tomato & eggplant filo bake

Many people believe filo pastry must be brushed with melted butter, but olive oil works just as well. This dish is a little bit like a savoury baklava.

+ + +   + + +

SERVES: 4–6

PREPARATION: 10 minutes

COOKING: 35 minutes

FOR THE FILO

4 tablespoons olive oil, for brushing, plus extra for oiling

16 filo pastry sheets

FOR THE EGGPLANT FILLING

400 g (14 oz) eggplant (aubergine), coarsely chopped

½ tablespoon fine sea salt

2 flax eggs

80 g (2¾ oz) breadcrumbs

50 g (1¾ oz) non-dairy cheese, grated

2 tablespoons chopped basil

100 ml (3½ fl oz) olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

25 g (1 oz) sultanas (golden raisins)

2 tablespoons pine nuts

sea salt flakes

freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE TOMATO FILLING

100 ml (3½ fl oz) olive oil, plus extra for oiling

2 onions, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons tomato paste (concentrated purée)

8 ripe tomatoes, about 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz), skinned and chopped

1 pinch caster (superfine) sugar

2 tablespoons chopped oregano

100 g (3½ oz) shelled broad beans, fresh or frozen

sea salt flakes

freshly ground black pepper

Lightly oil an ovenproof dish measuring 30 x 20 cm (12 x 8 inches) or similar. Trim the filo sheets to fit into the base. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel (dish towel) and set aside.

Put the eggplant in a colander, sprinkle with the salt and set over a bowl for 20 minutes to drain. Rinse, then pat dry.

Meanwhile, make the tomato filling. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan and cook the onions over a medium heat until very soft and golden. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for a few minutes more. Add the tomatoes, sugar and oregano and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the beans, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes more. Set aside.

To make the eggplant filling, put the eggplant in a food processor and roughly mince. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the flax eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese, basil, the olive oil, garlic, parsley, sultanas, pine nuts and salt and pepper. Stir.

Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F/ Gas 6). Brush 4 sheets of the filo with oil and layer one on top of the other. Put the oiled sheets in the baking tray and spread the tomato mixture on top. Make another 4-sheet layer of filo as before and put on top. Cover with the eggplant mixture. Make a final 4-sheet filo layer and put on top. Brush with oil and bake for 35 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Serve hot.