Sunshine on a Plate
Lauren Lovatt / Mind Food
“This tumbet holds a special place in my food memories, as for many years my family visited a restaurant in Mallorca called El Siller, where I was first introduced to the beauty of farm-to-fork food. The restaurant was owned by a Spanish farmer and his wife, who grew all of their own vegetables on their farm and served a small, totally seasonal menu.”
You can find this recipe (and so many more!) in Lauren’s debut book, Mind Food.
Total time: 1 hour // Serves: 2
Ingredients
Tumbet
1 aubergine
1 large potato
50ml olive oil
1 tbsp salt
Oregano Arrabbiata
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 garlic close, peeled and chopped
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and sliced
1 tbsp smoked paprika
400ml passata
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 spring rosemary
Vegetables
1 courgette, peeled into ribbons
1 batch of your favourite pesto
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Handful of herbs (such as basil or parsley)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/400F
Vegetables
Slice each of the tumbet vegetables into 5mm rounds, making sure they are all even - as this will greatly impact your results. Take your time here.
You will need 2 large baking trays to lay out the vegetables. Drizzle each tray with a generous amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt, then place the potato on one tray and the aubergine on the other (as this may take a little less time to cook).
Rub each vegetable round in the salt and oil so they are well-covered. Spread them out flat on the trays and bake for at least 30 minutes, turning the vegetables over after 15 minutes, until they are golden brown.
Oregano Arrabiata
Heat a saucepan with the olive oil and add the onion and salt. Cook over very low heat for at least 10 minutes until cooked and soft but not too golden. Once the onion is cooked, add the garlic and chilli and cook for a further 2 minutes to release their wonderful aroma. Then add the smoked paprika and cook for 1 more minute.
Add the passata to the pan with an equal amount of water, then add the oregano and rosemary and cook to reduce the sauce for 20 minutes until it is thick and silky, stirring it every now and again to make sure that the sauce isn’t sticking to the base of the pan. you will know it’s ready when the sauce is thick and has the fragrance of herbs.
To serve, toss the courgette ribbons in a little oil and salt. Place a spoonful of smoking hot Arrabiata onto your plate, followed by vegetables delicately layered with spoonfuls of pesto in between each one. Finish with courgette ribbons, salt, freshly cracked black pepper and a handful of your favourite herbs. Enjoy!