I have always loved eating all kinds of food.
I love having friends over and being challenged to cook things that I may not have on my repertoire.
Many of my friends are eating Vegetarian, there are also many eating Gluten Free... you get the idea....
At first I was so daunted about having my guests in these times around, mainly because I didn't want to just serve beans and Rice to my vegetarian friends, (although yummy!!), or baked potatoes to my gluten free friends (although again..) I felt inspired to serve them something that would be served at any meal regardless as to whether or not they had these restrictions.
I wanted to have it also be a recipe that I would carry over to my own family meals. I am a firm believer that variety is the spice of life as far as food goes, and that it is good for people to eat gluten free, vegetarian or whatever to allow as much variety into your diet as possible... as long as it is tasty and flavorful!! Your body will thank you!!!
Here is a fantastic, elegant and flavorful idea for a vegetarian meal... I know you will adore it!!!
Feeds 4 to 6
Ingredients
1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
3 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp of Crushed Red pepper
1 Tsp turmeric
2 Tsp ground coriander
3 Large Zucchini
1/2 Cup of basmati rice
2 1/4 cups of Vegetable stock ( you can also use chicken if not cooking vegetarian)
2 Cans of Garbanzo Beans drained
1/2 cup of melted butter
7 oz Filo dough pastry thawed and ready to use ( you can buy this in most major grocery stores frozen isle)
8 inch spring foam pan (Like you would use for cheese cake)
Prepare
*Preheat the oven to 400°F and put in a baking sheet.
*Gently fry the cumin seeds and onion in the olive oil until the onion’s soft
*Add the turmeric, coriander and sea salt
*Dice the zucchini (unpeeled), add them to the onion mixture, and cook on a fairly high heat to prevent the zucchini becoming watery
*When they are soft but still holding their shape, add the rice and stir well, letting the rice become well coated in the oil
*Add the stock ½ cup at a time, stirring while you do so
*When all the liquid has been absorbed the rice should be cooked, so take it off the heat, stir in the garbanzo beans (Chick peas), and check the seasoning
* Add the crushed red pepper
*Brush the insides of the spring form pan with some of the melted butter
*Line the bottom and sides of the pan with ¾ of the filo, buttering each piece as you layer
*Leave a little filo overlapping the sides, and keep 3–4 layers for the top
*Carefully put in your slightly cooled filling, and then fold in the overlaps
*Butter the last layers of filo and scrunch on top of the pie as a covering
*Brush with a final coat of butter, and put in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the filo is golden and the middle hot
*Check this by inserting a slim, sharp-bladed knife (or cake tester). If, when you remove it, it feels hot when you press it against your wrist, the pies ready.
Serve with a simple salad and a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc
