Mini Lasagne Cups

 I think spaghetti bolognaise was probably one of the first meals I learnt to cook as a child. Basic, economical and yet so tasty it still remains in my top three favourite dishes of all time.

As I grew older I learnt to use the bolognaise in other dishes, lasagne becoming another favourite meal of mine.

Over the years, in my different workplaces, I have seen lasagne to be a good seller on the menu though spaghetti bolognaise not so much so. Probably because for most it is a regular week day meal easily made at home.
So our menu at The Nook has developed a bit of an Italian theme recently and as lasagne is a good menu seller, and I love a good twist on classics, I was rather excited to come across a photo on Pinterest of Mini Lasagne Cups.
Ideal for the café menu, (and ideal to use up some filo pastry leftover from Moroccan night 😉) I put the cups on the specials board last week and yes, yet another successful meal!
Very easily made with filo pastry, basic white sauce, bolognaise, parmesan and a muffin tin.

  Cook your bolognaise first and create a white sauce. When these are both made cut your filo into 5inch squares. I used 4 squares for each cup. Brush your first pastry square with olive oil or melted butter. Turn your next sheet 90° and lay on top. Brush with oil again and repeat for the next to sheets then lift and push down into your muffin tin. Repeat this until you have as many cups that you want.

Filo Pastry Cups

The next step is to layer the ingredients as you would in a lasagne.
So I put about a dessert spoon full of white sauce in the base of each cup, followed by a spoon of bolognaise topped with some grated parmesan. Bolognaise again with white sauce on top, more parmesan and a little shake of oregano!

Prepared mini lasagne cups

Once prepared put the muffin tray in the oven on about 180° and cook for about 12-15 minutes until the filo is crispy.

Mini lasagne cups just baked from the oven

Served best with a lovely fresh side salad.
What a tasty lunch!



Mini Lasagne Cups served with salad

Mini lasagne cups served on the specials board at The Nook On The Square, Dunchurch

Linking up this week at:
Simple and Sweet Fridays
Foodie Friday and Everything Else
Cooking and Crafting With J and J

Bloody Mary King Prawn Salad

As a child growing up in the 70s it was a rare treat to eat out in a restaurant. When I was lucky enough to have that treat from my parents the only thing I would ever order would be a prawn cocktail starter followed by scampi, chips and peas.
Prawn cocktail is now described as such an iconic food from the 70s. Ask anyone for a description and the information you would receive would include a glass dish for serving, shredded lettuce topped with prawns bound in the classic marie rose sauce, made basically from mixing mayonnaise and ketchup, a wedge of lemon and a dusting of paprika. Classic!
Classic, retro or 70s, however you describe it you cannot deny it still remains as popular as ever, although modern times have moved the basic style on and added twists to it.


The Iconic 70s dish Prawn Cocktail

 

 

This weeks salad at The Nook On The Square demonstrates one of these twists. True it's not a starter but a light main meal but we begin the process the same with a lettuce base. Covering the lettuce is a mixture of onion, gherkins, olives, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, celery and avocado. Amongst all this dotted around are some sauce covered King Prawns and a lovely big wedge of lemon.

A twist on the classic prawn cocktail  - Bloody Mary King Prawn Salad at The Nook On The Square

 

 

As for the twist on the Marie Rose sauce, well, mix mayonnaise, ketchup, squeeze of lemon, salt, pepper, Tabasco, and a shot of Vodka and there you have Bloody Marie Rose Sauce. We served it in a shot glass to

a. look like a drink &

b. reflect the iconic starter by using a glass for service!

  

Bloody Mary King Prawn Salad at The Nook On The Square

 

 

 

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Tasty Tuesdays