Aubergines are very versatile, but maybe a little overused. At their best locally in late summer they burst with a deep nutty flavour perfectly marrying herbs, salty cheeses and juicy tomatoes. This dish can be a starter or a main course, served hot or cold. Try with fresh spinach leaves and sundried tomato and chilli pesto.
Serves 8 as starter or 4 generous main courses
Equipment needed: A griddle pan if you have one
Ingredients
150gm almond powder
5 medium shallots 100gms
Juice 1 lemon
1 clove garlic
1 dessert spoon tahini
6 dessert spoons olive oil
300gms aubergine
Salt and pepper
100gm feta cheese
100gm curd /cream cheese
1 small red onion (finely diced)
1 tbsp raspberry/white wine vinegar
Ground black pepper
12 basil leaves
Method
Pre heat the oven to 170ºC
Carefully cut the aubergines lengthways into ten slices 2-3mm thick and salt both sides. Toast the almond powder for 10 minutes in oven at 170º or until just starting to turn golden.
In a small non-stick pan, sauté the shallots and garlic until golden. Blend with the lemon juice, olive oil and tahini. Mix in the toasted almond powder until a paste consistency. Season.
On a medium heat sauté the aubergine slices in olive oil for 2 minutes each side until golden and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
Mix the feta, curd cheese, diced red onion and raspberry vinegar. Season with milled pepper.
On a piece of baking parchment 40cm x40cm layer place five of the aubergine slices in a row ensuring they overlap each other by ½ a cm. With the remaining aubergines make a second line underneath the first, and join them together so one overlaps the other by 1cm to form a rectangle with no gaps.
With a palette knife, gently spread the almond pate evenly onto the aubergine layer. Then evenly sprinkle the fresh cheese mix. Finally arrange the basil leaves evenly on the feta.
Using the parchment as a lever, carefully roll the roulade to a round even shape.
