Georgina Hayden presents three vibrant Mediterranean dishes perfect for a party: a Tunisian chickpea stew-soup called lablabi, a simplified one-pan moussaka, and a nostalgic basil viennetta. These recipes are excerpted from her new book, MEDesque.
Lablabi Party
This Tunisian dish, traditionally a breakfast, is reimagined as a fun evening meal. A big pot of spiced chickpeas is served with various accompaniments like pickles, olives, capers, and boiled eggs, allowing each person to customize their bowl. It's nourishing, healthy, and perfect for a crowd after a night out.
Prep: 10 min | Cook: 25 min | Serves: 4
- 2 x 570g jars or 3 x 400g tins chickpeas
- 1 ciabatta or baguette (gluten-free if needed)
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 1/2-1 tbsp harissa, plus extra to serve
- 120g baby spinach
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 bunch coriander, finely chopped
- 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
- Juice of 1-2 lemons
- Serving suggestions: capers, pitted olives, pickles, boiled eggs
Heat oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Drain chickpeas and place in a large saucepan with 750ml water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, tear bread into chunks, crush cumin and coriander seeds, toss bread with oil and spices, season, and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden. Mash garlic with salt, add Aleppo pepper, harissa, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Stir paste into chickpeas along with spinach, most herbs and spring onions, and lemon juice. Serve with toasted bread and accompaniments.
One-Pan Moussaka
This simplified moussaka delivers all the flavour of the traditional Greek dish without the lengthy preparation. It's a wholesome weeknight meal that satisfies cravings for Greek holiday flavours.
Prep: 10 min | Cook: 1 hr 25 min | Serves: 4-6
- Olive oil
- 1 large aubergine, peeled and cubed (1.5-2cm)
- Salt and black pepper
- 400g minced meat (half beef, half pork, or lamb)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried oregano, plus extra
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 red onions, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 400ml meat stock
- 750g waxy potatoes (red-skinned)
- 250g mascarpone
- 250g Greek yoghurt
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 50g Parmesan
Fry aubergine in olive oil until golden. Add mince and brown, then add cinnamon, oregano, cayenne, onions, and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes. Heat oven to 190C (170 fan)/375F/gas 5. Stir in tomato puree and stock. Slice potatoes thinly (2-3mm) and layer over meat. Season, drizzle with oil, cover, and bake for 30 minutes (uncover last 10 minutes). Mix mascarpone, yoghurt, egg, egg yolk, and most Parmesan. Pour over potatoes, top with remaining Parmesan, and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until golden. Rest before serving.
Basil Viennetta
A nostalgic ice-cream dessert with a twist: basil adds a fragrant, surprising flavour. It's a showstopper that will have guests guessing the secret ingredient.
Prep: 5 min | Cook: 30 min | Freeze: 6 hr+ | Serves: 10-12
- 150g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
- 1 big pinch flaky sea salt
- 1 pot or large bunch fresh basil (about 50g)
- 300g caster sugar
- 400ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250g mascarpone
- 2 tbsp milk
Line a 900g loaf tin with clingfilm. Melt 125g chocolate with salt. Blend basil, half the sugar, 100ml cream, and vanilla until smooth. Add mascarpone and milk. Whip remaining cream with remaining sugar to medium-stiff peaks, then fold in basil mixture. Layer chocolate and cream mixture in tin: start with chocolate, then cream, repeat four times. Freeze for at least 6 hours. Before serving, melt remaining 25g chocolate, drizzle over turned-out viennetta, and garnish with basil leaves.
