Tonight the kids constructed their own tea; a pizza pitta each. They were delighted with their creations! Also great as a snack.
Take a pitta, put a small splodge of tomato ketchup and a small splodge of tomato purée on top. Use the back of a spoon to spread the sauce over the pitta, then top with cheese (we used grated mozzarella) and olive under a hot grill. Check often as they will go from not ready to burnt quickly!
Serve immediately.
Makes approx 16
I’ve still got courgettes coming out of my ears, and this recipe is a delight. Adapted from several recipes I found, these little patties are gluten-free thanks to the gram flour (ensure the baking powder is also gluten-free if necessary). The fresh mint in these give a really vibrant flavour and the chilli gives a good kick. If you don’t fancy chilli, try grating the zest of a lemon in its place.
You can make these in advance and simply reheat in the oven before serving. They’re also great as a little lunchbox filler if you’re after some new ideas.
Ingredients:
2 medium courgettes, coarsely grated
150g halloumi, coarsely grated
5 sprigs of mint, leaves only, shredded
1 red chilli (optional), finely chopped
100g gram flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
Step 1: In a bowl, sprinkle the courgette with a large pinch of salt and allow it to sit for five or so minutes, then squeeze out the excess water.
Step 2: Next add the grated halloumi, chopped mint, chilli, flour, baking powder, a grind of pepper and the egg. Stir until combined.
Step 3: In a large, heavy bottomed frying pan, heat vegetable oil (about 3mm deep) over a medium high heat. Once hot, use two dessert spoons to scoop and scrape little patties of the batter neatly into the oil. Allow a little space between each fritter and cook for a few minutes on one side until golden brown, then carefully flip each one over and cook the other side. You will probably need to cook these in a couple of batches so if serving straight away, keep warm, or cook them earlier in the day and reheat them for 15 minutes at 150c (fan) just before serving.
Serve with tzatziki and salad, or stuffed in a pitta or wrap.
This is the ultimate fast food, ready in 10 minutes, only four ingredients (plus salt and pepper) and my god it tastes good.
This can be scaled up easily, I’ll give the ingredients for one person but otherwise just increase as needed, although with regards to the lemon zest, I used the zest of one lemon for one person (because I didn’t want to waste any, and I like it extra lemony) but if scaling up, use the zest of one lemon for every two portions.
Ingredients:
75-100g spaghetti (gluten-free if required)
50g full fat cream cheese (dairy-free if required)
1/2 lemon (juice and zest)
50g smoked salmon (I use trimmings as it’s already in small pieces which is what you need for this dish and it’s more economical)
Black Pepper to season
Step 1: Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions, when it is al dente, drain, reserving a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water.
Step 2: Return the spaghetti in its pan to a low heat, add the cream cheese, lemon juice and zest and a grind of black pepper. Stir until the sauce is smooth and reduced enough to evenly coat the pasta (this will only take a minute).
Step 3: At the last moment, stir through the smoked salmon and serve immediately.
I’m making a lot of my own hummus at the moment. I’m whizzing up lots of variations with chick peas but this cannellini bean version is silky smooth and delicious. I’ve made a very loose hummus by using all the liquid in the tin of beans but you can of course drain them and make a thicker hummus. Also if you want a garlic hit, add a clove to the ingredients list.
Ingredients:
1 tin of cannellini beans (including their liquid)
1 heaped tbsp tahini
1 large pinch of ground cumin
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch of salt
Drizzle of olive oil
Step 1: Place all ingredients in a blender, and blitz until smooth. Check the seasoning, add more salt/cumin/lemon as desired.
Step 2: For extra silkiness add an ice cube and blend until fully incorporated – it’s worth it, I promise!
Store in a sealed container in the fridge and it should be good for the next 4 days.
Serves 2 (but easily scaled up)
I’ve been making a version of this for a while now, I’ve made it with vacuum packed pre-cooked beetroots (which I simply dice small and cook in with the rice) but the best version is with fresh, raw beetroot. The flavour and colour is unmatched.
I make this in my Instant Pot pressure cooker, but could be cooked traditionally or as an oven-baked risotto. It can easily be made vegan (see alternative ingredients below).
Ingredients:
1 tbsp Olive oil and/or butter
1 onion, finely diced
1-2 large raw beetroot, cleaned and coarse grated (or one pack of pre-cooked vacuum packed beetroot, finely diced)
150g arborio risotto rice
350ml vegetable stock (gluten-free/vegan as required)
Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp finely grated parmesan or nutritional yeast flakes
Step 1: Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and add the oil/butter and onion to the pot. Stir frequently, until softened. Add the beetroot and rice and stir again for about a minute, before adding the stock along with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Step 2: Switch sauté mode off, put the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the vent is set to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure and set for 6 minutes.
Step 3: Once the Instant Pot has completed its programme, switch off and do quick release, using a tea towel and wooden spoon to carefully open the vent. Once it has depressurised, remove the lid and stir through the parmesan/nutritional yeast. Serve immediately.