SIMPLE BAKED RATATOUILLE

Serves 4 Takes About 1 hour

“This looks simple, but it’s so delicious and is always such a hit. Having everything in one pan makes life a lot easier too. If you have any leftovers, blitz them in a food processor and toss through spaghetti the next day – they make a wonderful sauce.”

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large aubergine, sliced into 5mm/1/4in rounds

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

• 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

• Sea salt and black pepper

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 500ml/18fl oz passata plus 50ml/2fl oz water to rinse out the container

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced into 5mm/1/4in rounds

• 2 medium courgettes, sliced into 5mm/1/4in rounds

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas 6.

2. Arrange the aubergine slices in a colander (place it over a bowl to keep the counter dry)

and sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt. Leave it to one side while you prep the sauce.

3. Place a casserole dish (about 25-30cm/10-12in diameter and preferably a shallow one) over a medium heat and gently heat the olive oil. Add the onion and fry for 5-10 minutes until soft, season with salt and black pepper, then add the garlic and fry for another couple of minutes.

4. Add the thyme, passata, water and balsamic vinegar, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Let it bubble for 2-3 minutes then remove from the heat.

5. Rinse and pat the aubergine dry using kitchen paper.

6. Arrange the aubergine, yellow pepper and courgette in a spiral on top of the tomato sauce, overlapping them slightly and alternating the vegetables until they are all used up. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the top, season with salt and black pepper, then bake in the preheated oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are slightly charred and the sauce is thick. Serve immediately.

‘Once you make this for a dinner party, it will become a staple – it sings and dances all the way to a happy place’