Lentil and Aubergine Canneloni

Name: Lentil and Aubergine Canneloni
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 large aubergines, sliced thinly (between 5 mm and 1 cm) lengthways; ¼ cup sunflower oil (or olive oil) for frying; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 cups cooked lentils of your choice *important - they shouldn't be overcooked and mushy you can also use 2 cans (make sure they are well rinsed and drained); 3 ml (½ tsp) cinnamon; 5 ml (1 tsp) dried oregano; 1 sachet (48 g) Knorr Savoury Mince Dry Cook-In-Sauce; 250 ml (1 cup) water; 125 ml (½ cup) breadcrumbs; 30 ml (2 Tbsp) olive oil or any other vegetable oil; 100 g (about 1 cup) grated mature cheddar

4 People
60 min.
intermediate

Love moussaka but don’t love the meat? Well, then this is the perfect solution for you (even meat lovers will love this one…). Serve with a warm loaf of bread and a crunchy salad) or enjoy as is).

Tips

Delicious served with a fresh rocket and tomato salad!

For a healthier topping you can skip the oil and breadcrumbs and only add the cheese.

Cut down on cooking time by using baby marrow ribbons instead of aubergine. They don’t need precooking and you can simply roll them up with the cooked lentil ragu and follow the recipe as is from there.

Perfect for meal prep for singles or couples – leave to cool and divide into portion sized fridge safe bowls (that seal tightly). If stored correctly it will last in the fridge for 3 days or freeze in portions.

Ingredients

3 large aubergines, sliced thinly (between 5 mm and 1 cm) lengthways
¼ cup sunflower oil (or olive oil) for frying
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups cooked lentils of your choice *important - they shouldn't be overcooked and mushy you can also use 2 cans (make sure they are well rinsed and drained)
3 ml (½ tsp) cinnamon
5 ml (1 tsp) dried oregano
1 sachet (48 g) Knorr Savoury Mince Dry Cook-In-Sauce
250 ml (1 cup) water
125 ml (½ cup) breadcrumbs
30 ml (2 Tbsp) olive oil or any other vegetable oil
100 g (about 1 cup) grated mature cheddar

Cooking Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.
Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large pan and fry the aubergine for about 2-3 minutes on a side, in batches until soft and a little caramelised – add more oil as needed. You can do this in two pans to save time.
In the same pan (or in another pan while you are cooking the aubergine), add 2 Tbsp oil and cook the onions over medium heat for about 7 minutes until onions are soft and starting to brown, add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the lentils, cinnamon, dried oregano, and the Knorr Savoury Mince Dry Cook-in-Sauce and stir well and then add 1 cup water and let it come to a simmer, cook for 10 minutes.
Fill each aubergine slice with 1-2 Tbsp savoury lentils and roll up into a little cigar.
Arrange the rolls in rows in a 20cm x 20cm oven dish and continue until all the lentils and aubergine are used.
Mix the breadcrumbs, oil and cheddar and scatter over the aubergine.
Grill (keeping an eye on it) for 10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden and the cheese is melted.