Vegan Provençal Stuffed Aubergines

Halve the aubergines lengthways and score the flesh deeply in a cross-hatch pattern, cutting to within 1 cm of the skin.

Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and hand-crush the tomatoes.

Chop the capers, chop the olives, and finely chop the parsley leaves; tear half of the basil leaves.

In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; mix until evenly coated and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200°C, or 180°C for a fan oven, or 400°F. Brush the scored flesh of each aubergine half generously with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon of the salt, then place cut-side down on a large baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Roast cut-side down for 30 minutes, until the skin is blistered and the flesh is fully tender and has released its liquid.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then scoop out the flesh with a large spoon, leaving a 1 cm shell intact. Roughly chop the scooped flesh and set both the shells and flesh aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until completely soft and starting to turn golden.

Add the garlic, herbes de Provence, smoked paprika, and chilli flakes to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly and begins to catch on the base of the pan.

Add the hand-crushed tomatoes and the chopped aubergine flesh. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper, then cook over medium-high heat for 12–15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick with no pooling liquid.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the capers, olives, chopped parsley, and half of the torn basil.

Arrange the aubergine shells in a single layer in a baking dish. Fill each shell generously, mounding the filling, then scatter the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the tops and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 20–25 minutes, until the tops are deeply golden and crisp and the shells are completely tender when pierced with a knife.

Remove from the oven, scatter the remaining fresh basil over the top, and rest for 5 minutes before serving.