The Highs and Lows of a Conflicted Cook: Delights from Ottolenghi: Raspberry & Oat Bars

And a massive shout out to the gorgeous & much missed Sophie Rose! This recipe comes from 'Ottolenghi: The Cookbook' which was sent to me especially from London by Miss Rose for my birthday last year. Her birthday present for last year is still wrapped in tissue paper & sitting on my dresser: she is a much better friend than I am!

I have never eaten at either of the Ottolenghi establishments, but all I hear is how fabulous they are, and if the recipe's in the cookbook are anything to go by, I can see why it is so popular.

They have a cookbook of new vegetarian recipe's coming out, many of which can be found in a column by Yotam Ottolenghi in my favourite newspaper: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/series/thenewvegetarian

Unfortunately, the cookbooks are not available in Australia, though you may be able to order them online (though they aren't available in the US either, so maybe check a UK based website).

This was a really easy recipe, and I tweaked it a little based on what I had in my pantry: I used self raising flour instead of the plain + baking powder combo, and I used what nuts I had, so I am giving you my recipe, not the original one.

Raspberry & Oat Bars
Base
120g self raising flour
100g unsalted butter, diced
60g caster sugar
a pinch of salt
80g whole rolled oats

Filling
220g raspberry jam

Topping
280g almonds
(or 280g any combo of nuts)
100g butter
75g caster sugar
40ml milk
1 tsp vanilla essence

Preheat the oven to 170'c'. Lightly grease a 20cm square tin & line w/ baking paper.

To make the base, sift the flower into a bowl, and add the butter, sugar & salt, and rub everything together with your fingertips to form crumbs. Stir in the oats, and make sure you work it all together to get a good consistency.

Spread mix over the base of the tin; try not to press down too much, you want the base to remain light. Bake for 20 minutes, or until light brown.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool a little, and then spread the jam over the base.

For the topping, place the nuts in a large bowl. In a small saucepan heat the butter, sugar, milk & vanilla. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then pour the mixture over the nuts & stir together.