Spooflay

Description

A vegetarian dish combining spinach, cheese, and eggs in a soufflé-like preparation. This recipe is from the River Cottage Veg Everyday book.

Ingredients

• 500g total of courgettes and frozen spinach
• 50g plain flour (gluten-free)
• 50g butter
• 300ml milk
• A large amount of cheese (recipe calls for 150g, but we use probably twice that)
• 3 eggs, separated, plus an extra egg white
• Gluten-free pasta

Equipment Needed

• Large pan for cooking vegetables
• Saucepan for white sauce
• Whisk
• Bowl for egg whites
• Pyrex round casseroles or similar oven-safe dishes

Preparation Time

• Prep: 60 minutes (including cooking vegetables)
• Cook: 35 minutes
• Total: 95 minutes

Servings

3-4 people

Instructions

1. Grate the courgettes into a pan and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
2. Add frozen spinach to the courgettes. Cook until most of the water has evaporated, about an hour total.
3. Boil the gluten-free pasta according to package instructions, plus 2 minutes.
4. Make a very thick white sauce:
   • In a pan, combine 50g plain flour and 300ml milk, whisking until combined.
   • Add 50g butter and put the pan on heat.
   • Keep whisking until it thickens up.
   • Cook for a couple more minutes once thick.
5. Take the white sauce off the heat and add the spinach-courgette mixture.
6. Add a large amount of cheese to the sauce mixture (recipe suggests 150g, but we use about twice that).
7. Separate 3 eggs, plus add an extra egg white.
8. Add the egg yolks to the spinach-sauce mixture.
9. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form (you should be able to lift the bowl over your head without it falling out).
10. Carefully fold the egg whites into the sauce mixture.
11. To assemble:
    • Pour some of the mixture into Pyrex round casseroles.
    • Add some cooked pasta and mix gently.
    • Pour more of the mixture on top.
12. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 35 minutes.

Notes

• The dish will be very hot when it comes out of the oven, so let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
• This recipe is gluten-free when using gluten-free flour and pasta.
• The recipe is quite complicated and does take a while to prepare.
• It's important to cook the vegetable mixture until most of the water has evaporated to avoid a sloppy consistency.