Slice eggplant into rounds and place into a colander, sprinkling each slice with salt before stacking more on top. Set aside in sink.

Heat a large saucepan to medium, add oil and heat through, then add onion. Cook onion until soft, then add pepper and garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add tomatoes and stir, then cover pan and let cook about 10 minutes, until tomatoes have broken down. Add salt and pepper, then stir in cream. Re-cover, reduce heat slightly, and move on to the eggplant.

Rinse salt off eggplant and dry on paper towel. Beat the egg in one bowl and pour the breadcrumbs into another. Heat a frying pan to medium and add a small amount of oil. Dip eggplant in egg, then breadcrumbs, and place in pan. Fry a few minutes on both sides until coating is crispy.

Plate eggplant, with pasta if desired, and spoon sauce over the top. Bemoan the fact you didn't make more sauce, but celebrate that it's June and you have a long season of eggplant and tomatoes in front of you.