Читать книгу From Season to Season: A Year in Recipes - Sophie Dahl - Страница 28

Baked vegetables smothered in scamorza

Scamorza is an Italian cow’s milk cheese, available in most Italian delis. If you can’t find it, use mozzarella instead. The smoked scamorza lends a smoky depth to sauces and whatever it touches. It is also pretty bloody good on it’s own, eaten from the packet. This is a variation on a recipe given to me by my girlfriend Emma.

SERVES 2

1 large aubergine/ eggplant

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 ball of smoked scamorza or smoked mozzarella (or use regular mozzarella)

For the pesto

1 large clove of garlic, peeled

A large handful of fresh basil

A few tablespoons of pine nuts

3 tablespoons of olive oil

30g/¼ cup of grated Parmesan

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4.

Start with salting the aubergine/eggplant. Slice it lengthways, put on a tea towel and sprinkle it with sea salt. Turn after 20 minutes or so, and do the other side. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

Make the pesto in a big pestle and mortar by grinding up the garlic. Add the basil, keep mashing away, and then add the pine nuts. Slowly add the olive oil, and then the Parmesan. Season to taste.

Put all the aubergine/eggplant in an ovenproof dish and give it a good dash of olive oil. Cook for around 10 minutes. Take out and spread the pesto on a layer of aubergine/eggplant, followed by a layer of scamorza or mozzarella (if using). Repeat the process until everything is used up. Bake for around 30 minutes and serve with a crisp green salad.