We love feta and aubergine as a combination and a few weeks ago I made a feta and aubergine salad which was delicious. While I was searching for the salad recipe I came across another recipe similar to this one and I have been wanting to try it for ages. This was so yum in every bite as you get the charcoal hits and soft flesh of the aubergine against the salty crumbled feta, sweetness from the tomatoes, freshness from the basil and this is all uplifted with a lemony back note. I also think it looks harder than it is, we buy frozen chargrilled aubergine from Waitrose which has a flavour that is difficult to get without a bar b que, so I would highly recommend going down this route. We enjoyed this for lunch but it would also be great as an appetiser or finished off on a bar b as a side dish or vegetarian option.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 6 slices of aubergine/eggplant
• 1 pack of good quality feta (100-120g)
• 6 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 10-12 basil leaves, chopped
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• crack of pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil for roasting
• 20g grated parmesan

Method

1. Pre heat oven to 190 degrees (fan), place the olive oil in a baking dish and place in the oven for 5 mins.
2. Place the strips of aubergine in the heated oil and bake for 20-30 minutes turning halfway until cooked (mine took 25 mins).
3. While the aubergine slices are cooking, crumble the feta into a bowl, add the chopped tomatoes, basil, lemon juice and pepper and stir lightly to combine (I didn’t need salt as our feta was a really good one).
4. Once the aubergine slices are cooked line a plate with 2 sheets of kitchen roll and lay out the slices finishing off with 2 layers of kitchen paper to drain off the oil and fat. I used the same pan for grilling so I also gave it a wipe to remove any oil.
5. Once slightly cooled, take an aubergine slice and fill with a large spoonful of the feta mixture and fold the ends together place back onto the tray and repeat with the other slices.
6. Once ready to serve sprinkle over the parmesan and place under a hot grill to melt and warm through the rolls.