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1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the pasta, quickly return to a boil, and cook until the pasta is tender yet firm, 2 to 7 minutes, depending on how long it has been refrigerated (or 8 to 9 minutes for the boxed stuff). Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water.
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2
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the fish and cook until white all over but still translucent in the center, 2 to 3 minutes.
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3
Add the drained rigatoni to the pan. Add a splash or two of pasta water and cook, tossing to coat, for about 2 minutes. Taste and season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper as needed.
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4
Remove the garlic and divide among warm pasta bowls. Tear the basil into coarse pieces by hand and scatter over the pasta. Top with the eggplant fries.
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5
Peel and cut the eggplant into sticks about 1/2 inch thick and 21/2 inches long.
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6
Pour 2 inches of oil into a Dutch oven or deep fryer and heat to 350u00b0F on a deep-fat thermometer. Meanwhile, dip the eggplant pieces in the milk, then dredge in the flour. Working in batches to maintain the 350u00b0F temperature, drop the vegetables into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes for the eggplant.
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7
Using a wire skimmer, transfer the vegetables to paper towels to drain, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
