Red Lentil & Aubergine Parmigiana

Rinse thoroughly the red lentils; then drain, fill a pot with abundant salted water and boil the lentils for ab. 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, drain and set the lentils aside. In the meantime, in a separate pot, bring some salted water to a boil and cook the butternut squash for ab. 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200-220°C. Then brush both sides of the aubergine slices with 2 tablespoons of EVO and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Right after, lay them over a baking tray and bake for ab. 15-20 minutes, turning them once halfway through cooking time. Then, heat the remaining EVO in a large frying pan, add in the onions and garlic and cook until they soften. After a couple of minutes, also stir in the squash and the tomatoes, plus ½ cup of water. Let simmer for ab. 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. At this point, incorporate the lentils and the basil and dress with salt and pepper to taste. Finally, spoon a layer of lentils into a small baking dish, topping it with an aubergine slice. Repeat the process until finishing with a layer of aubergine. Scatter the mozzarella over the last layer and bake for 15 minutes more until the cheese has browned. Serve hot.