Preparation

• 1
  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, or 180 degrees fan oven.
• 2
  2. First prepare the aubergines. Cut off the green stalks and slice the aubergines in half lengthways. Use a sharp knife to score a line about 1 cm. in from the skin, then carefully spoon out the flesh and put to one side. Brush the aubergine shells with olive oil, season and place in a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes, until tender.
• 3
  3. Then make the filling. Add a large knob of butter to a tablespoon of oil in a saucepan and heat. Chop the onion finely, slice the pepper into small pieces and fry gently for 5 minutes. Crush the garlic, chop the reserved aubergine flesh and slice the mushrooms. Add them all to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes, until the onion and pepper are soft.
• 4
  Mix in the tomato puree, sugar and a handful of chopped fresh basil. Add the chopped tomatoes, then season well with salt and black pepper. Simmer over a low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding just a little water if it becomes too thick.
• 5
  4. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees, 180 degrees fan oven. Fill each aubergine shell almost to the top with the tomato mixture and cover with slices of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle on a thin layer of breadcrumbs, then finally grate parmesan cheese on the top. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is gooey and the topping is golden.