Roast eggplant & lentil salad

This highly-recommended salad can be a full light vegetarian dinner, or pair it with your favourite protein to make a heartier meal.

Recipe «Roast eggplant & lentil salad» presented in category Recipes / Vegetarian, to prepare this dish you will need no more 20 minutes. To make this dish at home by prescription from the author Gomer would need: 10 small Lebanese eggplants, ends trimmed, halved lengthways, Olive oil, to brush, Salt & freshly ground black pepper, 1 x 400g can brown lentils, rinsed, drained, 3 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped , 1 small red onion, halved, cut into thin wedges, 3/4 bunch fresh mint, leaves picked, 200g low-fat ricotta, crumbled , Wholemeal pita bread, to serve, 60ml balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 garlic clove, crushed, Salt & freshly ground black pepper.

Ingredients:

• 10 small Lebanese eggplants, ends trimmed, halved lengthways 
• Olive oil, to brush 
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 x 400g can brown lentils, rinsed, drained 
• 3 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped 
• 1 small red onion, halved, cut into thin wedges 
• 3/4 bunch fresh mint, leaves picked 
• 200g low-fat ricotta, crumbled 
• Wholemeal pita bread, to serve 
• 60ml balsamic vinegar 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 garlic clove, crushed 
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Place eggplant, cut-side up, on a baking tray. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
2. Meanwhile, combine lentils, tomato, onion and mint in a bowl.
3. To make the balsamic dressing, whisk together the vinegar, oil and garlic in a jug. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
4. Drizzle the lentil mixture with the balsamic dressing and gently toss until just combined. Divide the lentil salad among serving plates and top with the eggplant. Sprinkle with ricotta and serve with pita bread, if desired.