Simple food

Todays packed lunch


 On the day I go shopping I usually try to use up any vegetables leftover from the previous week.  Today I had a butternut squash, courgettes, onions, and some very small home grown new potatoes, I also had some eggs to use up.  I decided on roast veg frittata inspired by a Hugh Fearnley -Whittingstall recipe I found last year when I needed a dish that could be eaten cold to take to a party.

My style of cooking is a 'make it up as you go along' method, I look in the fridge/ cupboards and adapt a recipe to go with whatever I have.  Sometimes it turns out beautifully, others not so, but I eat it anyway, as I hate waste, I had it drummed into as a child that you do not waste food  There are so many cookery programmes on the television with huge lists of ingredients, complicated cooking methods, and posh names that it can be really intimidating. There is nothing wrong with simple food, a few good ingredients and simple cooking methods.

The beauty of this frittata is that you can change the ingredients according to season, use up your veg, and it can go towards your 7 a day.   It's all done in one dish so you don't have a kitchen full of dirty pans and needs minimum attention so you can get on with other things while it's cooking.  Choose veg that roast well and cut them into medium size chunks.   Put them into an oven proof dish with a little oil, I used sunflower, salt and pepper and mix to coat the veg, cook on about 190c until softened and turning brown. Beat as many eggs as it takes to nearly cover the veg, season again to your own taste and add some herbs.  I add tarragon (fresh or dried) as I think it goes really well with egg, but use whatever you have. You could also grate some cheese on top if you wish.  Pour it over the hot veg and put back into the oven until the egg is set and it's slightly brown on top, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Don't leave it too long as I did one day when I wandered off to do something else and forgot it was in the oven.   Turned out very rubbery on top!

I had it hot for my evening meal last night, and some for my lunch box today eaten cold.  It's vegetarian and gluten free so suits me, but add whatever you like to it.  It beats buying sandwiches.

Enjoy,

Chickpea xx