Ingredients

• 1 large aubergine
• cut lengthways into 6 slices about 5mm/¼ inch thick
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 eggs
• lightly beaten with some salt and pepper
• olive oil for frying
• 40g/1½oz parmesan cheese (or a similar vegetarian hard cheese)
• freshly grated
• 18 large fresh basil leaves
• 300g/11oz mozzarella cheese
• roughly sliced
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 1 small onion
• finely chopped
• ½ celery stalk
• finely chopped
• 400g/14oz tin of plum tomatoes
• leafy green salad

Directions

• To make the tomato sauce
• heat the olive oil in a saucepan
• add the garlic
• onion and celery and sweat until softened. Stir in the tomatoes
• season with salt and pepper
• then cover the pan and simmer gently for 25 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Dust the aubergine slices in the flour
• then dip them in the beaten egg.
• In a large frying pan
• heat some olive oil to a depth of about 1 cm/½ inch
• add the aubergine slices and fry on both sides until golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
• Line the aubergine slices up on a large chopping board
• season with salt and pepper
• then evenly sprinkle 25g/1oz of the parmesan over the top.
• Place three basil leaves on each aubergine slice and top with a couple slices of mozzarella
• reserving half the cheese. The carefully roll each slice up
• making sure they are seam-side downwards so they don't open up.
• Line a large ovenproof dish (or individual ones) with some of the tomato sauce and place the aubergine rolls on top.
• Spoon over the remaining tomato sauce and top with the remaining mozzarella slices and parmesan.
• Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes
• until the top is very lightly coloured and beginning to bubble. Serve with a green salad.