One dish baked mini meals

The need for one dish meals is constantly on the rise these days, especially for suppers and light meals where we prefer to toss up a few things into one dish and get it to the dinner table and feast ourselves to something different. Gone are the days where a typical full meal of courses from starters and soups followed by array of main courses and spread of desserts.
A concept of a one dish meal has various angles and aspects, features and cuisines attached to it. In an endeavour to do something different, I have tried here to attach a little fusion touch to the regular baked dishes which we might have tried. The French word Augratin which is attached to savoury saucy baked dishes includes the famous white sauce, cheese and bread crumbs at times to give a nice crispy golden crusty mouthfeel, here we will find innovative ways to twist and turn a few concepts and treat our palate!

CHICKEN PASTA BAKE

Ingredients
2 cups boiled penne/ macaroni/ Fusilli pasta
200 g boneless chicken cubes, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tsp oil/ olive oil/ butter
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 small chopped onion
½ tsp mixed herbs
½ tsp chilli flakes
Salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup pureed tomato
2 tsp red chilli sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
2-3 tbsp white wine (optional)
Bell peppers/mushrooms/ sweet corn/ cherry tomatoes as desired for volume and texture
10-12 fresh basil leaves
2 cup white sauce
¼ cup grated cheese

Method
Prepare all the ingredients as per the list above. To assemble the dish, heat oil/butter/olive oil in a pan add in the garlic and onions and saute, add in the tomato puree, salt, pepper, herbs and chili flakes. Saute it for a couple of minutes and add in chicken cubes and veggies of your choice, sauces as listed and stir fry the ingredients on a high flame for a couple of minutes, add ½ cup water or stock simmer and allow the chicken to cook for 8-10 minutes. Add in the white sauce, fresh basil leaves and the boiled pasta and give it all a nice mix place it all into a greased baking dish top it with grated cheese and place it in pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for 12-15 minutes and serve hot with assorted toasts/ garlic bread.

HEARTY VEG WONDER BAKE

Ingredients
2-3 medium sized, peeled and sliced potatoes
2 tsp oil/ olive oil/ butter
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 chopped green chillies
3-4 sliced spring onions
¼ cup chopped spring onion greens
3-4 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tsp Capsico/ chilli sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs and chilli flakes to taste
2 cup white sauce
¼ cup grated mozzarella cheese
½ cup fresh cream
8-10 sliced cherry tomatoes/ / 1 tomato slice
1 shredded green capsicum
1 tin baked beans in tomato sauce
Assorted fresh herbs basil/ thyme/ micro-greens for garnish

Method
Prepare all the ingredients for the veggie wonder baked dish. In a pan, heat oil add in the garlic and spring onions and saute for a minute, add in the potato slices, seasonings, herbs, chilli flakes cover and cook in steam on low flame for 3-4 minutes. Add in the baked beans with tomato sauce, capsicums, Capsico or chilli sauce to taste and any other assortment of veggies of your choice can be added here. Cook for 3-4 minutes, add in the fresh cream mix in well. Transfer the mixture into a greased baking dish and add in the tomato slices/cherry tomatoes, grated mozzarella or cheese of your choice, place the dish for baking at 180 degrees Celsius for 12-15 minutes and serve hot with whole wheat bread rolls/ herbed bread slices etc.

BETWEEN THE SHEETS

Ingredients
1 cup boiled pulses/ legumes – rajma/kidney beans of your choice
1 cup boiled carrots/ beans/ peas/ cauliflower
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½ cup sliced baby corn
10-12 boiled lasagna sheets
2 cup white sauce
Salt, pepper, herbs and chilli flakes to taste
2-3 tbsp schezuan sauce
¼ cup breadcrumbs
2-3 double fried eggs
2 tbsp tomato sauce
¼ cup grated cheese

Method
Pre-prep all the ingredients ahead of time. To assemble the yummy baked dish, start with the layer of white sauce in the baking dish, place the lasagna sheets, the boiled beans, tomato sauce assorted boiled veggies, drizzle over the schezuan sauce, add seasoning, herbs, chilli flakes to taste. Prepare multiple layers of the ingredients by choice in the dish and top it up with the double fried eggs, white sauce, bread crumbs, cheese and place the wholesome dish to bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes and serve it piping hot with a buttered toast or some brun pao.

EGGPLANT & MINCE BAKE

Ingredients
3-4 medium sized brinjal, sliced into roundel
2-3 tsp oil/ olive oil/ butter
2 tsp chopped garlic
1 chopped onion
½ cup tomato puree
250 g or 1 cup soy keema chicken keema
½ cup green peas
1 chopped green capsicum
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs and chilli flakes to taste
2-3 tsp peanut butter
2-3 tsp tomato ketchup
2 tsp capsico
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
¼ cup grated cheese
2 cup white sauce
½ cup water

Method
Slice the eggplants, apply little oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper mix well and place in an oven to partially cook for 8-10 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius. Meantime heat oil/ butter in a pan, saute the garlic and onion add in the raw chicken keema or drained soy mince soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, saute it for 2 minutes, add in the tomato puree, salt, pepper, herbs, chilli flakes and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add in peas, capsicums, tomato ketchup and little water to allow proper cooking for 8-10 minutes on a medium flame, add in the coriander leaves and mix. To assemble the dish prepare a mixture of white sauce and peanut butter and place it at the base of the baking dish now place the prepared semi-dry mince mixture, the oven cooked brinjal and create layers with the nutty white sauce, mince and the eggplants to top, finally add the cheese and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes and serve hot with toasted pita bread, focaccia or sun- dried tomato bread rolls/ spinach and herbed bread.