From My Life in Recipes by Joan Nathan comes a Sicilian inspired update to classic pasta with pesto.

Serves 4 to 6

11⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus 2 tablespoons for the pasta pot

1 pound (453 grams) Japanese eggplant, sliced into 1⁄2-inch rounds

4 cloves garlic

Leaves and tender stems from 1 bunch fresh basil (about 2 cups)

1 cup (140 grams) blanched almonds

1 cup (236 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed

1⁄2 cup (50 grams) grated Pecorino, Romano, or Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

12 ounces (340 grams) busiate, or other pasta of your choice

8 ounces (227 grams) string beans, broccoli, and/or zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Sprinkle about 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt over the eggplant slices, and let them sit in a single layer on a paper towel for about an hour.
2. To make the pesto: Put the garlic, all but a few leaves of basil, all but 2 tablespoons of the almonds, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a mortar or food processor. Slowly add 3⁄4 cup (176 ml) of the olive oil and all but a tablespoon of the cheese. Pulse just a few times in the food processor, or work the mortar with a pestle, to grind until the sauce is rich and crunchy, yet spreadable, and the nuts are grainy in texture and still slightly crunchy; add a little more oil if desired. Adjust seasonings to taste.
3. Blot the eggplant dry. Put the remaining 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) of the olive oil into a frying pan, and warm it over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant rounds, and cook until they’re golden on both sides. Drain them on paper towels, and sprinkle them with pepper to taste. Fry the remaining almonds until they’re golden; then drain them.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the pasta with 2 tablespoons of salt, stir, and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally. When the pasta has been cooking for a minute or so, add the snipped beans, broccoli, and/or zucchini and cook until done, or steam the vegetables in a colander over the pasta and cook until they are both al dente.
5. Strain the vegetables and pasta, and transfer them to a bowl. Gently stir the pesto into the pasta and vegetables until everything is thoroughly combined. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon grated cheese, the remaining basil leaves, and the fried almonds. Decorate with the eggplant rounds and halved cherry tomatoes. Serve warm or at room temperature.