GREEK AUBERGINE & FETA BAKE
Ingredients
- 2 - 3 aubergine washed and cut into 2.5cm cubes
- 1 red onion cut into large chunks
- 1 tbsp. rapeseed or olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 400 g tin butter beans drained
- 100 g feta cheese cubed
- 2 - 3 thick slices of bread e.g. granary, sourdough, torn into chunks
Instructions
- Prepare the aubergines and onion and toss in the oil along with the garlic and oregano. Place on a baking tray and roast at 200c for 20 mins until golden.
- Tip the aubergine and onions into a shallow baking tin (I used a ceramic dish), stir in the tomatoes and butter beans then scatter over the bread and cheese.
- Bake for a further 15 - 20 mins until heated through and the feta cheese starts to brown slightly.
Notes
This is a complete meal containing protein (beans and cheese), starchy carbohydrates (bread and beans) and vegetables but feel free to serve this as a side dish. It is even delicious served as a salad the next day.
To make adaptations to this dish:
Italian - (Aubergine Parmigiana), stir in 1 tbsp. pesto with the tomatoes, you can omit the butter beans if wished and instead of bread cubes and feta, top with breadcrumbs and grated parmesan then bake.
Persian - Toss the aubergine and onion with 2 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. ground coriander and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, omitting the oregano before baking. Swap the butter beans for chickpeas and add 2 tsp. honey and a small handful of raisins (optional) with the tomatoes before baking for the second time. Omit the bread.
Indian - Toss the aubergine and onion with 2tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. ground coriander, 1 tsp. turmeric and 1/2 tsp. dried chillies (alternatively, add 2 tbsp. curry powder), omitting the oregano before baking. Swap butter beans for chickpeas, add 1 cm grated ginger (or 1/2 tsp ginger paste) and 2 tbsp. tomato puree along with the chopped tomatoes before baking for the second time. Omit the cheese and bread, instead serving with flatbreads and scattering the dish with fresh chopped coriander.
To make adaptations to this dish:
Italian - (Aubergine Parmigiana), stir in 1 tbsp. pesto with the tomatoes, you can omit the butter beans if wished and instead of bread cubes and feta, top with breadcrumbs and grated parmesan then bake.
Persian - Toss the aubergine and onion with 2 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. ground coriander and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, omitting the oregano before baking. Swap the butter beans for chickpeas and add 2 tsp. honey and a small handful of raisins (optional) with the tomatoes before baking for the second time. Omit the bread.
Indian - Toss the aubergine and onion with 2tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. ground coriander, 1 tsp. turmeric and 1/2 tsp. dried chillies (alternatively, add 2 tbsp. curry powder), omitting the oregano before baking. Swap butter beans for chickpeas, add 1 cm grated ginger (or 1/2 tsp ginger paste) and 2 tbsp. tomato puree along with the chopped tomatoes before baking for the second time. Omit the cheese and bread, instead serving with flatbreads and scattering the dish with fresh chopped coriander.