Stand the eggplant vertically on the flat end. Shave strips off the skin lengthwise with a vegetable peeler in order to get a zebra like pattern.
Cut eggplant into half inch thick rounds. Salt them on both sides and place them on a plate for 15 minutes. Rinse off the seepage (purging) in cold water very briefly, then pat dry completely using paper towels.
Cut each round into half inch pieces.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a cast iron saute pan on high.
Add eggplant and saute on high heat for 4-5 minutes until starting to brown.
Reduce heat to low and add garlic and another tablespoon of oil. Cook for 12-15 minutes, tossing occasionally until eggplant is soft and velvety.
Add oregano, chilli, tomato sugo, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes until heated through. Test the eggplant by cutting into it with a fork. It should be tender and cut like butter while still retaining its shape.
Add cooked pasta, 2 tablespoons of pasta cooking water and basil. Increase heat to medium, mix well and cook for a further minute.
Serve hot with parmesan cheese.
Notes
Eggplant - Use a big, meaty eggplant for this dish.Tomato sauce - I use a basic tomato-basil pasta sauce. You can use your favourite pasta sauce if you like.Pasta - I have used spaghetti in this dish. Traditionally, maccheroni or rigatoni was used. You can also use paccheri, penne or casarecce.Cheese - Traditionally, this dish is served with ricotta salata grated on top. It is a dried, aged, salted ricotta cheese. If you can't find it, use parmesan or pecorino instead.Vegan - Make it vegan by substituting with vegan cheese.Gluten-free - You can use gluten-free pasta for gluten intolerances.