Italian Style Nut Roast Food

ITALIAN HERBED NUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Combine all ingredients except Parmesan cheese in bowl. Spread onto 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set bowl aside. Bake, stirring halfway through, 12-15 minutes or until cashews just begin to turn golden brown.
• Remove from oven. Place nut mixture into bowl; toss with Parmesan cheese. Cool completely.

NUT ROAST

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/ fan 160C/ gas 4 and line the base and sides of a 1.5 litre loaf tin with parchment paper.
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 15g butter in a large frying pan and cook 1 finely chopped large onion and 2 finely chopped celery sticks for about 5 mins until beginning to soften.
• Stir in 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and 200g finely chopped chestnut mushrooms and cook for a further 10 mins.
• Stir in 1 finely diced red pepper and 1 grated carrot and cook for about 3 mins then add 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp smoked paprika and cook for just a minute.
• Add 100g red lentils and 2 tbsp tomato purée and cook for about 1 min, then add 300ml vegetable stock and simmer over a very gentle heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is fairly dry. This should take about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Finally, stir in 100g fresh breadcrumbs, 150g chopped mixed nuts, 3 lightly beaten large eggs, 100g grated mature cheddar, a handful of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper.
• Stir to mix well then spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and press down the surface.
• Cover with foil and bake for 30 mins, then remove the foil and bake for a further 20 mins until firm when pressed gently.
• Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil very gently then add 2 finely sliced garlic cloves and 1 rosemary sprig and heat without colouring.
• Pour in 400ml passata and add a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper. Simmer gently for just 15 mins.
• Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for about 10 mins then turn out onto a serving board or plate. Remove the baking paper and cut into slices and serve with a little of the tomato sauce.
• To make a vegan nut roast, use an extra tbsp of oil in place of butter, no cheese and 3 tbsp egg replacer. Bake your nut roast for 1 hour. The loaf will still be soft in the middle after cooking.
• It can be cooked in advance and then chilled, sliced and reheated to make it easier to serve.

FETA-STUFFED CANNELLINI NUT ROAST

Steps:

• Oil the base and sides of a roughly 18cm loaf tin and line with baking parchment. Heat 1½ tbsp oil in a frying pan, tip in the celery and leek, and fry for 10 mins, or until both are softened and translucent.
• Roughly mash the cannellini beans in a large bowl. Stir through the fried celery and leek, pistachios, sundried tomatoes, parmesan, quinoa, za'atar, breadcrumbs, eggs, flour and parsley. Season well.
• For the stuffing, roughly mash the feta with a fork, then stir in the mascarpone, chives, dill and lemon zest. Season.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sprinkle the mixed seeds over the bottom of your lined loaf tin. Pat half the bean and nut mixture into the tin and use a spoon to press out a channel along the middle, roughly 2cm wide. Spoon the feta mixture into the channel, then pat down the remaining bean and nut mixture over the top and around the sides. Cover in foil and bake for 50 mins or up to 1 hr until firm to the touch.
• Toss the broccoli in a baking tray with the coriander seeds, harissa and remaining 1½ tbsp oil. Season and roast on the lower shelf of the oven for the last 20 mins of the cooking time, or until crisp at the edges.
• Serve the nut roast on a platter alongside the broccoli. Drizzle with olive oil and top with the dill fronds.

ITALIAN POT ROAST (STRACOTTO)

Steps:

• Cut the garlic into thin slivers. Pierce the meat in many places with the point of a knife and insert the garlic slivers into the holes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy 3- to 4-quart heatproof casserole. Add the meat and brown it well over medium heat. Remove it from the casserole. Add the remaining oil and the onions, carrots and celery. Saute them until moderately brown.
• Stir in the wine and cook for a few minutes, scraping the casserole. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and basil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and return the meat to the casserole.
• Cover tightly and cook over very low heat for at least three hours, until the meat is very tender. Turn the meat a few times during cooking.
• Remove the meat from the casserole. To serve immediately, skim the fat from the surface of the sauce, then puree the sauce in a food processor and reheat. Otherwise, refrigerate the meat and sauce overnight. Remove any congealed fat from the sauce and puree the sauce in a food processor. Reheat the meat in the sauce before serving.

ITALIAN-STYLE ROAST CABBAGE WEDGES WITH TOMATO LENTILS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and blanch the potatoes for 10-12 mins until tender, then drain and leave to cool.
• For the cabbage, mix together the oil and garlic, rub all over the wedges, season, then spread out on a large baking tray. Roast on the top shelf for 15 mins.
• While the cabbage is cooking, put the new potatoes onto a large baking tray and gently crush with the back of a spoon or a masher, so they split open slightly. Drizzle over the oil and some seasoning, then stir in the lemon zest. Once the cabbage has had 15 mins, put the potatoes on the top shelf of the oven and move the cabbage to the bottom. Cook for 45 mins, turning everything halfway through.
• For the lentils, heat the oil in a medium saucepan and fry the onions and celery until soft and translucent, about 10-15 mins. Tip in the lentils, tomatoes, 450ml water, stock cubes, tomato purée and vinegar, bring to the boil and simmer uncovered for 30-35 mins, stirring occasionally until the lentils are soft and cooked through. If the mixture gets a little dry, add a splash of water to stop it sticking. Stir in the basil and an extra 50ml boiling water to loosen the mixture. Season well.
• While the lentils are cooking, make the pangrattato. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, fry the garlic and chilli for 30 seconds, then add the breadcrumbs. Toast until golden and crunchy, then tip in the lemon zest and olives and fry for a further 3 mins. Set aside to cool.
• To serve, spoon lentils onto each plate, put a cabbage wedge on top and sprinkle over the pangrattato. Garnish with the extra basil and serve the potatoes on the side.