Name: Spanish aubergine stuffed with pisto
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 8 small aubergines, about 12cm long; olive oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 1 red pepper, seeded and diced; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp dried chilli flakes; 200g courgettes, finely diced; 400g skinned and chopped plum tomatoes, or use a 400g tin; 150g of day-old crustless sourdough, torn into pieces; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 shallots, finely diced; a few sprigs thyme, leaves picked and chopped; 1/2 tbsp lemon juice; 3 tbsp olive oil

8 small aubergines
about 12cm long
olive oil
1 large onion
finely chopped
1 red pepper
seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic
finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
200g courgettes
finely diced
400g skinned and chopped plum tomatoes
or use a 400g tin

MIGAS TOPPING

150g of day-old crustless sourdough
torn into pieces
2 cloves garlic
finely chopped
2 shallots
finely diced
a few sprigs thyme
leaves picked and chopped
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Toss the bread with the garlic, shallots, and thyme, then spread out on a baking tray and cook until the bread is crisp and golden. Once toasted, pulse in a food processor to rough breadcrumbs, then add the lemon juice and olive oil.
step 2
Make small holes all over the aubergines using a skewer. Put the whole aubergines on a baking tray and cook at the same temperature for about 30 minutes, or until completely soft.
step 3
While the aubergines are roasting, heat 4 tbsp oil in a large frying pan.Add the onion and red pepper, then cover and cook gently for 7-8 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Uncover, stir in the garlic, cumin and dried chilli and cook for another minute.
step 4
Once the aubergines are cooked, cut them in half lengthways, scoop out the flesh and roughly chop. Keep the oven on.
step 5
Stir the aubergine into the onion pan and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the courgettes, season with salt and cook for another 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, 150ml water (if using fresh tomatoes) and season really well, then simmer until all the vegetables are tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.
step 6
Fill the aubergine shells with the pisto, sprinkle the migas breadcrumbs on top, then put them back in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.