• Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large Dutch oven / deep saucepan over a medium heat.
• Add the aubergine and cook until golden and softened, but not cooked through. Add the onion, peppers, courgette, garlic and mushrooms. Sauté until fragrant and the veg begins to soften.
• Pour in the tin of tomatoes, and rinse the tin out with a little water and pour it in too.Add the thyme sprigs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Top tip: if your tinned tomatoes are too acidic add a little pinch of sugar to mimic a deliciously sweet sun ripened tomato.
• Mix well and cover. Simmer over a low heat for 15 – 20 minutes until thickened and all the veg are juicy and tender.
• Taste to adjust seasoning and then scatter over the fresh basil leaves.

For the waffles:

• Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and whisk. In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs and butter together. Pour the wet into the dry and whisk until smooth. Fold the cheese and chives into the batter with a spatula.

Preheat waffle maker.

Top tip: If you do not have a waffle maker you can use this batter in a non-stick frying pan with a little olive oil and just make savoury pancakes!

• Depending on the size of your waffle maker, use a ladle or half cup measure to just cover the waffle iron with batter. Don’t be tempted to overfill.
• Cook until golden and crisp. Depending on your brand of waffle maker – around 4 minutes.
• Transfer cooked waffles onto a cooling rack and repeat with the rest of the batter.

To serve:

• Plate waffles and spoon over a generous amount of warm mushroom ratatouille. Finish with a dollop of yoghurt and scatter with fresh chives. Enjoy!