This requires the oven, so make it when the heat spell is over. But please make it, as it is incredibly delicious.
3 thick slices from the center of an eggplant, about an inch thick
1 red pepper, topped, seeds removed and halved
5 cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsps ground almonds
1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 425.
Place the eggplant slices, the red pepper and the tomatoes on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Drizzle with one tablespoon of the oil and some salt. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the vegetables are softened and starting t char slightly at the edges.
Remove from the oven and place the red pepper halves and the cherry tomatoes in a blender, along with the ground almonds, the garlic, the vinegar and the spices. Blitz into a very smooth paste before adding the remaining olive oil and blitzing one more time.
Place a generous dollop on the bottom of a deep dish and top with an eggplant slice. Repeat, using all of the eggplant slices, finishing with a final dollop of sauce.
Garnish with herbs if so desired - I had Italian parsley and micro leeks in the fridge so that is what I used, but basil would be nice.
This is a surprisingly filling dinner. Somehow, stacking the eggplant and layering it with the easy Romesco sauce makes it more of a meal than it should be.