Preheat the oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper. Wash the aubergine and cut it into thick slices.
Stir the passata with the Italian herbs, sea salt and pepper. Slice the mozzarella and halve the cherry tomatoes.
Spread the aubergine slices on the tray and pre-bake at 200 °C fan for a short 8 min, until they lose some water and the surface dries slightly.
Take the aubergine slices out of the oven, spread them with the tomato sauce and top with the mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. Then return them to the oven.
Bake at 200 °C fan for 6–8 min until the mozzarella has melted and is lightly browned. Finish with a little pepper or extra Italian herbs if you like.
Serve hot, straight from the tray if you like. A green salad with olive oil goes well with it.
Good to know
When it needs to be quick but still taste like a proper oven meal, these mini pizzas are simply lovely. Juicy, well seasoned and pleasantly light.
Swaps
Mozzarella → sheep's or goat's milk feta (more flavour, often a little more protein) | Aubergine → courgette (milder, slightly fewer calories) | Passata → chopped tomatoes with nothing added (more texture, similar nutrients) | Mozzarella → burrata or firm goat's cheese (more flavour, a different balance of protein and fat depending on the type)
Allergens
Contains milk from the mozzarella. Well suited to children when soft and well cooled; during pregnancy the recipe is unproblematic with pasteurised mozzarella.
