Baked Pasta and Eggplant

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

FOR EGGPLANTS: Wipe the eggplants and cut into 1/4-in slices. Spread on a plate and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 15 minutes for the salt to draw off any bitter juices. Grease a pie dish with a little olive oil. Heat the remaining 1-3/4 cups oil in a wide pan. Rinse and thoroughly dry the eggplant slices. Fry in the oil until lightly colored and softened.

FOR TOMATO SAUCE: Chop the tomatoes. In a frying-pan, saute with garlic in 3 tablespoons of the oil until very soft and pulpy, then add about 3/4 teaspoon salt, the pepper, sugar and herbs and cook for 5 minutes.

FOR PASTA: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and 1 tablespoon oil and boil until tender but still firm. Drain well and place in a mixing bowl. Add the salami, mozzarella, Parmesan and the tomato sauce. Set aside.

TO ASSEMBLE: Arrange the eggplant slices overlapping each other, to completely line the pie dish. Place the sliced eggs over the layer of eggplant, then pour in the macaroni and press any remaining eggplant on top. Bake for about 30 minutes, remove from the oven and let stand for about 7 minutes before turning on a serving dish.

Cut into wedges and serve. Pass around additional grated Parmesan or pecorino and serve a green salad to accompany the dish.

NOTE: The eggplant can be fried in advance. Store in the refrigerator, layered with plastic wrap to prevent the slices from sticking together. Make the tomato sauce up to 3 days in advance.