Goats' Cheese Flatbread Pizza

From: Veggie Feasts

Ingredients:

• 4 x 20 cm (8 in) Mediterranean flatbreads (I used pitas)
• 2 TBSP sun-dried tomato paste
• 300 g (10 oz) mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 6 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 4 TBSP olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• small handful of basil leaves, roughly torn
• 100 g (3 1/2 oz) soft goats' cheese
• salt and black pepper

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6
2) If using a pita, cut it in half.









3) Spread the sun dried tomato paste on the flatbreads/pitas.







4) Add slices of mozzarella cheese.










5) Cook for 6-7 minutes until the bases are crisp and the cheese has melted






6) Put the tomatoes in a bowl, with the oil, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. I used leftover basil oil from here
7) Divide the tomato mixture between the flatbreads/pitas and crumble over the goats' cheese

Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Ricotta

 From: Veggie Feasts
Section: Sides

Ingredients:

• Basil Oil
• 12.5 g (1/2 oz) basil leaves
• 75 ml ( 1/8 pint) extra virgin olive oil
• 500 g (1 lb) vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 4 large slices of sourdough bread or soda bread
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled
• 350 g (11 1/2 oz) ricotta cheese
• salt and black pepper
• basil leaves, to garnish

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 220C/425F
2) Plunge the basil leaves into a saucepan of boiling water, return to the boil and boil for 30 seconds.
3) Drain the basil.






4) Refresh under cold water.
5) Dry thoroughly with kitchen paper.







6) Transfer the oil and basil leaves to a blender and blend until really smooth OR chop really finely and add to a container and shake.







7) Spread the tomatoes out in a roasting tin.
8) Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil.








9) Roast in the oven.
10) Add the bread to the oven as well.
11) Flip the bread over after it is starting to brown on one side.
12) Remove the bread when it is to your liking.



13) Rub all over with the garlic clove.
14) Top each bruschetta with a slice of ricotta, the tomatoes and the basil oil. Garnish with more basil leaves.

Pasta & Bean Soup with Basil Oil

 

Working my way thought Veggie Feasts (and I'm not sure for how much longer since it got soaking wet today...) and still in the soup section--probably not for much longer either as Tesco is lacking in many of the ingredients. 

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 TBSP chopped rosemary
• 2 x 400 g (13oz) cans chopped tomatoes
• 600ml (1 pt) vegetable stock
• 400g (13oz) can borlotti beans, drained (I used Cannellini Beans due to Tescos lack of ingredients)
• 125g (4oz) dried small pasta shapes
• salt and black pepper
• grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
• 25g (1oz) basil leaves
• 150ml (1/4 pint) extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1) Heat the oil (2 TBSP) in a saucepan.

2) Add the onion, garlic and rosemary and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes until the onion is softened.







3) Stir in the tomatoes, stock, beans and salt and pepper.









4) Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.








5) Add the pasta and simmer, covered, for a further 10 minutes until the pasta is al dante.
6) Boil water in a sauce pan.






7) Add the basil leaves and boil for 30 seconds.
8) Drain the basil leaves.
9) Refresh the basil leaves under cold water.
10) Dry the basil leaves.






11) Transfer the oil and basil to a blender and blend until really smooth (I don't have a nice blender, so I cut the basil very fine and stirred it together).
12) Ladle the soup into bowls and add the basil oil and Parmesan cheese.

Still don't know if I'll be taking the book with me on Christmas break, but if not I'll be back with it in January.