Saturday, September 17, 2016

Saturday Recipe

Jamie Oliver is a popular TV cook in Britain. He also owns a number of restaurants plus starting movements to improve school food and home cooking. I thought this was a fascinating idea.

Jamie Oliver's spaghetti cake with sweet aubergine & tomato

The bonus of choosing wholemeal spaghetti over white is that it can contain more than double the amount of fibre, as well as lots of B vitamins, which keep our metabolic systems healthy.

1 large aubergine (350g)
300 g dried wholewheat spaghetti
olive oil
4 sprigs of fresh oregano
2 red onions
½–1 fresh red chilli
1 400g tin of plum tomatoes
300 g cottage cheese
2 large free-range eggs
30 g Parmesan cheese
1 lemon
70 g rocket
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Place the whole aubergine in a large pan of boiling salted water. Sit something on top, like a colander, so the aubergine stays submerged, cook for 15 minutes, then remove to a board. Add the spaghetti to the water and cook according to the packet instructions, then drain and place in a large bowl to cool.

2. Meanwhile, roughly chop the aubergine about 1cm thick. Place a deep 26cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil and the aubergine, then pick in the oregano leaves. Peel the onions, then finely slice with the chilli and add to the pan. Cook for 15 minutes, or until golden and gnarly, stirring regularly. Pour in the tinned tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, then just under half-fill the tin with water, swirl around and pour into the pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until thick. Taste and season to perfection.

3. Pour the tomato sauce over the spaghetti, add the cottage cheese, crack in the eggs, finely grate in most of the Parmesan, then mix together really well. Pour the spaghetti mixture back into the pan, pushing it into an even layer and packing it up at the sides. Get it going over a medium heat on the hob for 2 minutes, then bake on the bottom of the oven for 40 minutes, or until golden all over. Bang out on to a board, grate over the remaining Parmesan, and serve with lemon-dressed rocket and a drizzle of balsamic.

4. Get ahead: Make this earlier in the day and simply keep in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.

Servings: 4


Have a great weekend.

4 comments:

  1. Hi Jo - this sounds a different idea for a party type offering - I guess it can be cut into 'cake type slices', or a large family gathering ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Yes doesn't it Hilary. Trust Jamie Oliver.

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  2. Hey Jo - Stopping in to see all you've been up to.

    Happy New Week.

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    1. Not a heck of a lot Ivy.

      Happy week to you too.

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