Roast Aubergine, Mozzarella, Tomato and Cannellini
In this quick, affordable and delicious tray bake we’ve teamed aubergine up with some other seasonal favourites with tomatoes and basil.
The balanced acidity and sweetness of the aubergine and tomatoes is contrasted with the creaminess of mozzarella and we’ve chucked in some leftover bread. Why waste it when we can use it to go golden and bring this whole bake together.
Serves [4]
Ingredients
2 aubergines, cut into bite sized chunks
1 red onion, sliced
3 tablespoons of oil (preferably olive, but vegetable is fine)
800 grams of chopped tomatoes (fresh or tinned)
4 garlic cloves, sliced
Small bunch of basil, leaves (picked) and stalk (finely chopped)
400 grams tin of cannellini beans, drained (or whatever tinned beans you have)
A few slices of stale bread, ripped to bite sized chunks
1 ball of mozzarella (or plant based alternative)
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Method
Heat the oven to 180 celsius.
In a roasting tray, toss the aubergine and onion with the oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and roast for 15 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes, garlic, beans and basil leaves (save a few to garnish) and stalk and cook for another 10 minutes.
Top with the bread and dot with the chunks of mozzarella, splash with a little more oil. Bake for a further 20 mins, then scatter over the remaining basil leaves before serving.
Food savvy tip
If you have a glut of aubergines and would like to preserve some for the months when they are out of season, you can preserve them in olive oil, just like food savvy Italian households.
Recipe provided by Mark Breen of Seasonal Kitchen.
