Finely dice red onion, cut eggplant into 1–1,5 cm cubes, coarsely chop garlic.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt generously.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add garlic.

Cook, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes.

Put spaghetti into boiling water, give it a good stir a few times, and cook for 8 minutes until al dente.

When draining, reserve half a cup of cooking water for sauce.

Add shrimp to frying pan with a pinch of salt, sear for one minute per side until a light crust forms.

Transfer shrimp from pan and set aside—we will finish cooking in step 5.

Do not wash frying pan.

Add eggplant and cook for 4–5 minutes until a deep golden crust forms, tossing frying pan frequently or turning pieces carefully with a spatula.

Remove from frying pan and add a bit more of olive oil.

Sauté onion, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until just golden.

Stir in strained tomatoes, sauce spices mix, and a light pinch of salt.

Bring to a gentle simmer, then add eggplant to pan with sauce.

Add about half of reserved pasta water to loosen consistency, then leave it all to simmer over medium-low heat for 6 minutes.

Return shrimp to sauce and warm everything together for another couple of minutes.

Adjust sauce texture: if too thick, loosen with a splash more pasta water; if too liquid, raise heat and stir briskly with a spatula to reduce it slightly.

Add pasta to sauce, toss until heated through, and give a final taste for salt.

Divide between plates.