Ingredients
- 3 red or yellow peppers, cut into wide strips
- 1 large aubergine, cut into chunks
- 200 g cherry tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- A handful of black olives
- 1 tbsp capers, rinsed
- A large handful of basil leaves
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon
Method
- Roast: heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Toss the peppers, aubergine and garlic with 3 tbsp oil, the oregano and salt, and roast for 25 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes: add the cherry tomatoes and roast for 15 minutes more, until everything is soft and caramelised.
- Dress: squeeze the soft garlic out of its skins and mash it with the remaining oil and the vinegar or lemon. Toss through the vegetables with the olives and capers.
- Finish: tear over the basil. Serve warm or at room temperature; it tastes even better the next day.
Why it's good for you: This is the Mediterranean diet in a dish. Extra virgin olive oil contains oleocanthal, a compound with a natural anti-inflammatory action, and cooking tomatoes in olive oil makes their lycopene far easier to absorb. Peppers are one of the richest sources of vitamin C, and aubergine skin contains nasunin, a protective purple pigment. Read more in A Natural Age.
Good to know: For a low-FODMAP version, use 1–2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil instead of the garlic (the FODMAPs in garlic don't pass into the oil).
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