Minina (Tunisian baked omelette)

Minina is a simple but delicious Tunisian baked chicken omelette. For Pesach, I have added vegetables and developed versions with salmon and with a butternut squash base. They all have the same basic vegetables and will make a wonderful lunch or supper dish over chol hamoed.

Serves: 12 Prep: 20 minutes Make: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS For the base:

2 large potatoes (allrounders) peeled and cut in 1cm pieces

1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic

175g spinach leaves 150g mushrooms washed and thinly sliced

10g flat leaf parsley finely chopped

6 large eggs, beaten

5 tbsp olive oil (divided) Garlic granules

Onion granules

Salt and pepper

For butternut minina add: 1 small butternut squash

For salmon minina add: 300g fresh salmon

For chicken minina add:

250g cooked chicken, cut into chunks

METHOD

For butternut minina:

Boil the potatoes in a large pan of salted water until soft but not falling apart when you prod them with a fork. (20 minutes approx.). Drain and set aside to cool.

Sauté the mushrooms in 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan and with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Set aside.

Put the spinach in a colander and pour boiling water over to blanch it.

Press the water out then tip into a frying pan with 2 tbsp olive oil. Season with 1/3 tsp each of salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder. Fry for about 10 minutes at medium heat until the water has evaporated. Set aside.

Heat your oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Halve the squash down the centre, discard the seeds, and place on the parchment. Brush with 2 tbsp olive oil

Bake for 45 minutes until soft. Leave the oven on if you are making the minina immediately.

When cool enough to handle remove the skin with a knife. Cut into 2cm pieces.

To assemble: in a loaf tin or 25 X 10cm rectangular dish layer squash, spinach, mushrooms and pour the egg and potato mixture on top.

Cook at 180°C for 30 minutes.

To serve: cool for 10 minutes or so and then carefulliy turn out onto a plate then invert onto a second plate so it sits the way it was cooked.

Heat oven to 180°C fan and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Place the salmon on the tray. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 15 – 20 minutes until just cooked through. Leave to cool, remove any skin and cut into chunks of about 2 cm.

To assemble: Follow the method above for butternut replacing butternut with salmon.

For chicken minina:

Follow the butternut recipe replacing butternut with cooked chicken.