Meditteranean tartlets from Dame Fandango

vegetables | Mediterranean tartlets

Serves 4 with side portions of salad or other vegetables

These are absolutely yummy. They are probably one of my current favourite dishes. Ladle the aubergine mixture generously on top of the pastry and serve with any salads or vegetables. No need for potatoes or rice. These are deceptively filling.

Wheat free, dairy free, meat free version...

Ingredients...

One packet of dairy and wheat-free pastry
1 aubergine, cubed
1 courgette, sliced (diagonal slices look great)
1 small punnet cherry tomatoes
Red pepper, cut into chunks
¼ pint water
1 spring onion rinsed and chopped finely
Clove garlic, chopped or level tsp garlic puree
6 tsp sun dried tomato paste/tomato puree
3 tsp balsamic vinegar
Tbsp red wine
Splash red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp oil
Salt and pepper
Pinch sugar

Optional:

Level desert spoon capers, rinsed
Few fresh basil leaves finely chopped
Handful pine nuts

Method...

Heat the oven to 170 °C.
On a baking tray, put the tomatoes, courgettes and pepper and coat with 1 tbsp of the oil. Roast for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a pan, heat the remaining tbsp oil and add the aubergines and salt. Stir well and cook for 5-10 minutes.
Add the water, cover with lid and boil for a further 10 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, vinegars, wine and capers, season and simmer for 5 minutes.
When the roast veg are ready, take out. Add the tomatoes and pepper to the aubergine mixture and reserve the courgettes.
Put the pastry in a baking/round foil tin or 4 separate foil dishes and bake for 5 minutes.
Take out, spoon aubergine mixture on top of pastry and cook for further 10 minutes.
When ready, make a bed of courgettes, top with tartlet and sprinkle with basil and pine nuts if using.

Maybe serve with...

This is gorgeous with a crisp salad and/or vegetables (sugar snap peas, carrots, spinach, green beans, baby sweetcorn, sautéed cabbage, whatever you prefer).

For those able to eat dairy ...

Use butter pastry. You can also make filo parcels with this mixture too

For those able to eat wheat...

Puff pastry works well.

If you have leftover mixture, use the next night heated up (might need a little water - and you can add in any leftover courgette slices too) and simply stir through cooked pasta.