This is an excellent way to get the appeal of a pasta bake, with a few less white carbs. It also makes a great vegetarian comfort food. If you wanted to make it a little meatier (and closer to an original parmi), serve it with chicken schnitzels on the side.

Serves 2-3.

INGREDIENTS

• 250 g cooked white/cannellini beans (or 1 x 400 g tin of beans, rinsed and drained)
• 1 large eggplant, diced into pieces the size of playing dice
• 125 g cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 200 ml tomato passata
• 150 g mozzarella cheese
• 50 g parmesan cheese, grated
• ½ zucchini, shaved into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
• ½ bunch of basil
• Dried chilli flakes to taste
• Crusty bread to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 220˚C/450˚F.
2. Lay the eggplant and cherry tomatoes on one baking sheet lined with baking paper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 30 minutes until the eggplant is golden and the tomatoes are blistered.
3. Transfer the eggplant, tomatoes and beans into a baking dish. Pour over the passata then top with the mozzarella and half the parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted. Turn the oven onto grill for a few minutes at the end to brown the mozzarella.
4. Top with the remaining parmesan, shaved zuchinni and fresh basil. Serve with crusty bread and a green salad.

Recipe by Tori Haschka.