Baked aubergine with pesto and feta

I was at the end of my wild garlic pesto and had been handed two white, yes white aubergines from Mother Toast this weekend. Being lazy and on the last day of the Easter break before work, I decided to knock up this simple and healthy baked dish for lunch with a green salad. The only thing I would recommend is ensuring you have proper feta. I had managed to pick up an Alpetina 10% block from the supermarket which was not salty nor crumbly. I now know this is because it is only 10% fat. Epic fail. Even, with real feta, this should hopefully counteract all the marzipan eggs I have been eating over the weekened.


What you will need
2 aubergines (normal will do)
2-3 table spoons pesto
1/2 tea spoon dried chilli flakes
60g feta cheese
1/2 lemon


Start be slicing the aubergines in half lenthways and then scoring through the flesh to create diamonds.


Next, salt the aubergine flesh and set aside for 20-30 minutes to soften. Next spread over the pesto, ensuring it pokes through into the cuts.

Top with the crumbled feta cheese and then sprinkle over the dried chilli flakes and a squeeze of the fresh lemon juice.


Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the aubergine has softened andthe feta browned.

Serve hot. Gipsy Spread had his with Salmon.


Also, an additional nuisance of the Alpetina 10% is that it browns really quickly and can be quite deceptive on cooking times, as I learned when making the above and the pesto, tomato and feta tart this weekend.