Slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch (about 1 cm) thick rounds and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let them rest to draw out excess water and bitterness.

Cut the tomatoes in half.

Rub a skillet with two halves of a garlic clove, add 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and sauté the garlic in the oil.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add salt and cook the paccheri.

Remove the garlic from the skillet, add the tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper, and cook until the tomatoes start to caramelize. Add about 1/2 ladle of pasta cooking water, the sugar, and cinnamon. Stir and cook to create a thick, emulsified sauce.

In a bowl, finely chop and drain the mozzarella, add the ricotta, a pinch of salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and thinly sliced basil. Mix well and transfer to a piping bag.

Cut the eggplant slices into thick sticks, removing the four rounded edges. Dredge the sticks in flour and fry in vegetable oil until golden. Salt them and drain on paper towels.

Crush the tomatoes in the skillet to release their juices, add more pasta cooking water, and mix well. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to get a smooth, thick sauce. Set aside.

Drain the pasta halfway through cooking and cool under cold water. Fill each pacchero with the ricotta-mozzarella mixture and 1-2 pieces of fried eggplant.

Preheat the oven broiler to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, arrange the stuffed paccheri, top generously with grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 5 minutes.

Fry the washed and dried basil leaves in hot oil until they turn a transparent green.

Warm the strained sauce and spoon it into the center of a shallow bowl. Top with 3-4 pieces of fried eggplant, the baked paccheri, and garnish with the fried basil leaves.