Italian vegetable bake

• garlic cloves↗4

  3 crushed, 1 left whole

• can chopped tomato400g g
• bunch oregano↗

  leaves chopped

• large pinch chilli flakes↗
• baby or normal aubergines g

  sliced

• courgettes↗2

  sliced

• ½ large jar roasted red peppers
• beef tomatoes↗3

  sliced

• bunch basil↗

  torn (save a few leaves for sprinkling over)

• small baguette↗

  sliced and toasted

• 2 x 125g balls mozzarella g

  torn

• green salad

  to serve

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Put the slow cooker onto the High or the browning setting and tip in the crushed garlic, canned tomatoes, half the oregano leaves, chilli and some seasoning. Cook, covered, while you chop the rest of the vegetables.

2. 2

   Tip out most of the sauce and start layering up half the vegetables and herbs with seasoning – the aubergines, courgettes, red peppers, tomatoes, basil and remaining oregano. Layer in half the bread, rubbed with the whole garlic clove, half the mozzarella and half the tipped-out tomato sauce. Repeat vegetable, herb and tomato sauce layers, followed by the bread and mozzarella. Push everything down well to compress, then cook on high for 5-6 hrs.

3. 3

   Flash under the grill before serving if you like (and your slow cooker pot is suitable), until golden and bubbling. Serve with the leftover basil leaves on top and a big salad on the side.