Pasta with roasted tomato jalapeno salsa and eggplant

Heat a skillet over medium-high.

Cut the eggplant into pieces a little over three quarters of an inch, large enough to stay a good size as they shrink.

Film the hot pan generously with olive oil, since eggplant absorbs a lot; add the eggplant in a single layer touching the pan and let it brown.

Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat and add the dried pasta.

Turn the eggplant until browned all over and soft; only then sprinkle with a little salt, since salting early draws out water and stops browning.

Add the salsa, turn the heat down, and cook a couple of minutes until reduced a little.

Taste a piece of pasta for al dente, a little bite in the middle.

Thin the sauce with about half a cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta completely.

Toss the pasta in the sauce and cook a minute more so it finishes cooking and absorbs the sauce.

Stir in some queso anejo.

Portion into bowls and top with more queso anejo and cilantro leaves.