Israeli-born British chef Yotam Ottolenghi burst onto the London food scene in 2002 when he opened his eponymous deli in Notting Hill with Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi (author of the outstanding Falastin). Its counters were a colourful cornucopia of vegetables, cakes and dishes that incorporated the ingredients and recipes of Ottolenghi and Tamimi’s backgrounds.
But he first came to the world’s attention in 2008, with the release of his first cookbook Ottolenghi: The Cookbook. Since then, an empire has grown under the Ottolenghi name, with more delis opening across London, as well as restaurants Rovi and Nopi. The chef’s biggest international impact has come via his cookbooks, which have introduced millions of people to the bold flavours of the Middle East and beyond.
Over the years, Broadsheet has had the opportunity to publish several recipes from Ottolenghi’s gorgeous tomes. Here, we’ve collected all 10 for easy access and inspiration for midweek dinners, dinner parties and weekend kitchen projects.
Despite Ottolenghi’s reputation for complex creations loaded with hard-to-find ingredients, there’s plenty of simplicity to be found at the heart of his recipes. Take this lovely dish, which has been adapted from one at Canberra’s Bar Rochford. The ingredients list might look daunting – but there’s a good chance you have many of them in your cupboard already. It takes just 20 minutes of hands-on work get it on the table, and once done, it yields a bright, veg-forward dish that makes a beautiful side to a rustic cut of meat, or serves as a lovely main on its own.
If you're looking for a dinner party masterpiece, this is it: a showstopping pie comprised of eggplant, a homemade tomato sauce and lots of cheese, inspired by the Italian-American eggplant parmigiana. Unliked that dish, this is loaded with spices like Aleppo pepper and ground cumin to up the flavour. It’s made extra eye-catching with the use of kataifi – or “string” – pastry, and any extra sauce can be frozen for later. This beauty is from Extra Good Things, co-written with longtime Ottolenghi collaborator Noor Murad.
The latest Ottolenghi cookbook, Comfort, is dedicated to comfort food – but, because this is Ottolenghi, you can expect way more than your average comfort-food classics (sorry, cheese toasties and ice-cream straight from the tub). Take this chicken recipe – juicy roast chicken is given a flavour boost with a jerk-inspired spice rub that brings an added dimension to a comforting classic.
Another Ottolenghi-Murad collab – this time from their 2021 cookbook Shelf Love – this zucchini dish is versatile – just like zucchini itself. It’s the perfect accoutrement to cut through a big, meaty dish, but can also act as a light centrepiece in itself. Even better, you can swoosh it through pasta or swap out the veg you use, depending on the season. Plus, it’s on the table in 40 minutes. A big win.
Potato, in myriad forms, is a quintessential comfort food. So, naturally, it makes an appearance in Ottolenghi’s new cookbook Comfort. Here it’s found in a southern German-style potato salad – inspired by Ottolenghi development chef Verena Lochmuller’s German background – which gets its creaminess from the slow release of starch into a warm broth. Crisp, salty pancetta seals the deal.
Taken from the Ottolenghi cookbook Flavour, co-written with Ixta Belfrage, this lasagne is a beautiful alternative to the meat-based classic. Complex and umami-packed thanks to dried porcini mushrooms, it can be tweaked depending on your needs. Want it vegan? Skip the cream. Short on time? Make it ahead and stick it in the fridge. Can’t be bothered with the layering? Just make the sauce and serve it with polenta or pasta. If you’re going the whole hog, this recipe enters weekend-project territory – but it’s definitely worth the time.
Take classic cauliflower cheese, add filo pastry, and you get this gloriously messy pie that’ll bring warmth and joy to your next dinner party. Its rustic good looks come thanks to its “scrunched up” border, but the real beauty comes once you slice in and reveal the “molten-hot-cheese lava” within. The cauliflower adds a textural contrast to the pastry and cheese, and brings some heft to this veg-forward centrepiece.
Go have a gander in your pantry – there’s a good chance you’ll already have most of the ingredients (like sriracha, cumin seeds and olive oil) for this vibrant dish. Sweet potato might not be a traditional base for shakshuka, but Ottolenghi says they provide the “right amount of moisture and heft” to act as a base for the eggs. We reckon this is ideal weekend brunch fodder.
A chilli- and spice-flavoured oil is key to this hearty dish. It coats the meaty portobello mushrooms, adding verve that’s offset by a creamy butter-bean mash spiked with lemon. If served at a dinner party, it’s a plate of food that won’t disappoint carnivores, and will delight vegetarians. Plus, the light-and-bright bean mash partners well with an array of other dishes – meaty or otherwise.
Eggplant’s versatility shines in Ottolenghi’s 2020 cookbook Flavour. It’s turned into dumplings alla parmigiana, whizzed into a soup, steamed and spiced. In this recipe, it’s stuffed with either extra-firm tofu or paneer. It’s a real double-header, served with curry and coconut dal, which is a beaut recipe in its own right. Like most Ottolenghi recipes, it’s time-consuming – but, like all Ottolenghi recipes, it’s well worth the investment.
