Roasted stuffed eggplant with whipped feta & spinach

SERVES: 4 AS PART OF A MEAL
Preparation 30 minutes | Cooking 40 minutes

This colourful vegetarian main is intensely flavoured – serve it with a simple salad and perhaps some rice or bread.

2 eggplants
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red capsicum, peeled, cored, diced 1cm
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1?2 cup walnut pieces, toasted
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
120g spinach leaves, washed
100g feta (cow’s or goat’s – I used Puhoi, which is made with vegetarian rennet)
100g ricotta

Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a lipped baking tray with baking paper. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise then put on the tray, flesh side down. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and when cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving a 5mm border. Reserve the shells.

Chop the eggplant flesh into 1cm dice. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant flesh, capsicum and garlic and fry for 5 minutes then stir in the toasted walnuts, cherry tomatoes and parsley. Sprinkle the vinegar over everything and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon the filling into the eggplant shells, return to the baking
tray and bake for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Meanwhile, blanch the spinach in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 1 minute or until just tender. Drain and cool under cold running water. Squeeze out the excess moisture and coarsely chop. Put the spinach into a stick blender jug (or a food processor), along with the feta and ricotta. Puree to a smooth paste then add the remaining
1 tablespoon oil and a small drizzle of water to thin slightly and puree again. Set aside until ready to serve (you can make this a day ahead but it will discolour slightly).

Serve the eggplant with a dollop of the whipped feta and spinach, with a green salad on the side.