Beefy Picnic Bites with Parsley Pesto Beefy Picnic Bites with Parsley Pesto

Beefy Picnic Bites with Parsley Pesto

A light summery snack or lunch based on a frittata with beef mince, peppers and courgettes served with a parsley pesto.

prep time
25 mins

cook time
30 minutes

serves
4 people

Ingredients

  • 375g lean beef mince
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced and dried
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1-2 teaspoons ground paprika
  • 2 large courgettes, topped, tailed and very thinly sliced lengthways
  • 1 x 280g jar prepared grilled peppers, drained
  • 50g mild hard cheese (e.g Cheddar), grated
  • 4 medium eggs, beaten
  • Fresh rocket or watercress leaves, to garnish
  • For the Parsley Pesto:

  • 2 x 20g packs fresh parsley
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
  • 25g grated Parmesan cheese
  • 25g raw cashew nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C Fan, Gas Mark 6.
  2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Cook the potato slices for 10 minutes, turning regularly until golden brown. Remove and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
  3. In the same pan, cook the mince with the garlic, seasoning and paprika for 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  4. Lay half the potatoes over the base of a 20cm non-stick square cake tin, followed by the courgettes, peppers and mince mixture. Add the remaining potatoes then the cheese.
  5. Season the eggs and pour into the tin. Leave for 1-2 minutes for the egg mixture to settle.
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes then set aside to cool slightly for 15-20 minutes then cut into bite-size pieces and serve warm.
  7. Meanwhile prepare the pesto; place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste and serve with the bites.