Aubergine parmigiana with halloumi croutons
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 4
A comforting aubergine parmigiana topped with crisp sesame-coated halloumi croûtons for a little cheesy twist.
From Morning Live
Ingredients
For the aubergine
- 2 large aubergines, cut into 1cm/½in chunks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 100g/3½oz Parmesan, grated (or an alternative vegetarian hard cheese)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 sprig fresh basil, plus extra to garnish
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 3 tsp red wine vinegar
- Parmesan rind (or an alternative vegetarian hard cheese)
For the halloumi croûtons
- 200g/7oz halloumi, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
- drizzle olive oil
- 5 tbsp sesame seeds
Method
Preheat oven to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 9.
Put the aubergines onto a large tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. Toss the aubergines and roast for a further 10 minutes.
To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a large pan over low heat. Gently fry the red onion until softened. Then add the garlic and chilli flakes and fry for another minute until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper and stir well to combine. Finally add the Parmesan rind and leave to cook over a low heat for 20–30 minutes until thickened.
Once the aubergines are roasted, remove the Parmesan rind from the sauce and add the aubergines to the pan, tossing well to coat.
Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle over the grated Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile make the halloumi croûtons. Drizzle the halloumi chunks in olive oil, then roll them in the sesame seeds to coat. Bake the halloumi on a separate oven tray for 15–20 minutes until crisp on the outside, turning halfway.
To serve, scatter the croûtons over the cooked parmigiana and garnish with a few fresh basil leaves.
