Manchego Cheese With Spicy Pisto

For a tasty starter try this Mediterranean-inspired recipe for pan-fried cheese with a tomato sauce.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• 9  ounces manchego cheese, cut into fingers
• 2  ounces flour
• 1  egg, beaten
• 7  ounces  fresh breadcrumbs
• 6  tablespoons olive oil

• For the spicy pisto

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  red onion, finely chopped
• 1  garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1  medium eggplant, chopped
• 1  red pepper, roughly chopped
• 1  chorizo sausage, sliced
• 1  zucchini, chopped
• 3  red ripe tomatoes, chopped
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1  tablespoon basil, chopped
• 10 -12  olives, stoned

Directions

1. First make the spicy pisto. Heat the olive oil in a wok, add in the onion and garlic and fry gently, stirring often, until soft, around 5 minutes.
2. Add the eggplant, red pepper, and chorizo and fry, stirring now and then, for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the zucchini and tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes.
4. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and mix in the parsley, basil and the olives.
5. Coat the manchego cheese in the beaten egg, then the flour and then the breadcrumbs.
6. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Add in the coated manchego and fry gently until crisp and golden on both sides.
7. Serve with the pisto.