Stuffed vegetables are synonymous with Succot and this great versatile dish will work equally well as a starter or main course. I like to mix the aubergines with a basil pesto and sometimes I mix a little crumbled feta with the mozzarella. They keep well in the fridge for a few days, and also freeze well.

Serves 4–6

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 1 hour 20 mins

Ingredients

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 1–2 tbsp for the pesto and extra for greasing
2–3 aubergines, about 700g, cut into 1cm cubes
20g fresh basil, leaves and stems
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
|4–5 peppers of any colour
150g mozzarella or a mix of mozzarella and feta, sliced
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

• Heat the 5 tablespoons of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, add the cubed aubergines with a pinch each of salt and pepper and stir well.
• Cook for 10 minutes, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until tender, then remove the lid and cook for a further 10-15 minutes at medium heat until lightly golden. Remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, using a stick blender, a food processor, or a mortar and pestle, mix the basil, Parmesan, a pinch of salt and just enough oil to bind the mixture (1–2 tablespoons). Add this to the cooked aubergines and stir well.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Cut the peppers lengthways in half or thirds, removing the seeds and white membranes, and rinse. Put them, hollow-side up, in a single layer in an oiled oven dish.
• Fill each pepper piece with some of the aubergine and basil mixture, distributing it evenly among them. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and golden. Remove from the oven. You can prepare the dish up to this stage ahead of time and set it aside, then warm it through again before serving.
• If serving immediately, place a mozzarella slice (or mix of mozzarella and feta) on top of each segment and then put the dish under a medium grill for a couple of minutes until the cheese melts. If you’ve prepared the dish ahead of time, put it back in a hot oven for about 10 minutes, then add the cheese and place under the grill for a final 2–3 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Instagram: @silvia_nacamulli

Recipe adapted from Jewish Flavours of Italy: A Family Cookbook