My variant on Simon Rimmer recipe. The below is for two. Leave out the mozzarella to make it vegan.
Toast 70g of hazelnuts in a frying pan and then 20g of pine nuts. Heat oven to 180C.
In an oven proof dish large enough for two aubergine halves, put a layer of tomato slices (one beef tomato or a number of large tomatoes). Cut an aubergine in half lengthways. Put cut face down and make widthways cuts at 1cm intervals, three quarters of the way through (use the two wooden spoon method - one on each side of the aubergine - to ensure you don't cut all the way through!). Put on top of the tomatoes. Stuff the aubergine cuts with slices of garlic, slices of mozzarella and any bits of tomato left over from lining the dish. Drizzle with plenty of olive oil. Season and bake for 35-45 minutes (until the aubergine is soft).
In a small blender put the nuts, quarter tsp chilli flakes, 5 sun dried tomatoes and 50ml of the oil they came in, 30g basil leaves, 1 tsp sherry vinegar, 4 pitted green olives. Blitz until you have a rough paste.
Spoon over the cooked aubergine. Drizzle with a bit more extra virgin olive oil and enjoy!
