I’ve been craving eggplant for some time now, but have also been wanting to experiment and try something new with this weirdly delicious vegetable.

I googled for hours in search of an eggplant recipe that tickled my salivary glands. Eventually I found an interesting-looking eggplant wrap recipe and inspiration hit!

Unlike most of my usual weeknight dishes this one took a little more effort to make. I didn’t even get a chance to pour a glass of wine! But boy, oh boy it was so worth it in the end.

Who’s hungry? Vincent and I are ravishing ravished, so this recipe can serve 4.

Ingredients

• 3 medium eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1 cm strips
• 80 ml olive oil
• 1 tbsp mixed herbs
• 2 courgettes, finely chopped
• 1 sachet tomato paste
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 80 g pine nuts
• 300 g fresh spinach
• 100 g chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
• 190 g sun-dried tomatoes
• 120 g cheddar cheese
• salt & pepper

Egg-quip yourself

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Slice your eggplants lengthwise to look like this.

Chop your courgettes to look like this.

Mix 3 tbsp olive oil and the herbs in a bowl.

Let’s cook

Dip a slice of eggplant in the oil and herb mixture, ensuring it is completely covered.

Pop it in a hot pan on the stove. You’ll need to do this in batches.

Keep an eye on your eggplants in the pan. If they look thirsty, add more oil mixture.

If your eggplants become so soft they can easily be bent to fold over, take them out and set them aside. It should take about 3 mins per side.

While you’re cooking the eggplants in batches, get a small pot on the stove. Add some olive oil, the courgettes, salt, pepper and garlic to the pot.

Now add the tomato paste and keep it simmering until the courgettes are tender.

It should turn out looking like this.

Once all the eggplants are done, use the same warm pan and add the pine nuts to it.

Watch the temperature! They burn easily. Take them out when they become toasty — it should only take 1 minute or so.

Now use that same pan again and add a little more olive oil and your spinach. Season it with salt & pepper and cook until wilted.

Assemble your fold-overs

Start with eggplant.

Add some courgette salsa.

Pop a slice of chorizo on one end.

Now some spinach.

Then comes a sun-dried tomato.

Sprinkle roasted pine nuts on top.

Finish with a slice of cheese.

Now fold the emptier side of the eggplant over to close up your parcel.

Do this to all of your eggplant slices until your baking pan or oven dish looks something like this.

Pop it in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted.

Dish and enjoy

Try my recipe!