Stuffed and grilled vegetable bites

Stuffed & grilled vegetable bites

These delicious vegetarian tapas bites are filled with creamy ricotta, sundried tomatoes and basil - a perfect dinner party nibble

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 ½ lemon
8 basil leaves
small handful parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
½ tsp paprika

Cook it properly

Make sure the vegetables are cooked and nicely charred – undercooked aubergines really don’t taste good!

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.