Ingredients

• 2 aubergines
• cut lengthways into 0.5cm/¼ in thick strips
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• for brushing
• 150g/5oz ricotta
• 150g/5oz buffalo mozzarella
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 spring onions
• finely chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 450g/1lb cherry tomatoes
• halved
• 1 garlic clove
• crushed
• pinch sugar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4.
• Season the aubergine slices well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and brush with oil.
• Griddle for a couple of minutes on each side in a hot griddle pan
• or until golden-brown grill marks are formed. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.
• For the filling
• mix the ricotta
• mozzarella
• nutmeg and spring onions together in a bowl.
• Lay out all of the slices of aubergine onto a clean surface. Place about one teaspoon of filling at the bottom edge of each one.
• Roll up the aubergine slices
• like a cigar
• around the filling
• then rest them seam-side down on a plate.
• For the sauce
• heat the olive oil in a pan and add the cherry tomatoes.
• Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic and sugar. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Spoon some of the sauce into the bottom of an ovenproof dish.
• Carefully place the aubergine rolls
• seam-side down onto the sauce
• and spoon over the rest of the sauce.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes
• until the cheese begins to melt.
• To serve
• spoon the rolls onto plates.