Mediterranean Layered Bake Recipes

MEDITERRANEAN LAYERED BAKE

Steps:

• Add the sliced potatoes to a large saucepan with water and parboil (they should still be firm in the centre, but slightly softened on outside). Drain and set aside.
• Add the olive oil to a frying pan over a medium high heat, once hot, add the onion and fry for a couple of minutes until softened
• Add the peppers and garlic and fry for a further couple of minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste (puree), stock, balsamic vinegar, oregano, fresh basil and crushed fennel seeds.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, and allow to gently bubble for 15-20 minutes until sauce reduces down and thickens (it's important to let the sauce reduce down and thicken otherwise it will be too watery).
• Taste sauce and season as needed with salt and black pepper.
• Set aside.
• Wipe the frying pan clean, spray with olive oil spray and place over medium heat, add the courgette and aubergine in batches until lightly browned on all sides and softened, seasoning with a little salt and black pepper as you do.
• Then you can begin the layering.
• Add half the tomato sauce to the bottom of the baking tray.
• Then add half the courgette and half the aubergine.
• Add half the potato slices in a then layer, slightly overlapping each other as you do.
• Then add the remaining tomato sauce, another layer of aubergine and courgette and then the final layer of potatoes.
• Preheat oven to 200c/fan 180c/400f or gas mark 6
• Add the milk to a saucepan, stir the cornstarch with a couple of tablespoon of water to make a slurry, add this into the milk, slowly heating until it starts to thicken. As it starts to thicken, stir in 30g of the parmesan until melted into the sauce.
• Pour the sauce over the potatoes, spreading out so it covers evenly with a spatula
• Top with the remaining parmesan and mozzarella.
• Cover with foil (it's important you use a deep enough tray so that the cheese doesn't touch the foil when covered)
• Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, remove foil and continue to bake for another 20-30 minutes until the top is lovely and golden.
• Sprinkle with some fresh chopped parsley
• Serve and enjoy!!

MEDITERRANEAN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Cover with cold water and allow to sit until cool, draining and replacing the cold water as needed. Peel and slice the potatoes thinly.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Grease a casserole dish with the olive oil. Line the casserole dish with an even layer of potato slices; top with a layer of sardine fillets. Scatter the diced tomatoes over the sardines. Sprinkle the garlic, basil, and bread crumbs over the tomatoes.
• Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 20 minutes.

MEDITERRANEAN LAYERED TORTE

Steps:

• Place cream cheese and feta cheese in food processor. Cover and process until blended. Divide into thirds (about 1 cup each).
• Line 5-cup mold or loaf pan, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, with plastic wrap. Spoon one-third of the cheese mixture in bottom of mold; smooth top with spatula. Spoon tomatoes evenly over cheese layer. Spoon hummus evenly over tomatoes. Sprinkle with cucumber.
• Spoon one-third of the cheese mixture over cucumber; smooth top with spatula. Spoon olives evenly over cheese layer. Spoon remaining cheese mixture over olives; smooth top with spatula. Strike filled mold on counter to pack down. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours but no longer than 48 hours.
• When ready to serve, turn mold upside down onto serving platter. Remove plastic wrap. Serve torte with pita wedges.

MEDITERRANEAN LAYERED SALAD

Steps:

• In small bowl, stir all dressing ingredients together with whisk until well blended.
• Arrange lettuce on large serving platter. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Place small dollops of hummus evenly over lettuce. Layer tomatoes, cucumbers, artichoke hearts, onion, olives and feta cheese on top of hummus. Serve with remaining dressing.

LAYERED MEDITERRANEAN MOZZARELLA EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) BAKE

Steps:

• Prepare a cookie sheet and coat with non-stick cooking spray (you might need two sheets for the eggplant slices).
• In a bowl mix bread crumbs with about 1-1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt, pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese).
• In a shallow baking dish or bowl dip the eggplant slices in the egg whites and then coat in the seasoned bread crumb mixture.
• Place the eggplant slices on prepared baking sheet/s and spray the eggplant slices liberally with cooking spray; set aside.
• In a medium frypan heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add in onion and garlic; cook until softened.
• Add in oregano, 1 teaspoon salt or seasoning salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute.
• Increase heat to high and add in the chopped tomatoes; cook until thickened (about 10-12 minutes) then remove from heat, add/mix in basil (if you are using dry basil add in with the oregano),.
• Set oven to broil and broil the eggplant slices one pan at a time for 3-5 minutes (per side) until brown.
• Set oven to 400 degrees.
• Layer the eggplant slices in a greased 1-1/2 - 2-quart baking dish.
• Top with the tomato/onion mixture.
• Then top the slices with mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Bake uncovered until cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes.
• Delicious!

LAYERED MEDITERRANEAN DIP WITH PITA CHIPS

Steps:

• Line a strainer with 4 layers of cheesecloth or 1 coffee filter and place over a bowl. Place yogurt in prepared strainer and cover with edges of cheesecloth. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. In a small bowl, combine the strained yogurt, cucumber, vinegar and mint., Spread hummus in the bottom of a 9-in. deep dish pie plate. Layer with onion, peppers, feta cheese, olives, tomatoes and yogurt mixture. Top with parsley and additional mint if desired. Chill until serving., Cut each pita half into 3 wedges; separate each wedge into 2 pieces. Place in a single layer on ungreased baking sheets. Brush both sides with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper., Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until crisp, turning once. Serve with dip.

MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of oval casserole or 13x9-inch baking dish.
• Arrange slices of vegetables in rows, alternating different types and overlapping slices in part to make attractive arrangement.
• Sprinkle garlic evenly over top.
• Mix olive oil with rosemary in small bowl; spread over top.
• Pour wine over vegetables; season with salt and pepper.
• Loosely cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

MEXICAN LAYERED CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Saute beef until no longer pink in the center, 5 to 10 minutes. Add onion and cook until transparent, about 2 minutes more. Add black beans, enchilada sauce, and green chiles. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Cover the bottom of the prepared pan with a third the beef mixture. Place several tortillas over the meat to cover. Spread half the sour cream. Add another third the meat mixture, cover with tortillas, and spread remaining sour cream on top. Cover with remaining meat mixture.
• Top casserole with crushed corn chips and Cheddar cheese, in that order. Sprinkle olives and tomatoes on top of the Cheddar cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling, about 35 minutes.