Broccoli - Ricotta Bake With Roasted Pepper Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 50 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
• 3 tablespoons boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads (optional) or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
• 2 1/4 cups diced broccoli
• 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 lemon, zest of
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 pinch salt

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 place peppers, onion and garlic cloves into a 9" x 13" baking pan.
• 3 drizzle with olive oil, add mustard seed, salt and pepper and toss well.
• 4 put in oven and roast for about 45 minutes, or until very soft and caramelized.
• 5 meanwhile, stir together boiling water and saffron, if using. allow to steep while vegetables are roasting.
• 6 when they have finished roasting, add the vegetables to a blender, add the saffron water and puree smooth. pour into a jug or gravy boat and set aside.
• 7 reduce oven temperature to 325°f.
• 8 place broccoli florets in a steamer and steam until just tender.
• 9 take half the broccoli, break it up with a fork or potato masher, and add to a bowl with the ricotta, egg, lemon zest, basil, pepper, paprika, nutmeg and salt.
• 10 fold in the larger broccoli pieces.
• 11 grease an 8” or 9” round casserole dish, and fill with broccoli mixture.
• 12 bake for 20 minutes.
• 13 serve alongside warm pepper sauce.