Weeks 7 and 8, Term 4 2014

Every week someone says “This is the best menu yet”!!!  I must admit our current menu is pretty good!!

Mini Frittatas
Moroccan Chickpea and Couscous Salad
Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta
Seasonal Vegetables
Pizza of the Imagination

We were very excited to gain some new chicks this week. Three weeks ago we placed some eggs underneath one of our chickens that had gone ‘broody’ and on Monday four chicks hatches. The eggs, by the way, were from Craig, our own eggs are not fertile as we do not have a cockerel at school.

And here are some photos of general kitchen and garden work:

Our Recipes:

Mini Frittatas

(makes 24 small frittatas)

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil cooking spray

8 large eggs

½ cup milk

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons parsley

3 cups (approximately) vegetables

Method:

·        Turn oven on to 190 degrees

·        Spray 2  muffin tins with non-stick spray

·        Whisk the eggs, milk, pepper, and salt

·        Chop vegetables and parsley

·        Grate cheese

·        Add vegetables, cheese, and parsley to egg mixture

·        Stir

·        Add egg mixture to muffin tins – share evenly between them

·        Bake until the egg mixture puffs and is set – about 15 minutes

Moroccan Chickpea and Couscous Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:

6 carrots

1 red onion

Juice one lemon

Frying mix:

1 teaspoon ground coriander   1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground paprika       2 tablespoons oil

2 cups Couscous + 2 cups water

1 bunch spinach

Dressing:

2 tablespoons oil                      2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic                          4 tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon ground cumin          ½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground paprika        2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh coriander

2 tablespoons fresh mint

1 can chickpeas

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons pine nuts or flaked almonds - roasted

Method

·        Chop carrots and add to frying mix

·        Fry gently for about 10 minutes and then add  chopped onion

·        Fry for 10 more minutes, then add lemon juice

·        Add couscous to boiled water, stir, cover and leave for 5 minutes

·        Stir in finely chopped spinach

·        Shake dressing in jar

·        Stir fried vegetables, couscous, chick peas, dressing and chopped coriander and mint. Add salt and pepper to taste.

·        Garnish with nuts

Basic Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:

3 cups pasta flour

2 teaspoons salt

4 eggs

Flour for dusting

Method:

·        Place everything into food processor

·        Blend until a soft dough is produced – you may need to add one or even two more eggs if the dough feels too dry

·        Cover in plastic wrap and leave for at least one hour

·        Break into 6 pieces

·        For each piece:

o   Flatten

o   Make into rectangle

o   Run through machine on widest setting 6 times – folding it back to original size each time

o   Change to next setting and roll once

o   Repeat to second thinnest setting (cut in half if it gets too long)

o   Dust with flour if pasta gets sticky

·        Repeat with other 5 pieces

·        Use machine attachment to cut pasta of your choice

·        Rest pasta for as long as possible

·        Boil in salted water 5 minutes

Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta Sauce

Ingredients:

2 onions

3 cloves garlic

Olive oil

Bunch spinach or silver beet

500g ricotta cheese

Salt and pepper

Bunch parsley

Method:

• Chop onions, spinach and parsley
• Crush garlic
• Fry onions and garlic gently
• Add chopped spinach
• Add ricotta and gently warm
• Season with salt and pepper
• Mix with cooked pasta
• Sprinkle parsley on top

Pizza

(makes 2 pizzas)

Ingredients:

Pizza dough (see separate recipe)

2 cups vegetables

1 onion

1 clove garlic

1 cup Mozzarella Cheese

Olive oil

Fresh basil or other seasonal herbs

Flour

2 cups tomato paste

Method:

·        Turn oven on to 200 degrees

·        Roll out dough into 2 rectangles

·        Place on lined trays

·        Spread with tomato paste

·        Choose vegetables

·        Chop, slice or tear vegetables

·        Crush garlic

·        Grate cheese

·        Cover with vegetables, garlic and cheese

·        Bake 25 minutes

·        Chop fresh herbs

·        Sprinkle fresh herbs on top of cooked pizza

Pizza Dough

 (makes 2 pizzas)

Ingredients:

3 cups (400g) bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

4 teaspoons yeast

4 teaspoons oil

1 ¼ cup water

Method:

·        Place ingredients into bread maker in the order listed above

·        Press MENU to setting PIZZA

·        Press START

·        Dough will be ready in about 45 minutes

Note:

If you do not have a bread machine:

·        Mix ingredients as above & knead for 10 minutes

·        Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour (until double in size)

Seasonal Vegetables:

Students choose from the following recipes

Stir-fried Vegetables

Ingredients:

Oil

2kg seasonal vegetables

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2/3 cup oyster sauce

Method:

·        Peel and chop vegetables

·        Fry vegetables

·        Add oyster sauce and soy sauce

·        Cook for 5 minutes

Cheesy Vegetables

Ingredients:

2kg seasonal vegetables

80g butter

3 cups milk

4 tablespoons plain flour

Pinch nutmeg (finely grated)

300g grated cheese

1 cup breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Topping: 1 cup grated cheese

Method:

·        Choose vegetables

·        Chop vegetables

·        Boil vegetables for about 15 minutes, until tender

·        Drain

·        Put vegetables into two baking dishes

·        Make sauce in microwave

o   Melt butter in microwave

o   Add flour and stir

o   Add 2 cups milk and stir

o   Add nutmeg and grated cheese

o   Microwave on high for 1 minute then stir

o   Repeat microwaving for 1 minute and stirring until sauce is thick, smooth and cooked

o   Add more milk if necessary – sauce should just pour

o   Add salt and pepper to taste

·        Pour over vegetables

·        Sprinkle 1 cup grated cheese and 1 cup breadcrumbs over vegetables

·        Bake in oven 200 degrees for 15 minutes

·        Grill for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp and brown

Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

2kg vegetables

1 tin coconut milk

1 packet curry paste

Method:

·        Peel and chop vegetables

·        Fry vegetables

·        Add coconut milk and curry paste

·        Simmer for 30 minutes, adding water if necessary

Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

2 kg vegetables

¼  cup dried herbs

2 cloves garlic

oil

Method:

·        Add oil to roasting tin and place in oven to heat (200 degrees)

·        Peel and chop vegetables

·        Crush garlic

·        Add everything to roasting tin

·        Mix gently

·        Bake for about 30 minutes

Mashed Vegetables

Ingredients:

2kg vegetables

100g butter

1 cup milk

Method:

·        Peel and chop vegetables

·        Boil vegetables  for about 30 minutes

·        Drain the vegetables

·        Mash vegetables with butter and milk

Broad Bean Dip
Broad beans
Natural yoghurt
Garlic
Lemon Juice
Cumin
Parsley

We 'invented' this recipe this week! It was delicious!!