Mushrooms & Cannellini Beans

Ingredients

400g mixed mushrooms

1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 sprigs rosemary

2 tbsp olive oil

Knob of butter

Handful of parsley, chopped

Zest of half a lemon

Salt & black pepper

Method

Heat a large frying pan until very hot.

Add the olive oil and mushrooms. Leave them alone for a few minutes so they brown properly before stirring.

Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for another 2 minutes.

Stir in the cannellini beans and cook until warmed through.

Finish with the butter, parsley, lemon zest and a generous grind of black pepper.

To serve

Spoon alongside a generous square of aubergine parmigiana.

Serve with a handful of lightly dressed rocket or watercress and some warm ciabatta or focaccia to mop up the tomato sauce.

Finish with a drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil just before everything goes to the table.

Aubergine Parmigiana

Ingredients

For the sauce

2–3 cloves garlic, lightly cracked

2 tbsp olive oil

1 glass dry white wine

1 x 400g tin plum or San Marzano tomatoes

A handful of fresh basil

Salt & black pepper

For the aubergine

2 large aubergines

Olive oil

Salt & black pepper

2 balls mozzarella, torn into small pieces

A generous handful of grated Parmesan

Fresh basil, finely sliced (chiffonade)

Method

Make the sauce

Heat the olive oil gently in a saucepan and add the cracked garlic cloves. Cook over a low heat, turning occasionally until they're golden and fragrant.

Remove the garlic, pour in the white wine and turn the heat up. Let it bubble away until it's reduced by around half.

Tip the tomatoes into a bowl and snip off the tough tops where the vines were attached using a pair of scissors. Add the tomatoes to the pan, then rinse the empty tin with a splash of water and pour that in too.

Lay the basil on top of the sauce and leave it to wilt before removing it. Let the sauce gently simmer for as long as you've got, stirring now and again. Add a little salt every so often, a good grind of black pepper, and a splash of water if it starts getting too thick.

Prepare the aubergines

Slice the aubergines into thick rounds and lay them on kitchen roll. Sprinkle with salt and leave for about 30 minutes before patting dry. Turn them over, salt the other side and repeat.

Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then bake for around 15 minutes on each side, or until golden all over.

Assemble

Layer the aubergine, tomato sauce and small pieces of torn mozzarella into an ovenproof dish. Repeat until you've used everything up, finishing with a generous layer of grated Parmesan.

Bake for 30–45 minutes until bubbling and golden.

To serve

Leave the parmigiana to rest for 10–15 minutes before serving. Finish with another grating of Parmesan and a handful of finely sliced basil.