Cheap, Tasty, Nutritious, Foolproof, Scalable Recipes - #1 - Tasty Tortilla

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This is the first in a series of recipes that are designed to meet 5 specific criteria.

That is, they must be Cheap, Tasty, Nutritious, Foolproof and Scalable - ideal for anyone cooking on a budget, cooking with little experience, or cooking for one.

 


Ingredients
 

  • 1 small onion
  • 1 large potato
  • 1 courgette (zucchini)
  • 3 eggs
  • a small red pepper (I used two very small peppers of different colours)
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • Leftover sausages or something else extra for flavour (see below)
  • half a teaspoon of dried herbs
  • a pinch of salt
  • A little oil
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Method
 

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Preheat your oven to 180C (that's equivalent to 350F or Gas Mark 4)

Chop the vegetables into sticks - about the thickness of a chopstick (maybe 5mm) and place them in a large bowl.

This is probably a good place to say that you are by no means constrained to using these specific vegetables - you can substitute spring onions for the white onion, sweet potato, butternut squash, asparagus, green beans, drained canned sweetcorn, frozen peas - pretty much any vegetable you can think of, really - just aim for approximately the same amount as here.


 

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Add the flour, eggs, herbs and salt to the bowl.

For a different flavour, you could use curry powder instead of herbs, or you could use smoked paprika or chilli flakes.


 

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Use a large spoon to mix everything together.

Keep turning it over and over until the flour coats the vegetable pieces - it will combine with some of the moisture that comes out of them, along with the egg, to form a sort of batter coating the pieces.


 

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Next, something for flavour - I added in a few leftover sausages, chopped into pieces, but here's where there really is a wealth of possibilities for adaptation.

You could add cubes of cheese and little pieces of ham, or anchovy fillets, or pieces of leftover chicken, some bits of bacon or meatballs - anything that's tasty and adds a protein boost is good.


 

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Use an ovenproof dish that's about the right size to contain your mixture to a depth of about an inch (2.5 cm).

Brush a little oil on the dish, tip in the mixture and flatten it down.

Place in the oven for 40 minutes, then test it by poking the ingredients near the middle of the dish with a sharp knife - if it's done, the potato should not feel crisp at all.

Cooking times are approximate, so if it's not completely done, return it to the oven for 10 minutes before testing again.


The End Result

The result is a tasty pie that can be served in slices as a meal in itself, or as the main part of a meal, accompanied by salad, or baked beans.

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Video Recipe

Here's a video version of the recipe (with a few more ideas and a bit more discussion in it):

Objectives Met!

Let's just recap on the 5 criteria we were aiming for:

Cheap - this recipe easily makes 4 generous portions for just a couple of pounds

Tasty - no doubt about it - it's packed with tasty, herb-seasoned veg, with an added tasty protein punch - and it can be varied to adapt for a wide range of different taste options.

Nutritious - Eggs are a fantastic source of protein, vitamins and minerals - the vegetables contribute more nutrients as well as fibre - and depending on the other ingredients you choose, even more goodness can be crammed in (if you go for the anchovy option, for example, you get all the good fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins that are available in oily fish).

Foolproof - There's no complex mixing and you don't need scales or even a proper measuring cup - approximation works and you just throw it all in a bowl, stir, then bake.  It;s really hard to go wrong with this.

Scalable - you could divide this recipe by three (one egg, one shallot, a small potato, etc) and make a single-person serving, but the other way this recipe scales out is that it keeps well - it will last for several days in the fridge or it can be sliced and frozen in portions - it reheats easily in a microwave oven, or is just as tasty eaten cold.

Note

Before, during or after the video(s) embedded in this page, the player may display advertisements or links to additional videos - these are not affiliated to Atomic Shrimp and the selection is something over which I have no control.