Stuffed & grilled vegetable bites

1 of 5-a-day appetiser party food party nibble spanish summer tapas

N/A

Makes 8

Source

Ingredients

1 large aubergine (about 350g/12oz)

1 large courgette (about 300g/11oz)

2 flame-roasted peppers , from a jar

1 garlic clove , crushed

3 tbsp olive oil

250g tub ricotta

25g finely grated parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)

3 sundried or semi-dried tomatoes in oil (from a jar), drained and finely chopped

finely grated zest 0.5 lemon

8 basil leaves

small handful parsley , leaves picked and roughly chopped

½ tsp paprika

Method

Cut the aubergine and courgette into thin lengths about 2-3mm thick – you should have 8 slices of each. Drain and rinse the peppers, remove any seeds, pat dry, then cut into quarters. Mix the garlic with the olive oil and some seasoning.

Heat a griddle pan over a medium heat. Brush the vegetable slices with the garlic oil and cook for 2-3 mins each side until completely soft and lightly charred (you’ll need to do this in batches). You could also do this on a barbecue. Set aside on a plate and leave to cool. The vegetables can be griddled the day before and kept covered in the fridge – bring to room temperature before serving.

Mix together the cheeses, sundried tomatoes, lemon zest and seasoning. Lay out the slices of aubergine on a large board. Top each with a slice of courgette, a strip of pepper, and a basil leaf. Dot 1 tbsp of the cheese mix on top and roll the vegetables up. Skewer with a cocktail stick to secure.

When ready to serve, arrange on a plate and scatter over the parsley leaves and paprika.