Whether they’re conjuring up new recipes or cooking for themselves at home, the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen team do what we all do: they raid their kitchens. But then they turn whatever they find into approachable, uplifting creations with an ‘Ottolenghi’ twist. This series was inspired by the OTK team’s own experience in lockdown, when we’ve all been standing in front of our kitchen shelves, cupboards and fridges, wondering what to cook with what we’ve got; how to put a can of chickpeas or a bag of frozen peas to good use, instead of taking an extra trip to the shops.
These dishes pack all the punch and edge we expect from Ottolenghi, but with more flexibility to make them our own. There’s the ultimate guide to creamy dreamy hummus, a one-pan route to confit tandoori chickpeas and a not-your-average tomato salad. Packed with tips to get ahead and for switching things up, this is Ottolenghi stripped back, fuelled by the classic Middle Eastern flavours we all love. The #OTK team bring a shared following in their own right of 1.8 million followers on Instagram.
For the first time, the Test Kitchen team welcome us into their creative space. Stunningly designed by Caz Hildebrand with photography from Elena Heatherwick, the format will be as special as the concepts: notebook-style flexibinds with sections to adapt and spaces to scribble on.
Yotam Ottolenghi says, ‘Recent times have created an incredible interest in home cooking (check out Instagram!). Everyone is looking for inventive ways to use much-loved, everyday pantry ingredients to spice up their long days at home. The first OTK cookbook, spearheaded by the very- clever Noor Murad, embraces this challenge with open arms and even wider open cupboard doors.
The team here had been busy putting jars of chickpeas to good use, turning bags of frozen peas into Middle-Eastern spreads and simply being creative with whatever they can lay their hands on. The result, I am proud to say, is a collection of very-Ottolenghi recipes, for everyone.’
Noor Murad says, ‘The book was born out of a kitchen raid in which recent times had us (the OTK team) stripping down our pantries, fridges and freezers to create accessible, inspired recipes that very much carry the Ottolenghi ethos. We encourage you to take this book as a notebook, to scribble and take notes on, taking each recipe as a rough guideline and making all the swaps to make these dishes your own – all the while keeping your ovens on and your spirits high.’
