Pesto & Mozzarella Mushroom Stacks
Serves 4
What you’ll need to whip these up
4 large portobello mushrooms – stem removed. (If you don’t like mushrooms that doesn’t matter. Use eggplant or sweet potato or pumpkin as the base instead).
2 courgettes – cut in half, then sliced into ½ cm wide strips
2 small (or 1 large) red onion – cut into 1cm thick rings
1 red pepper – quartered
2 big handfuls baby spinach – wilted
½ C grated parmesan cheese
4T pesto – whatever flavour you fancy. I used a parsley & walnut pesto made by my kind brother.
150gms (1 ball) fresh mozzarella – thinly sliced
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce or passata
Heat oven to 180C. Grease the base of 2 oven proof trays. Place the mushrooms in one tray, drizzle with a small amount of oil and season with salt & pepper. Toss the courgettes, red onion and pepper well with some more olive oil and salt & pepper. Spread evenly on baking tray & cook these, and the mushrooms, until roasted. This will take 20mins or so.
Starting with the mushrooms, layer on the pesto and half the parmesan. Build further layers of veges, mozzarella and tomato sauce, making sure you finish with tomato sauce and parmesan.
Place stacks under a hot grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted. It’ll be about now when the oven reminds you it needs a clean. If it’s anything like mine the smoke alarm will sing the song of its people to accompany you while you wait for these to grill…so thoughtful of it…..
Enjoy!
Other recipes you may need to put this all together….
Starting with the mushrooms, layer on the pesto and half the parmesan. Build further layers of veges, mozzarella and tomato sauce, making sure you finish with tomato sauce and parmesan.
Place stacks under a hot grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted. It’ll be about now when the oven reminds you it needs a clean. If it’s anything like mine the smoke alarm will sing the song of its people to accompany you while you wait for these to grill…so thoughtful of it…..
Enjoy!
Other recipes you may need to put this all together….
- Wilted spinach
Heat a dash of oil in a fry pan over medium heat. Once warmed add spinach and gently move the spinach around the pan with some tongs until wilted.
- Tomato Sauce
Now I always make a double batch of this as it takes the same amount of time as a single batch, then you have enough sauce to add to meatballs or pasta, or even as a pizza base. It freezes well, so if you don’t want to use the leftovers straight away, throw it in your freezer for another day.
½ onion – finely diced
2-3 cloves garlic – finely diced
¼ t smoked paprika
Few sprigs fresh thyme – leaves removed
2 cans crushed tomatoes – whatever flavour is in the pantry
2T soy sauce
2T worcester sauce
Wee pinch chilli flakes
Heat a splash of oil in a non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Once warmed, add the onion & garlic and cook for approx. 5mins until soft and translucent. Add the smoked paprika and give a quick stir. Stand back so you don’t get chilli fumes all up in your face.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Let this bubble away for about 30mins until thick and delicious.
Can’t be bothered with any of this, just buy a jar of passata for a few bucks from the supermarket. It won’t be as good, but it’ll still be good.
Notes on ingredients
Feel free to mix it up with the veges. If you have pumpkin, slice thinly and use that. If courgettes are out of season, don’t use them. If you’re like me and can’t cope with fresh capsicum, used chargrilled bottled ones. Just give them a good once over with a paper towel to remove the liquid.
Don’t have fresh thyme – who cares. Don’t worry about it. Don’t go and buy it just for this recipe. Maybe buy a thyme plant and throw in the garden. It is the easiest of herbs to grow and is so versatile. And pretty. And great for the bees. Same goes with smoked paprika and chilli flakes – don’t have them, don’t worry. No doubt there is some sort of chilli in the pantry – tabasco, siracha…anything, just don’t add sweet chilli sauce PLEASE.
If you have any opened red wine hanging around, pour a decent splash of that into the tomato sauce when you add the tomatoes to the pan. It will add a good level of richness to it. Of course, you could always open a bottle because you NEED it for the sauce. Just make sure it’s a decent drop so you can actually enjoy it as you sip away. As we all know that it would be sacrilege to waste it
½ onion – finely diced
2-3 cloves garlic – finely diced
¼ t smoked paprika
Few sprigs fresh thyme – leaves removed
2 cans crushed tomatoes – whatever flavour is in the pantry
2T soy sauce
2T worcester sauce
Wee pinch chilli flakes
Heat a splash of oil in a non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Once warmed, add the onion & garlic and cook for approx. 5mins until soft and translucent. Add the smoked paprika and give a quick stir. Stand back so you don’t get chilli fumes all up in your face.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Let this bubble away for about 30mins until thick and delicious.
Can’t be bothered with any of this, just buy a jar of passata for a few bucks from the supermarket. It won’t be as good, but it’ll still be good.
Notes on ingredients
Feel free to mix it up with the veges. If you have pumpkin, slice thinly and use that. If courgettes are out of season, don’t use them. If you’re like me and can’t cope with fresh capsicum, used chargrilled bottled ones. Just give them a good once over with a paper towel to remove the liquid.
Don’t have fresh thyme – who cares. Don’t worry about it. Don’t go and buy it just for this recipe. Maybe buy a thyme plant and throw in the garden. It is the easiest of herbs to grow and is so versatile. And pretty. And great for the bees. Same goes with smoked paprika and chilli flakes – don’t have them, don’t worry. No doubt there is some sort of chilli in the pantry – tabasco, siracha…anything, just don’t add sweet chilli sauce PLEASE.
If you have any opened red wine hanging around, pour a decent splash of that into the tomato sauce when you add the tomatoes to the pan. It will add a good level of richness to it. Of course, you could always open a bottle because you NEED it for the sauce. Just make sure it’s a decent drop so you can actually enjoy it as you sip away. As we all know that it would be sacrilege to waste it