Top 5 September Cheesy Bakes

By Sep 17, 2018 Casserole

Autumn is a state of mind, even here in the hot UAE. Pop a cheesy casserole into oven, light up some candles, and maybe open a bottle of red. Enjoy our Top 5 recipes, perfect for this moment.

HC_GuiltfreeBeefEggplantLasagna

Beef and Eggplant Parmigiana

Serves 4

Cooking time 1 hour

Ingredients:

1kg eggplants

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

800g ground beef

2 onions

4 garlic cloves

2 Tbsp olive oil

800g canned crushed tomatoes

2 tsp basil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Method:

1. Cut eggplants to 1 cm slices. Line an oven tin with baking paper, and arrange the slices on it, side by side. Roast your eggplants in batches, unless you have 2-3 oven tins and a forced air function in your oven.

2. Brush the slices lightly with olive oil. Roast in 250C / 480F for about 20 minutes until browned. Sprinkle with salt.

3. Meanwhile, peel and mince onion and garlic.

4. Fry minced beef in a pan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium high, add olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Add canned crushed tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer lightly for 30 minutes.

5. Layer the roasted eggplant slices and the beef tomato sauce into an oven casserole. Top with grated mozzarella.

6. Bake in 200C oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes, and serve.

 

HC_ProvencaleTian

Provencale Tian Bake

Serves 4

Cooking time 40 min

Ingredients:

2 onions

5 garlic cloves

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

800g eggplants

2 large zucchinis

4 tomatoes

200g hard mozzarella

80g Parmesan cheese

2 tsp basil

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

Method:

1. Peel and slice onion. Peel and mince garlic. Heat oil in pan over high heat. Fry the onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt.

2. Cut eggplants, zucchinis, tomatoes, and mozzarella to very thin slices. Grate parmesan.

3. Lightly grease an oven casserole, or line it with baking paper. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom. Arrange the veggie and mozzarella slices on top in “domino” pattern, creating colourful stripes. Spread the mozzarella evenly among the veggies. Sprinkle the top with basil, oregano, thyme, black pepper, and grated parmesan. Lightly coat the surface with olive oil.

4. Bake in 225C oven for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, and serve.

 

HC_SweetpotatoBeefCasserole

 

Sweet potato Beef Bake

Serves 4

Cooking time 40 min

Ingredients:

800g ground lean beef

1 onion

4 garlic cloves

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp basil

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp salt

600g sweet potatoes

2 Tbsp olive oil

150g grated cheese

Side salad:

200g lettuce

400g cherry tomatoes

1 Tbsp olive oil

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

Method:

1. Peel and mince onions and garlic. Fry onion in a pan in oil until translucent. Add minced garlic cloves. Cook for 2 minutes. Set aside. Fry minced beef in batches. Combine with onion mixture, and season with thyme, basil, pepper, and salt.

2. Peel sweet potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Cut halves to very thin slices.

3. Lightly grease an oven casserole. Layer the sweet potato slices and the meat mixture to the casserole. Drizzle the top with olive oil.

4. Bake at medium low rack in 225 C oven for 20 minutes (or until sweet potato slices are soft). Add cheese, and bake for 8-10 more minutes.

5. Meanwhile, rinse and dry green salad, halve tomatoes. Season with oil, salt, and pepper.

HC_BakedMozzarellaChicken

Baked Mozzarella Chicken

Serves 4

Cooking time 40 minutes

Ingredients:

800g chicken breast

1 tsp basil

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

250g grated mozzarella

500g broccoli

20g fresh parsley

Tomato sauce:

2 red onions

4 garlic cloves

2 red bell peppers

2 Tbsp olive oil

20g tomato paste

400g canned chopped tomatoes

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

Method:

1. Place the chicken breasts to an oven casserole. Season with basil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake in 200C oven for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile make the tomato sauce. Peel and mince onion and garlic. Chop bell pepper to small cubes.

3. Heat oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and fry for 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add chopped tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer lightly, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

5. Pour the tomato sauce on top of the chicken. Cover with mozzarella. Continue baking for about 10 minutes until golden and bubbling.

6. Meanwhile separate broccoli to small florets. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the broccoli florets for 5-6 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain.

7. Serve the cheesy chicken with boiled broccoli and chopped parsley.

 

HC_CheesyChickenEnchiladas

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Serves 4

Cooking time 35 min

Ingredients:

8 tortillas

600g chicken breast

2 red onions

5 garlic cloves

2 green chillis

1 red bell pepper

1-2 Tbsp cooking oil

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp chipotle powder (spicy)

1½ tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

200g sweet corn, rinsed and drained

600g chopped tomatoes

200g natural yogurt

400g shredded cheddar

Side salad:

400g iceberg lettuce

2 tomatoes

1 red bell pepper

½ bunch fresh coriander

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 limes

(salt, black pepper)

Method:

1. Cut the chicken breasts to cubes. Peel and chop onions and garlic cloves. Mince chillis. Rinse and dice red bell pepper.

2. Fry the chicken on a large pan over high heat, in oil, for about 3 minutes. Add onion and red pepper. Fry for 5-6 minutes until nicely cooked.

3. Add green chili, paprika powder, chipotle, salt, pepper, corn, and chopped tomatoes. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. 

4. Finally add yogurt, and half of the cheese. Remove from heat and mix well.

5. Heat the oven to 200C degrees. Add a little bit of oil to a large oven casserole or line it with baking paper. Place a tortilla to the casserole, and spoon some of the chicken mix on it. Then roll the tortilla and turn it seam side down. Fill the remaining tortillas evenly with the mixture.

6. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Bake in the 200C oven for about 10 minutes, until nice and crispy on top.

7. Meanwhile prepare the side salad. Rinse and chop lettuce, tomatoes, bell pepper, and fresh coriander. Dress with a bit of olive oil, and a good squeeze of lime juice, plus some salt and black pepper, if needed.