A Vegetarian Delight - Carrot & Gruyère Timbales

Carrot & Gruyère Timbales with Homemade Tomato Sauce
My friend Katie posted this on her blog  click here
to check out her posts

I was cooking sausages for dinner and thought it could be a great accompaniment
It was
I served with Tomato Ketchup (a must for sausages)

But if you would prefer…make your own tomato sauce
(Recipe below) This is my "go to" Tomato Sauce that I use for Pizza, Pasta, Pinwheels
Easy peasy

Then it can be  a stand alone first course, with some crusty french bread

This amount made 3 Timbales using Texas Muffin tins
Adjust ingredients if you want to make more

Ingredients:
    6oz (180gr) grated carrot   about 2 medium
    3oz, 90gr) grated Gruyère cheese
    1 egg
    1/2 tsp dry mustard
    1 tbs milk
  

Instructions:
Heat oven to 200C
    Butter Texas Muffin Tins and line the bottoms with buttered wax or parchment paper.
   
   Put a medium saucepan half full of water on medium-high heat.

    Grate carrot first, then cheese, using the fine holes of your trusty box grater.
    Keep them separate.
    When the water is boiling, blanch the carrots for 30 seconds,

    drain and rinse with cold water.
    Using your hands gently squeeze them dry.

    Beat egg lightly.    Add carrots, cheese, mustard, milk and mix well.

    Spoon into prepared tins
   
    Put into a roasting pan with deep sides 
    add hot water (hot tap water is fine) so that it comes half way up the sides of the ramekins.
  
   Top each with a circle of buttered wax or parchment paper
    Bake for 25 minutes… they should be set - firm on top.
    Remove from oven and from hot water.
    Run a table knife around the sides to loosen.

As I did...serve with grilled sausages

But if you would prefer make the Tomato Sauce
For Tomato Sauce
    1 x 400 gm chopped tomatoes, drained
    2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    1 teaspoon sugar
    1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Method
Gently heat olive oil in a pot
add garlic, season with S & P and oregano
While the garlic is still soft but not brown
Add the tomatoes and sugar

Bring to boil and turn down to simmer

Cook for bout 10 minutes
Add vinegar and let cool

Reheat when you need it


Serve

Here's a Non Meat Pizza - Can be Vegan- But I added Cheese - Added Extra - Great Dip to have with Drinks

Roasted Apple, Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Pizza With A White Bean Dip

Here is a Pizza Blanco which can be Vegan...but I added Feta cheese
Little bit Salty, little touch of Sweetness 
Very Popular with the Grand kids

Instead of a dairy base or the usual Tomato
Try a Garlic Bean Puree, then make this puree again as a dip, when you have friends around for Drinks. Its beautiful.

This idea came from The Epicurious Website
Some many good ideas on that site

Ingredients
Garlic White Bean Purée
   1 400 gms can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
    ¼ cup olive oil
    2 tablespoon lemon juice
    Zest of 1 lemon
    2 cloves garlic peeled
    ½ teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
    1 teaspoon sea salt
    ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1 to 2 tablespoons water

Pizza toppings
    4 tablespoons olive oil
    1 onion, thinly sliced
    Sea salt
    Freshly ground black pepper
    2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
    1 cup spinach
    1 apple, peeled and cubed
    1/2 cup Feta Cheese Crumbled

First: Make your Pizza Dough
Here's Step by step to make it easier

You don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn for this bread
Max time: 1 hour 15 minutes... from whoa to go
I have this down to a fine art and feel really confident, that anybody could get the same results.
i.e. to get the water to the correct hand hot temp 2/3 cold water 1/3 just boiled water.
This is the right temp for our granddaughter’s mouth and perfect for bread making
You learn something everyday

! cup high grade flour (if you have Italian 00 more’s the better)
1 pkt 8g dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Approx 100 mls warm water prepare 200 mls just in case…some days it may take more
It’s important that the dough is not dry

Place flour in a large bowl
Add sugar, yeast and salt
(making sure the salt and yeast are not together...Salt kills yeast) So add about 100 mls of water and mix till the dough comes clear of the bowl
Turn out onto floured board and knead about 1-2 minutes
Till dough is smooth
Place back into the bowl which you have oiled and toss around to coat the dough

Cover with tea towel or plastic wrap.
Leave till doubled in size about 30 minutes to an hour depending on the temperature

Pull away from sides of bowl
Turn back onto floured board and knead it well about another minute
Flour the rolling pin and roll into shape and place in oiled  pan

Preparation and assembly

Preheat oven to 190C

I think the raw Garlic is a little too pungent, so I just gently sauteed it in the oil before I started
Just to get that lovely soft roast garlic flavour

Make the garlic white bean purée by blending the beans, oil,
lemon juice and zest,  garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in a food processor.

 Add water, as needed, until a smooth consistency forms.
Set aside. Can be made two days in advance.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat and
sauté onions until soft and lightly caramelized, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Season generously with salt and pepper.

While the onions are cooking, toss remaining 2 tablespoons oil with squash and season generously with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a large-rimmed baking sheet and roast for 30 to 35 minutes until squash is fork-tender, turning once or twice with a spatula.
Remove from oven and set aside.
Add cubed apples to the onions

Turn heat up to 220C degrees.

Spread a layer of the garlic white bean purée evenly over the rolled-out dough.
(You may not want to use all of it.)
On top of the dough, arrange the spinach, caramelized onions,
roasted butternut squash and apple slices. 
Crumble over the Feta Cheese
Season with salt and pepper, and brush the edges of the crust with olive oil.

Bake at 220 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes, rotating midway,
until the crust is slightly browned or golden.
Let cool, slice and serve.

Plus if you want to use the Garlic Bean Puree as a dip
Add a little extra Lemon Zest and dip away