Baked Couscous With Tomato and Pesto

katew's Note:

A Donna Hay winter recipe

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 10 roma tomatoes , halved
• 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 ½ cups couscous
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• 60 g baby spinach leaves , chopped
• ½ cup pine nuts , toasted
• ½ cup parmesan cheese , grated
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200 C.
2. Make spinach pesto by placing spinach, nuts, parmesan,1/2 cup olive oil, juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Mix to combine, set aside.
4. Place tomatoes, thyme, olive oil,salt and pepper in baking dish.
5. Toss to combine.
6. Roast 20 minutes.
7. Add couscous and pour over stock.
8. Cover with foil and cook another ten minutes.
9. Top with spinach pesto to serve.

Reviews

[Karen Elizabeth]

Very good and very easy! Couscous is a very under-rated grain, it cooks so easily, tastes so good and is so versatile. I wasn't sure whether or not to grind together the ingredients for the pesto, in the end, I didn't, just prepared as directed, and that created a very tasty topping for the baked couscous! I also skinned my tomatoes, since DH doesn't like tomato skins. I did top the completed dish with a few shrimp, sauteed in garlic and butter, although the dish is perfect as is! Thank you, Kate, another winner! :D Made for Christmas edition: Make My Recipe

[L'ecole]

Wow -- this was *really* tasty, and comes together very quickly! Be sure to smash the tomatoes after you've gotten your serving so that everything gets thoroughly drenched with sauce, otherwise some parts of the couscous may be a little dry.