Stuffed Aubergine with Olive Tapenade
This tasty vegetarian recipe is a crowd pleaser, serve with a crisp green salad.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 large aubergines
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 300 g ricotta
- 1 ½ 400g tins plum tomatoes chop before using.
- a pinch chilli flakes
- 45 g Parmesan cheese if vegetarian use a mature cheddar
- ½ lemon zest only
- small bunch basil
Tapenade
- 50 g pitted Kalamata olives
- 3 Tbls Extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- 1 anchovy fillet
Parmesan Crumb
- 20 g Parmesan grated
- 1 slice sourdough crust removed
- 1 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Trim the aubergines, then cut into 5mm slices lengthways. Brush each slice with olive oil on both sides. Season. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat until very hot, and fry the aubergines for 5-6 mins on each side or until char lines appear and they are thoroughly cooked through. You’ll need to do this in batches. Place in a dish and set to one side.
- Now to prepare the tomato sauce. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan, add one of the minced cloves of garlic and the chilli flakes, gently fry, then swiftly add the tin tomatoes. Season and simmer for 10 minutes. Set to one side to cool.
- Combine the ricotta with the lemon zest and remaining garlic. Finely slice the basil leaves, (keep a few to garnish the dish after cooking). Add the basil to the ricotta and season with a little salt and a good grind of pepper.
- Now to assemble: take an aubergine slice and place a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture at one end. Roll the aubergine up into a fat sausage, so the filling is contained. Repeat with the remaining slices.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C fan. Pour the tomato sauce into a heat resistant dish. Place the aubergine rolls, seam side down on top of the sauce. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and the sauce is piping hot and bubbling.
- While the aubergines are baking make the tapenade. Very finely chop the olives and anchovy fillet. Place in a small bowl and add the olive oil and zest, stir.
- Tear the sourdough slice into a small crumbs. Place in a bowl and mix with the oil and Parmesan. Place on a baking tray and pop in the oven with the aubergine for 5-8 minutes or until golden.
- Top the aubergines with the Parmesan crumb, basil leaves and serve with the tapenade. Serve with a green salad - devour.
Notes
*From 2 aubergines, I was able to make 12 rolls, I made a separate portion not shown.