Brenda Janschek
What on earth do you do when you’re bumping up against the end of the food shopping cycle and find yourself stumped for dinner options? It seems like there’s nothing in the fridge or in the pantry, and there are some hungry family members wandering aimlessly about, moaning like the zombie apocalypse has begun. Before they reach the salt and pepper and start to season me, or before my head combusts from gibberish overload*, quick thinking is required to restore balance to the household.
Mums understand the old adage that necessity is the mother of all invention quite well, but it always helps to have some leftovers to really get the creative juices flowing. A couple of weeks ago I had some leftover spelt pasta in the fridge that needed eating. Combining it with a few regular fridge staples, a hearty, delicious dinner was served with super-nutritious eggs, the hero of the dish. The family was fed, I was saved from the wrath of the living dead, and we could all approach witching hour with the tiny morsel of knowledge that at least our bellies were full and satisfied.
Healthy Vegetarian Pasta Bake
Ingredients
150gms spelt pasta shapes (or gluten-free pasta), cooked
6 pastured or organic eggs
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup homemade chicken stock (optional)
150 gms baby spinach, chopped
1/2 grated cheddar cheese
150g feta
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
pinch nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter or ghee
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (I used basil & parsley)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius
Grease a pie dish with butter and scatter pasta in dish
Melt butter or ghee in frying pan and gently fry on low heat
Throw in baby spinach and lightly fry for for an extra minute
Lightly beat the eggs then add the cream, stock (if using), herbs, nutmeg, garlic and spinach mixture and combine well
Pour the mixture over the pasta and crumble the feta over the top
Bake for approx 30 minutes
Make sure the eggs are set and the feta is slightly browned. If you need to, place dish back in oven for a further 5-10 minutes.
This dish is delicious served with a garden salad where the textures and flavours complement each other so beautifully. Even better, the leftovers are perfect when warmed up, placed in a thermos and sent to school the next day. It’s always a great idea to make extra for lunchboxes, and my kids loved it in theirs.
Happy Cooking!
* They’re not that bad, honest!
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