This is a lovely, savoury recipe suitable for vegetarians and ideal for using up the last of the seasonal aubergines. I recommend using full fat cream cheese as low fat will give a different, not so satisfactory result. Any savoury crackers will probably fit the bill, but Ritz do crush easily (use a rolling pin if you don’t have a food processor) and a mild Cheddar or Emmenthal cheese will work well. This is a good dish for a starter or a main course served with new potatoes and a salad.
- 12ozs. / 340g. diced aubergines
- 3 ½ ozs. 100g. butter
- 1 packet of savoury crackers, crushed finely
- 2 tbsps. grated Parmesan
- 1 chopped onion
- 4 tbsps. olive oil
- 8ozs. / 225g. cream cheese
- 6ozs. / 170g. cheese, grated
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp. mixed herbs
- 5 fl. ozs. / 125mls. Greek-style yogurt
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas Mark 4. Scatter a teaspoonful of salt over the aubergine and leave for an hour before rinsing well.
- Melt the butter and stir in the crushed biscuits and Parmesan. Use to line an 8inch / 20cm. spring clip cake tin. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Fry the onion in the oil until soft. Add the aubergines and cook for 20 minutes, until softened. Tip the mixture into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Beat well and pour on to the base.
- Cook for 40 minutes or until golden brown. This must be left to set and can be served cold.
