Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce and Pan-Fried Eggplant

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can plum tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 4 medium Japanese eggplants ends trimmed, thinly sliced
• Grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Set a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring it to a boil. While that heats, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers. Stir in the onion and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir constantly until it smells fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes with their juices, then crush them into small pieces with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Simmer, stirring now and then, until the tomatoes cook down into a thick sauce, 15 to 20 minutes. Take the pan off the heat. Puree the sauce with an immersion blender, or blend it in batches in a countertop blender. Stir in the sugar, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. As the sauce cooks, pour 1/2 cup of olive oil into a large 12-inch non-stick skillet and heat it over medium until shimmering. Arrange the eggplant slices in the pan. They will drink up most of the oil at first, then release some of it as they begin to brown. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the slices are browned all over and just beginning to crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towels to drain.
3. Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water according to the package directions. Just before it is finished, scoop out 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Drain the spaghetti in a colander, then move it right into the pot with the tomato sauce. Set the heat to medium, add the reserved pasta water, and toss until the spaghetti is coated evenly.
4. Divide the pasta among 4 plates. Spoon 1/4 of the fried eggplant slices over each portion, then add a generous sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan. Serve immediately.