Cheesy Aubergine, Mozzarella & Tomato Melts
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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Roasted aubergine boats filled with cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella and crispy breadcrumbs, served on a sea of chickpeas studded with sun dried tomatoes, fresh oregano and peppery rocket leaves.
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739 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • 2 aubergines
  • 35g sundried tomatoes
  • 250g cherry tomatoes
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • A handful of oregano, leaves only
  • 125g mozzarella
  • 1 red onion
  • 50g breadcrumbs
  • A pinch or two of dried chilli flakes
  • 400g tin of chickpeas
  • 1 lemon
  • 50g rocket
From your kitchen
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Heat your oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7. Trim the green tops off the aubergines and halve the aubergines lengthways. Pop them in a roasting tin, cut-side up. Drizzle with 1 tbsp oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 mins.

  • 2.

    Meanwhile, tip the sun dried tomatoes into a heatproof bowl (or small pan) and cover with boiling water. Set aside to soak for 10 mins.

  • 3.

    Slice the cherry tomatoes into quarters. Peel and thinly slice both garlic cloves, but keep them separate. Pick and roughly chop the oregano leaves. Tear the mozzarella into small pieces.

  • 4.

    Pour 1 tbsp olive oil into a pan and warm to a medium heat. Slide 1 sliced garlic clove into the pan and fry for 1 min. Add the cherry tomatoes, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for 5 mins, till the tomatoes are slightly softened.

  • 5.

    While the veg fry, peel and finely slice the onion. Drain the sun dried tomatoes and chop them.

  • 6.

    When the aubergines are cooked, remove the tin from the oven. Divide the garlicky cherry tomatoes between the 4 aubergine halves. Scatter over the torn mozzarella and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs. Season and return to the oven for 15 mins till the mozzarella is melting and golden.

  • 7.

    While the aubergine melts bake, pour 1 tbsp oil into the empty pan used to cook the tomatoes (don’t worry if it still contains a bit of sauce) and warm to a medium heat. Slide in the sliced onion, remaining garlic and a pinch of dried chilli flakes (chilli flakes are spicy, so add as much or little as preferred). Fry for 5 mins, till softened.

  • 8.

    Drain the chickpeas and add to the pan along with the chopped sun dried tomatoes. Reduce the heat and warm through for 5 mins. Stir in the oregano leaves. Grate in the zest from the lemon and squeeze in the juice. Add 1 tbsp olive oil. Stir in half the rocket leaves. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.

  • 9.

    Pile the chickpeas onto a couple of plates, top with the aubergine melts, and serve with the remaining rocket leaves.

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