Roman-Style Pizza Parmigiana With Aubergine

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ gas 6

Boil half a kettle

Trim the green stalk[s] from your aubergine[s] and cut it in half lengthways, then finely slice

Add the sliced aubergine (use baking paper to avoid it sticking) to a baking tray (or two) and add a generous drizzle of olive oil

Season generously with salt and give everything a good mix up

Put the tray[s] in the oven for 15 min or until the aubergine has softened

Meanwhile, peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Chop your baby plum tomatoes in half

Heat a pot with a generous drizzle of olive oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the chopped garlic and halved baby plum tomatoes with a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 min or until the tomatoes have fully broken down

Add your dried oregano, tomato paste, a generous pinch salt, pepper, 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and 50ml [65ml] [85ml] boiled water and cook for 2 min or until thickened – this is your tomato pizza sauce

Drain your mozzarella, then pat and squeeze as much liquid out as you can with kitchen paper

Tear the mozzarella into rough, bite-sized pieces

Pick your basil leaves from the stalks, discard the stalks

Remove the softened aubergine from the tray[s] and add your pizza base[s]

Spread the tomato pizza sauce evenly over the pizza base[s]

Top the pizza base with the torn mozzarella, softened aubergine and basil leaves

Sprinkle over your grated Italian hard cheese and season with a generous grind of pepper

Put the tray[s] in the oven for 15 min or until golden and crispy – this is your Roman-Style pizza parmigiana with aubergine

Wash your salad and pat dry with kitchen paper