Ingredients

• 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice (preferably Italian)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 4 small Italian eggplants (1 1/2 lb total; preferably with stem attached
• 1/2 cup long-grain white rice
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 slices firm white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 oz finely grated Pecorino Romano (1 1/4 cups)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• About 2 cups vegetable oil
• Special equipment: a deep-fat thermometer

Instructions

1. Drain tomatoes, reserving juice, then finely chop. Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook garlic, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, water, tomato paste, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in basil.
2. Boil eggplants and make filling while sauce simmers: Bring a 5- to 6-quart pot of salted water to a boil over moderately high heat. Prick eggplants all over with a fork. Boil eggplants, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender when pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander to drain and discard cooking water. When eggplants are cool enough to handle (after about 15 minutes), halve eggplants lengthwise through stem (keep stem attached). With a small sharp knife, scoop out and reserve flesh, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Very finely chop flesh and transfer to a large bowl. Bring rice and water to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, uncovered, then reduce heat and simmer rice, covered, until water has been absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and add to chopped eggplant. While rice cooks, combine bread and milk in a small bowl and let stand until bread has absorbed milk, then gently squeeze bread, discarding any milk. Add bread to rice mixture along with garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine well. Sprinkle inside of eggplant shells with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Firmly pack a scant 1/3-cup eggplant stuffing into each eggplant shell. (You may have some stuffing left over.)
3. Bring a 5- to 6-quart pot of salted water to a boil over moderately high heat.
4. Prick eggplants all over with a fork. Boil eggplants, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender when pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander to drain and discard cooking water. When eggplants are cool enough to handle (after about 15 minutes), halve eggplants lengthwise through stem (keep stem attached). With a small sharp knife, scoop out and reserve flesh, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Very finely chop flesh and transfer to a large bowl.
5. Bring rice and water to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, uncovered, then reduce heat and simmer rice, covered, until water has been absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and add to chopped eggplant.
6. While rice cooks, combine bread and milk in a small bowl and let stand until bread has absorbed milk, then gently squeeze bread, discarding any milk.
7. Add bread to rice mixture along with garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine well.
8. Sprinkle inside of eggplant shells with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Firmly pack a scant 1/3-cup eggplant stuffing into each eggplant shell. (You may have some stuffing left over.)
9. Fry and bake eggplants: Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 1 inch vegetable oil in a 10-inch cast-iron or other deep heavy skillet over moderate heat until thermometer reaches 320°F and add 2 eggplant halves, stuffing sides up. Fry, turning over once using 2 slotted spoons, until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes total. Transfer, stuffing sides up, to paper towels to drain, then fry remaining eggplants, 2 halves at a time, in same manner, returning oil to 320°F between batches. Spoon sauce into a 3-quart (about 13- by 9-inch) nonreactive baking dish. Add eggplants, stuffing sides up, and bake, covered with foil, until sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes.
10. Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
11. Heat 1 inch vegetable oil in a 10-inch cast-iron or other deep heavy skillet over moderate heat until thermometer reaches 320°F and add 2 eggplant halves, stuffing sides up. Fry, turning over once using 2 slotted spoons, until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes total. Transfer, stuffing sides up, to paper towels to drain, then fry remaining eggplants, 2 halves at a time, in same manner, returning oil to 320°F between batches.
12. Spoon sauce into a 3-quart (about 13- by 9-inch) nonreactive baking dish. Add eggplants, stuffing sides up, and bake, covered with foil, until sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes.