I love this dish - I tend to serve it with spaghetti or penne pasta alongside pork meatballs or beef bolognese if I am cooking for a 'mixed table' of meat eaters and vegetarians/vegans.
It's easy to make a vegan version of this dish - just substitute the grated cheddar cheese with a plant-based alternative - Koko do a hard dairy free 'cheddar' cheese that can be grated. Alternatively you can leave the cheese out altogether to make it vegan friendly, and top with vegan 'parmesan' before serving.
Ingredients:
2 aubergines, sliced across ways into 1cm thick slices
1 red pepper, cored and sliced
couple of tablespoons of olive oil
600ml of homemade tomato sauce
300g approximately grated cheese (cheddar cheese for vegetarians, or a dairy free cheddar cheese for vegans)
Turn the oven onto a high heat - 220C/200CFan/Gas Mark 6.
Put 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil into the base of a roast dish. Place the aubergine and red pepper slices on top and toss in the oil to coat them evenly. You want the slices to be slightly glistening but not socked in oil.
Put the vegetables into the oven to roast for 15-20 minutes until they are tender but not browned. The edge of the aubergine slices should cut easily with a fork. Turn the oven down to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 5 after taking the vegetables out.
When cooked, layer the bottom of a 10x6 inch (25 x15cm) ceramic oven dish with half of the aubergine and pepper slices. Pour half the tomato sauce on top, and sprinkle with half of the grated cheese. Repeat the layers once more.
Put the dish into the oven uncovered for about 30-40 minutes until it is bubbling and cooked through. Serve with spaghetti or penne pasta.