125gmozzerella pearls (balls)or torn up buffalo mozerella
125gcherry vine tomatoes
1large handful ofbasil leaves
salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat the fan oven to 180c
Chop the onion and garlic
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and gently cook the onion until it starts to go translucent, then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes without letting the garlic brown.
Add the plum tomatoes rinsing out the tin with a little water and adding it to the tomatoes. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes on low, stirring occasionally to break up the tomatoes add salt and pepper to season.
While the tomatoes are cooking put the aubergines over a flame - either on a gas hob or barbecue, turning occasionally until the outside is charred and when you insert a knife the inside is soft. This gives them a lovely smokey flavour. Set aside until they've cooled enough to handle.
Alternatively (if you don't have a flame) you could cut the aubergines lengthways about 1/2 cm thick and griddle or fry in olive oil until they have slightly charred.
When the aubergines are cool, cut off the top and bottom, then take the skin off and discard it, then chop the aubergine into 1/2cm slices.
In and ovenproof dish, layer a third of the tomato sauce, then half the aubergine, ontop of this a third of the parmasan, half the mozerella, half the basil leaves torn up. Repeat this saving a few leaves of basil for garnish.
For the topping, layer the rest of the tomato sauce, the rest of the parmesan, put the cherry vine tomatoes on top and dot the mozzarella pearls in the gaps.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is looking golden. Top with the rest of the torn basil leaves.
Serve with some crusty bread to scoop up all the juices.