You can't beat the classic, simple favours of a caprese salad - tomato, mozzarella and basil are a winning combination and instantly make me dream of warm Summer days when you can while away a couple of hours eating lunch al fresco. Now, we haven't quite got the weather yet, and I need something more than a cold salad to get me through the day!!!.......so I've taken inspiration from the classic caprese, and made it into a more substantial meal by adding roasted aubergine and red peppers and then baking it so that the mozzarella melts. The punchy pesto dressing complements the flavours perfectly and lifts the dish to another level. This is a great veggie meal (that is also gluten free), that is perfect served warm alongside a fresh green salad and a good hunk of crusty bread.
Ingredients
3 aubergines, sliced into 1cm discs
3 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced into 1cm discs (don't cut them any thinner or they will disintegrate when cooked!)
2 large red peppers, deseeded, bottoms sliced off and then chopped into quarters (so you will get 5 slices out of each pepper)
Sea salt
Black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Large bunch of fresh basil
450g fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/2 cm discs
Pesto drizzle
40g pine nuts (toasted quickly in a frying pan)
2 small garlic cloves
Large handful of basil leaves
75ml extra virgin olive oil
Good pinch of sea salt and black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Lay the aubergine discs in one layer on a large tray and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and drizzle over olive oil.
Lay the tomato and red pepper slices on another large baking tray, season well with sea salt and black pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
Place both trays in the oven to roast for 15 minutes.
Remove the trays from the oven.
Allow the vegetables to cool completely.
Take a 20cm by 20cm dish and begin to assemble the dish.
Arrange a slice of aubergine, tomato, mozzarella and basil, followed by a slice of aubergine, pepper, mozzarella and basil in the baking dish until you have formed one full row (make sure that it is packed in quite tightly).
Repeat this until you have three rows side by side, with no gaps.*
*You can prepare up to this point and then place in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight, until needed.
Place the dish in the oven 15 minutes, or until the mozzarella begins to melt.
Pesto drizzle
In a small food processor, blend the pine nuts, garlic, basil leaves, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.
Remove the dish from the oven and allow to sit for a couple of minutes.
Divide between serving plates and drizzle over the pesto dressing.
Serve with some green salad leaves and fresh crusty bread.
Delicious!
If there is any leftover, it makes a lovely sandwich filling for lunch the next day!