Roasted aubergine stacks recipe

These roasted aubergine stacks make a really great looking little meal or starter, and are packed with Mediterranean summer flavours.

These stacks are easy to make and if you're preparing them for a special occasion you can put them together well ahead of your meal (up to a few of hours in advance). All you need to do is pop them in the oven when it's nearly time to eat. This recipe serves two - you can cut the aubergines thicker or thinner, depending on your preference, and add extra layers of pepper and cheese if you like. If you're cooking for more people, simple multiply the ingredients accordingly. Balsamic syrup (or glaze) is not the same as balsamic vinegar - it's sweeter and thicker and makes a beautiful drizzling sauce over the finished stacks.

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 small aubergine cut into 6 slices, about 1cm thick
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 ball buffalo mozzarella cut into 4 discs
• 8 leaves basil
• 2 tbsp fresh pesto
• A few squeezes of balsamic syrup

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Place the peppers in the oven and bake for 30 mins or until the skin has slightly blackened and they have become softened.
2. Heat a griddle pan until it begins to smoke. Toss the aubergines in a bowl with the olive oil and a little salt. Lay the aubergines on the griddle pan and grill for 2-3 mins on each side or until they have become golden and slightly charred. Set aside to drain on some kitchen paper.
3. Remove the peppers from the oven and leave to stand for 10 mins. Cut them in half from stem to tip and remove the pips and skin. You will have 4 pieces of pepper, two in each colour. Lay a slice of aubergine, then a slice of basil, then a slice of cheese, a slice of basil, then a slice of each of the peppers, seasoning with salt and pepper in between each slice, and repeat. This will make one stack. Do the same with the remaining ingredients to make the second stack, and top both with the remaining aubergine.
4. Place the stacks on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 10 mins. Lay each stack on a plate and drizzle with pesto and balsamic syrup to serve.

Top tip for making roasted aubergine stacks

You can seriously speed up the time of this dish by using a jar of sliced peppers instead of roasting and peeling your own, making the cooking time just 10 minutes.

Look out for scarmoza - a special kind of smoked cheese from Southern Italy that makes a great change from buffalo mozzarella here. Halloumi is a good option too.

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