Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz baby aubergines
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 small red onion
• cut into thin half-moons
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes or ½ tsp pouring salt
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• peeled
• 1½ tbsp cold water
• few sprigs fresh oregano (optional)

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 250C/475F/Gas 9.
• Slice the baby aubergines in half lengthways
• keeping the stalks on: this is an aesthetic consideration
• nothing to do with flavour
• but humour me.
• Pour the regular olive oil into a very shallow roasting tin
• sprinkle in the dried oregano
• add the aubergines
• cut-side down
• and swirl them gently around. Then turn them so they are cut-side up and put the tray in the hot oven for 15 minutes
• by which time they should be tender and turning gold in parts.
• As soon as the aubergines are in the oven
• put the fine half-moons of red onion in a bowl and cover with the red wine vinegar and salt.
• Remove the cooked aubergines to a platter
• and now whisk into the vinegary onions the extra-virgin olive oil
• then the grated or minced garlic and
• finally
• the cold water.
• Pour this over the warm aubergines
• using your hands to arrange the glowingly pink onion over them evenly
• then leave it all for about half an hour to cool to room temperature before you eat
• scattering with fresh oregano
• if you have any
• when serving.