Feta, Potato & Aubergine Bake Recipe

Ingredients

1kg potatoes
2 aubergines
1 red onion
2 garlic cloves
2 x 400g tins of green lentils
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp dried oregano
690g passata
A handful of flat leaf parsley
100g baby leaf spinach
200ml crème fraîche
120g feta

Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 40-45 mins

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Method

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7. Fill and boil your kettle. Scrub and peel the potatoes, then chop them into bite-sized chunks. Pop them in a large pan and cover with hot water from the kettle, topping the pan up with extra water, if needed. Add a pinch of salt, cover and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for 15 mins till tender and cooked through (a skewer should go through the potatoes easily). Once cooked, drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, trim the green tops off the aubergines and chop them into small chunks. Put a large, ovenproof frying pan or casserole dish on a medium heat and warm it up for 1 min. (No ovenproof frying pan or casserole dish? See our tip.) Add 2 tbsp olive oil and the aubergines. Season with a pinch of salt fry, stirring often, for 8 mins till golden brown and tender.

3. While the aubergines fry, peel and roughly chop the red onion. Peel and grate or crush the garlic. Drain the lentils and rinse them.

4. When the aubergines are golden brown, add the onion to the pan with 4 tbsp cold water and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pop a lid on the pan. Fry, stirring often, for 5 mins till the onion is glossy and starting to soften. Stir in the garlic with the cinnamon stick and dried oregano. Cook and stir for 1 min.

5. Add the lentils to the pan. Pour in the passata and stir to mix, then bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. While the sauce simmers, roughly chop the parsley leaves and stalks.

6. Stir the baby leaf spinach and ¾ of the parsley into the aubergine sauce and wilt the spinach. Tip in the potatoes and stir to mix. Taste the sauce and add a pinch more salt or pepper, if needed.

7. Dollop the crème fraîche over the top of the veg and lentils, then crumble over the feta. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins till golden brown on top. Serve the aubergine, potato and feta bake garnished with the remaining chopped parsley.

8. The Right Pan
If you don’t have a large, ovenproof frying pan or casserole dish, then make the aubergine and lentil sauce in a large pan. Spoon it into a large ovenproof dish and add the potatoes. Turn to mix, spoon over the crème fraiche and feta and bake in the oven till golden brown.

9. Get Ahead
You can assemble the bake the day before you want to serve it and store it in the fridge. Make the aubergine and lentil sauce, and cook the potatoes. Combine them, then cool and store in the fridge, covered. To cook, spoon over the crème fraîche and crumble over the feta. Bake at 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4 for 30-40 mins till golden and bubbling.

10. Love Your Leftovers
The bake will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Simply divide it into individual portions, cool completely then chill or freeze. Defrost thoroughly and reheat till piping hot.