THIS week’s recipes are two dishes which are a bit of a mash-up. Both are based on dishes that most of us are used to making and eating regularly but the slightly different ingredients here are a great way to add a surprising twist to firm family favourites.
VEGETABLE SAUSAGE ROLL
(Serves 4)
180g ricotta
20g Parmesan, grated
100g goats cheese, crumbled
1 teasp lemon rind, finely grated
sea salt
black pepper
2 peppers, deseeded and halved
1 aubergine, halved
olive oil
2 sheets puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten
small bunch basil, chopped
Pre-heat the oven at its highest setting. Brush the peppers and aubergine with olive oil and place in the oven until soft. Put the peppers in a blender with a good serving of olive oil and pulp to a paste, then do the same with the aubergine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in a storage container.
To make the sausage, place the two pastry halves on non-stick baking paper on a roasting tray. Mix the ricotta, Parmesan, goats cheese and lemon rind in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and combine. Spoon the mix on to the pastry, leaving a one-inch border around the edge to crimp and close. Top the cheese with the pepper mix and then the aubergine mix.
Brush the edging of the case with the egg wash, fold the top sheet of the pastry over and crimp using a fork, ensuring the edges are pressed to seal. Brush the top of the pastry case with the egg wash and cut several slits to let steam escape.
Cook in the oven for 20 minutes until golden. Garnish with the basil, season with salt and pepper and serve with a tomato chutney.
CHORIZO MEATBALL AND RICOTTA LASAGNE
(Serves 6)
6 fresh chorizos, skin removed
1½ tablesp olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch oregano leaves
800g cherry tomatoes, chopped
250ml tomato passata
1 tablesp brown sugar
sea salt
black pepper
800g ricotta
80g pecorino, grated
375g fresh lasagne sheets
100g mozzarella, grated
Removing the chorizo from its casing and moulding the meat into balls. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil on a medium heat and cook off the chorizo until it is golden on all sides.
Add in the garlic, half of the oregano and cook for another minute. Add the passata, tomatoes and sugar, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cook out for a further 10 minutes then set aside.
In a clean bowl combine the pecorino and ricotta. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line the base of a roasting tray with the lasagne sheets and top with the chorizo and tomato mix. Then top with another layer of lasagne, add on the ricotta mix and spread evenly. Top again with a lasagne sheet and spoon over the remaining tomato mix, top with the lasagne sheet and top this with the remaining ricotta mix. Sprinkle over the grated mozzarella and top with the remaining spoonful of the meatballs. Place in oven and cook until golden.
Remove and garnish with remaining oregano and olive oil then return to oven for five minutes and serve bubbling.
