Over medium-high heat, start by preheating a cast-iron skillet.

In the skillet, char the peppers on all sides by roasting them.

Transfer to a bowl, cover with a towel or lid and let cool.

Poke the eggplant in several places with a knife to help the steam escape during roasting. This will also prevent the eggplant from bursting and making a mess.

You can cook the eggplant in the pan where you roast the peppers or roast both the peppers and eggplant until charred. Let them scorch nicely on all sides, then transfer to a bowl until you can safely handle them.

Using your hands, remove the skins of the eggplants and roasted peppers. Throw away the cores.

Transfer the peppers to a cutting board and dice them.

Chop the eggplant and set it aside.

Over medium heat, preheat a large pot or frying pan. Add just a dash of water and fry the onion until it is translucent.

Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and stir, then cook for about a minute until the aroma permeates your kitchen.

Add the oregano, smoked paprika, and mushrooms, then stir. Let cook for a few minutes until you see that most of the remaining liquid has evaporated.

Add the eggplant, roasted peppers, red wine, and San Marzano plum tomatoes. Stir everything together nicely and let simmer.

Cover the pot or pan with a lid and cook on low heat for 45 minutes. Keep cooking to reduce the sauce. In doing so, it will become thicker. Continue according to your preference and season with sea salt.

Boil 6 cups of water, then slowly add cornflour. Whisk.

Add a pinch of salt and the bay leaf, then simmer slowly.

Partly cover the pot with a lid, then cook for approximately 45 minutes or until it thickens to your liking. Be sure to stir frequently.

Remove from heat and stir in cashew milk. At this point, the polenta will keep thickening as it cools. If it’s not as thick as you like it, just give it time to thicken more.

Continue by dividing the polenta into 4 bowls, then put the roasted eggplant sauce on top. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.