I recently wrote a piece for BBC Food on other uses for Kitchen gadgets. As part of the research for the article, I put a grilled sandwich machine through its paces.
This is a great kitchen gadget to have in a bedsit or in halls if you are a student. (My daughter insisted on taking the family rice steamer when she was at university. She kept it in her room- can of tuna, some olive oil, lemon juice and steamed rice and that’s a great nutritious and cheap student dinner. Put it this way, she is the ONLY student I’ve ever heard of that ended university with savings.)
You can make more than cheese toasties (or jaffles as the Australians call them) with a grilled sandwich machine. I’ve made samosas and mini aubergine parmesans. I could write a book of recipes on the subject honestly.
Grilled sandwich maker samosas
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, cut into small chunks
- 1 Aubergine, cut into small chunks
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 tbsps Olive oil
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp Salt
For Indian style:
- 3 tbsp curry powder
For Middle Eastern style:
- 1 tbsp Sumac
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 preserved lemons, cut up finely
- A handful of chopped fresh coriander.
To assemble:
- 1 pack of filo pastry
- More oil for brushing.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c.
- Using a baking tray, roast the squash and aubergine, tossed together with the garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and curry powder and finally the olive oil. Roast for 40 minutes. Then remove the tray and let it cool.
- Omit the curry powder and add the Middle Eastern ingredients and after cooking if you want a less spicy filling.
- Take a sheet of filo pastry, folding it in half, and carefully put a heaped tablespoon of the roasted vegetables in the top right hand corner. Then, folding it into a triangle, keep folding the pastry around the triangle shape you have created. Brush with oil or butter.
- Continue until all the mixture is finished.
- Then place the triangles in the grilled sandwich maker. Turn to a high setting and cook. Remove from the sandwich maker. You could also sprinkle them with sesame or poppy seeds.
Grilled Sandwich maker aubergine parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 aubergine, cut in thin slices
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 ball mozzarella, thinly sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
- a few fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Brush the aubergine slices both sides with olive oil.
- Spread the tomato puree on one side and a little of the garlic paste.
- Lay the aubergine slices across the bottom of the grilled sandwich maker, puree side up, then add the slices of cheese, salt and pepper and a leaf or two of fresh basil.
- Top with more oil brushed aubergine slices. Close the sandwich maker and cook following the machine's instructions.
- Serve hot!
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