve!