I can’t tell you how much I love this dish! I sometimes exchange the cheese for homemade Kofte, but using Macroom Buffalo Haloumi is a really great substitute for a Meat Free feast!

There are a few elements to this dish, but actually if you follow the sequence in the method, you’ll find that it’ll all be done in under 40 minutes. Also worth noting is that this sauce will make more than you need, but don’t fret – this sauce goes with everything! Just portion off what you don’t use for this and use for a quick and easy pasta dish another night!

Ingredients:

• Two tins of tomatoes
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• Olive oil and a generous knob of butter
• Sea salt
• 1 large aubergine, sliced into rounds
• 1 or 2 egg whites
• Panko breadcrumbs, seasoned with black pepper
• 1 pack of Macroom Buffalo Halloumi, slice in half length ways
• Dried oregano
• Green herby pesto: either homemade or a good quality shop bought one

Method:

• In a deep saucepan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and the butter. Gently fry off the onion until its softened but not taken on any colour. Add the tomatoes and cook for at least 30 mins on a low heat, stirring every so often.
• While the sauce is cooking, place the aubergine slices in a colander and salt over generously. Set aside.
• When the sauce is cooked, place everything into a blender a wiz until super smooth. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. Place back in the saucepan ready to warm through.
• Pat the aubergine slices with kitchen paper, then brush both sides with the egg white. Pane on one side only with the breadcrumbs.
• In a large heavy based frying pan, heat some oil and then cook the aubergine slices on the naked side first, then flip and cook through on the crumbed side until golden brown. Set aside.
• Warm through the sauce until it just begins to bubble.
• Prepare the halloumi with a light brush of oil and sprinkle a small amount of dried oregano on both sides. Fry off until golden brown in the frying pan used for the aubergines.
• Spoon a generous amount of the tomato sauce onto a place and frame with slices of the aubergine. Place the halloumi in the middle of the tomato sauce and top with a spoonful of pesto.

Enjoy!