Serves 2
Preparation and cooking times
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 15 minutes         Vegetarian

Ingredients
• 1 large aubergine , cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 fat garlic cloves , unpeeled
• 300g pack cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• handful basil leaves , plus extra to serve
• 250g pasta such as penne or fusilli

METHOD
1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Toss the aubergine chunks with the oil and whole garlic cloves in a roasting tin with some seasoning. Roast for 10 minutes;add the tomatoes, vinegar and sugar, then cook for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta, and then drain.
 
2. When the veg is tender remove the garlic cloves, snip off their ends and squeeze the roasted garlic onto a board. Mash with a fork, and then stir this garlic paste back into the veg with the basil leaves - squashing most of the tomatoes as you go.

Tip in the cooked pasta; stir everything together in the roasting tin, divide between 2 bowls, then scatter with a few more basil leaves to serve.

Making it meaty
Snip 4 bacon rashers into pieces and spread in a roasting tin. Add the garlic cloves, rubbed in a little oil, then roast as recipe left.

Add the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar and 1 tsp dried thyme, then continue as recipe, swapping the basil for a handful chopped flat-leaf parsley.

Ends