Ingredients

• 2 large aubergines
• ½ litre/17½fl oz pomace oil
• for frying (or olive oil)
• 1 clove garlic
• finely chopped
• 2 tbsp Italian olive oil
• 400g/14¼oz tinned Italian chopped tomatoes
• 3 tbsp sliced fresh basil
• 300g/10½oz conchiglioni pasta (pasta shells)
• 100g/3½oz pecorino romano cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• to taste
• green salad

Directions

• Cut the aubergine into cubes approximately 2cm (0.75in)
• place in a sieve
• sprinkle with 3-4 pinches of salt and leave to rest
• allowing the excess water to drain.
• Once ready
• preheat the pomace or olive oil in a tall saucepan and fry the aubergines until golden and crisp (approximately three minutes).
• Drain the excess oil and place aubergines in a bowl ready to use.
• In a saucepan
• gently fry the garlic in the olive oil
• immediately add the aubergines and the chopped tomatoes and stir well.
• Add the basil
• season with salt and pepper and allow to cook on a low heat for approximately 20 minutes.
• In the meantime
• cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.
• Drain the pasta and place back into the same large saucepan.
• Add the aubergine sauce to the pasta
• mix well and serve immediately with pecorino romano shavings and a green salad.