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VEGETABLE COB LOAF
To
make this recipe you will need an assortment of vegetables suitable for
grilling or roasting. I typically use eggplant (2), zucchini (2), sweet
potato (2), pumpkin (1/4 whole), red capsicum (2) and carrot (3), but
experiment with what ever you have. The vegetables simply need to be
suitable for grilling or roasting. This vegetable cob loaf can be served
hot or cold.
INGREDIENTS:
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Assorted vegetables suitable for grilling or roasting
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Pesto (see our recipe to make your own)
●
250gm Ricotta cheese
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½-1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
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Oil for grilling/roasting
METHOD:
Prepare the vegetables by peeling and slicing
lengthways into 1cm slices. If using the eggplant you will need to
remove the skin, slice the eggplant, sprinkle salt on the slices and set
it aside for around half an hour to draw out any bitterness. Wash the
salt from the eggplant and pat dry before grilling. Red capsicum will
need to have the seeds and membrane removed. Char the skin of the
capsicum under a griller until it blisters and goes black. Place the hot
capsicum into a plastic bag to sweat and make it easy to remove the
skin.
Char grill or roast all the vegetables until cooked using a small amount
of oil.
Mix the Ricotta and Parmesan cheese together.
Carefully slice the top from the bread. Empty the top and the bread
cavity of the soft interior to create the vessel in which the vegetables
will be placed. Spread a generous amount of pesto on the inside of the
top and on the sides and the base within the cavity of the cob loaf.
Progressively layer the different cooked vegetables. After each couple
of layers of different vegetables, spread a thin layer of the Ricotta
and parmesan mix. I usually aim for three layers of the cheese mix
within a cob.
Continue layering until the cob is full and mounded with vegetables.
Place the top back on the vegetable filled cob loaf. Wrap the cob leaf
completely in plastic wrap or a tea towel. Place on a plate, put another
plate on top and weight it down by placing a couple of cans of tinned
food or a whole pumpkin on top. Place all this in the refrigerator
overnight.
You can prepare the vegetable cob loaf for eating in two ways:
To Serve Cold – Remove the weights and wrap. Place in a hot oven for
around ten minutes until the bread is crisp. Remove from the oven, cut
into wedges and serve. The crust will be crunchy, but the centre will be
cold.
To Serve Hot – Remove the weights but retain the cloth or plastic wrap.
Place the cob in a microwave oven on high for 10-12 minutes. Remove the
wrap and place on a tray in a hot oven for around ten minutes until the
bread is crisp. Cut into wedges to serve. The crust will be crunchy and
the centre will be hot. |
