There’s nothing like a bake to warm the cockles and please the hungry crowd gathered at your table. Make the most of the bountiful vegetables available at this time of year with these winning recipes. All but one can be made or assembled in advance, then quickly finished off in the oven, and two can be frozen ahead…We call that clever cooking at its best

RECIPES PHOEBE WOOD PHOTOGRAPHS CHRIS COURT STYLING KIRSTEN JENKINS

VIS FOR VEGETARIAN

Cauli cheese pasta bake with crispy sage, p100

Crispy carrot, sweet potato and halloumi baked rösti with green olive, celery and fennel salad, p100

Spiced mushroom moussaka with halloumi béchamel V

SERVES 8. HANDS-ON TIME 45 MIN, SIMMERING TIME 45 MIN, OVEN TIME 1 HOUR 45 MIN

MAKE AHEAD

Assemble the bake, wrap well and chill for up to a day or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and cook as in the recipe.

FOOD TEAM’S TIP

You could use 2 smaller dishes; serve one now and freeze the other for another day (see Make Ahead). Cook covered for 45 minutes and uncovered for 35 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

• 10g dried mushrooms

• 125ml boiling water

• 100g plain flour

• 2 medium aubergines (about 800g total weight), cut into 8mm thick slices

• Olive oil for shallow frying

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 carrot, finely chopped

• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped

• 140g tomato purée

• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

• 400g mushrooms, roughly chopped

• 1 bunch fresh oregano, leaves picked

• 1½ tsp ground allspice

• 1½ tsp chilli flakes

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes

• 500ml vegetable stock

• 50g unsalted butter

FOR THE HALLOUMI & OREGANO BÉCHAMEL

• 60g unsalted butter

• 60g plain flour

• 800ml whole milk

• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• 250g halloumi, coarsely grated

YOU’LL ALSO NEED…

• 2.5 litre baking dish or 2 x 1.25 litre dishes

1 Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Put the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling water. Set aside. Put the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Dust the aubergine slices in the flour, shaking off any excess. Heat 1cm oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. In batches, fry the aubergines, turning once, for 3-4 minutes until golden, adding more oil if needed.