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.

Potato Gratin With Pine Nut Crust

From: Veggie Feasts

Ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Spray oil
• 1 kg (2 lb) small waxy potatoes
• freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• 25 g (1 oz) butter, diced
• 200 ml (7 fl oz) milk
• 200 ml (7 fl oz) double cream
• salt and black pepper
• For the pine nut crust
• 50 g (2 oz) fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 50 g (2 oz) pine nuts
• 25 g (1 oz) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1 TBSP chopped parsley

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 190C
2) Lightly oil a 1 litre (1 3/4 pint) baking dish with spray oil.
3) Peal the potatoes.







4) Cut into wafer-thin slices.









 5) Arrange the slices in overlapping layers in the prepared dish, seasoning each layer with nutmeg, salt, pepper and butter.
6) Mix the milk and cream together.






7) Pour over the potatoes.
8) Cover the dish with foil.
9) Bake for 1 hour, until the potatoes are almost tender






10) Combine the breadcrumbs, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and parsley in a bowl.








11) Remove the foil from the gratin.









12) Scatter the breadcrumb mixture over to form a crust.
13) Bake for another 25-30 minutes until golden

Spiced Citrus Croissants

Last breakfast from Veggie Feasts that I can make in Ireland!

Ingredients:

• 2 oranges
• 50 ml (2 fl oz) soured cream
• 2 small ruby or pink grapefruit (Tesco only had regular grapefruit when I went)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 TBSP caster sugar
• 4 croissants

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to  200C
2) Place the croissants in the oven and heat for a few minutes until heated though. I did the rest of these steps while the oven preheated and baked the croissant
3) Zest one of the oranges into the soured cream.





4) Cut out the sections of the oranges and grapefruits, being sure to remove the membranes as well. I did this by cutting the fruit in quarters and then individually in half again and cutting out the eatable part. Try to get the juice in the bowl as well






5) Mix the fruit with the sugar and cinnamon in a small saucepan.







6) Heat over a low heat for 1-2 minutes.