08 Jan Sweet potato, aubergine, butterbean and tomato bake with feta crumble

A substantial dish pretty enough for a weekend dinner served with fresh green salad. Sweet potatoes are full of beta carotene an antioxidant to boost your immune system. A distinctive Mediterranean flavour to this dish with oregano, red pepper and tomatoes, all very high on the antioxidant list. Butterbeans and feta cheese add in the protein and there is plenty of fibre here too. This could be vegan if you leave out the feta cheese.

Preheat oven gas 6 or 200C

For the sauce 

1 jar 680g passata (sieved tomatoes)
1 tin organic butterbeans (include their water)
1 red pepper, chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp brown sugar ( softens the acidity of the tomatoes)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 heaped tsp sea or himalayan salt

For the crumble

75g wholegrain breadcrumbs
100g feta cheese, roughly chopped
30g or large handful parsley, torn or roughly chopped, remove tough stalks
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Good grind of black pepper

For the middle

1 aubergine, sliced into half inch thick slices
4 small/medium sweet potatoes, peeled if necessary or well scrubbed and sliced as above
100g feta cheese crumbled
4 tbsp olive oil

Toss the aubergine in 3 tbsp oil and lay flat on a baking tray. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Don’t worry they will soak up all the oil.
Do the same with the sweet potato in 1 tbsp oil and then bake till soft about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile make the sauce – Gently fry the onion in 2 tbsp oil add the peppers then the garlic and herbs. Cook for a few minutes stirring to ensure no burning.
Add the passata and butterbeans with the water. Add salt and sugar and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer, put lid on and cook for 20 minutes. Check seasoning.

To make the crumble put all the ingredients in to the bowl of a food processor and process /pulse for a few seconds until you have a nicely textured crumble mix.

In an oiled lasagne dish, put a third of the sauce in the bottom of the dish, then layer in the sweet potato, followed by another third of the sauce, sprinkle over the crumbled feta and then layer over the aubergine, then finish with the rest of the sauce.
Sprinkle over the crumble and press down lightly.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the crumble is nicely browned and the sauce is bubbling up around the sides.

Serve with a green salad and coleslaw (see recipe in salads)