funny menu for you
serves 4
ingredients
1 large aubergine
300g/11oz tricolour pasta shapes
100g/4oz low-fat soft cheese with
garlic and herbs
350ml/12fl oz passata
4 tablespoons freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried white
breadcrumbs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5. Grease and line
a 20cm/8in round springform cake tin.
• Trim the aubergine and slice lengthways into slices about 5mm/1⁄4in
thick. Put in a bowl, sprinkle liberally with salt, and set aside for
30 minutes to remove any bitter juices. Rinse well under cold running
water, and drain.
• Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, and blanch the aubergine for
1 minute. Drain and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Cook the pasta shapes in lightly salted boiling water until al dente. Drain
well, and return to the saucepan. Add the soft cheese and allow it to
melt over the pasta. Stir in the passata, Parmesan and oregano, and
season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange the aubergine over the bottom and sides of the cake tin,
overlapping the slices and making sure that there are no gaps.
• Pile the pasta mixture into the tin, packing down well, and sprinkle with
the breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove the tin
from the oven and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
• Loosen the cake around the edge with a palette knife or spatula, and
release from the tin. Turn out the pasta cake, aubergine side uppermost,
and serve hot.
