This dish is a commitment. It’s messy and it takes time, but it is so so so worth it. You can prepare some or all of the ingredients the day before if you like.
SERVES 4
SHOPPING LIST
3–4 large aubergines (eggplants)
sea salt
olive oil
1 portion of Fresh Tomato Napoli Sauce
1 portion of Cashew Cream
20 medium brown mushrooms
150 g (5 oz/1½ cups) walnuts
200 g (7 oz/4 cups) baby spinach
16 fresh basil leaves freshly ground black pepper
YOU NEED TO…
Slice the top off each aubergine and then cut lengthways into long strips, so that you have 16 slices. Lay the slices flat on clean tea towels (dish towels). Sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for a couple of hours.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).
Brush a baking tray with a little olive oil, place the aubergine on the tray and brush a tiny bit of oil on the top. Bake for 20 minutes, then allow to cool while you prepare everything else.
Prepare the tomato sauce and Cashew Cream as per the recipes. Pour a teeny-tiny drizzle of olive oil into a frying pan (skillet) and place over a medium–low heat. Finely chop the mushrooms, walnuts and spinach and add to the pan. Once the pan is filled with liquid, increase the heat to medium–high and stir frequently until all the liquid has evaporated.
Stir three-quarters of the Cashew Cream into the mushroom and spinach mixture and stir. Season well with black pepper.
Place a tablespoon of the filling onto each aubergine slice, top with a basil leaf and roll it up, then place it in a lasagne dish with the ‘seam’ on the bottom. Repeat with each piece. Spoon the tomato sauce over everything and place in the oven for half an hour. Drizzle with the remaining Cashew Cream before serving with some crusty bread or green salad.
