Roasted eggplant with tomatoes, olives and feta
If you love Mediterranean flavors and dishes that smell of summer, this recipe is for you. The eggplant transforms beautifully in the oven, becoming wonderfully tender and almost melt-in-your-mouth, while the tomatoes create a rich, juicy sauce that coats every bite.
Ingredients
- 5 eggplants cut into large cubes
- 2 red sweet peppers cut into thick slices
- 1 large onion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves unpeeled and lightly crushed with the flat side of a knife to release their aroma
- ⅓ cup olive oil plus 2 tbsp extra
- 400 grams canned tomatoes crushed
- 200 ml passata
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 12 black olives whole and unpitted
- 100 grams feta cheese crumbled by hand
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), fan-forced. Place the eggplants, peppers, onion, and garlic cloves in a baking tray. Drizzle with ⅓ cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 60 minutes, until the eggplants are tender and lightly browned.
- Place the crushed tomatoes, passata, balsamic vinegar, peeled garlic cloves, vegetable stock cube, sugar, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth.
- Pour the tomato sauce over the roasted eggplants. Add the olives and continue baking for another 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle the feta over the top and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve. The eggplant is also delicious served at room temperature.