Golden Saffron Fennel Borlotti Bean Tray Cakes with Orange Parsley Yogurt

Golden Saffron Fennel Borlotti Bean Tray Cakes with Orange Parsley Yogurt 🌿🍊 This tray-bake turns a few quiet ingredients into crisp-edged vegetarian squares: sweet roasted fennel, creamy borlotti beans, fluffy potato, saffron warmth and a cold orange parsley yogurt that wakes everything up. It is easy to slice, easy to pack, and lovely with salad, pickles or a bowl of soup. ✨ Yield: 9 to 12 squares Time: about 1 hour 5 minutes Ingredients For the tray cakes: - 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced - 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided - 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus extra to taste - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper - 1 generous pinch saffron threads - 2 tablespoons warm milk or warm water - 1 can borlotti beans, drained and rinsed, about 240 g drained weight - 1 medium cooked potato, about 180 g, peeled if you like - 1 large egg - 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs, plus 2 tablespoons for the top - 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped - Zest of 1 orange - 1 tablespoon orange juice - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander - 2 tablespoons grated hard cheese or nutritional yeast, optional For the orange parsley yogurt: - 1 cup thick Greek yogurt - 1 tablespoon orange juice - 1 teaspoon orange zest - 1 tablespoon lemon juice - 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped - 1 teaspoon olive oil - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated, optional - Salt and black pepper, to taste To serve: - Rocket, cucumber or bitter salad leaves - Extra parsley - Orange wedges or lemon wedges - Toasted crumbs or seeds Method 1. Roast the fennel. Heat the oven to 220 C / 425 F. Toss sliced fennel with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a tray and roast for 18 to 22 minutes until soft, sweet and lightly browned at the edges. Lower the oven to 200 C / 400 F. 2. Bloom the saffron. Crumble the saffron into the warm milk or water and leave it for 5 minutes. The liquid should turn golden and fragrant. 3. Make the base. In a mixing bowl, mash the borlotti beans with the cooked potato until mostly creamy but still a little textured. Stir in the saffron liquid, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, orange zest, orange juice, garlic, coriander and optional cheese or nutritional yeast. Fold through the roasted fennel. 4. Press into the tray. Line a small baking tray or 20 cm / 8 inch square tin with parchment. Spoon in the mixture and press it firmly into an even layer about 2 to 3 cm thick. Scatter the extra breadcrumbs over the top and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Score into squares before baking so cutting is easier later. 5. Bake until set. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the centre feels firm, the top is golden and the edges are crisp. If you want extra colour, give it 2 to 3 minutes under a hot grill, watching closely. 6. Make the yogurt. Stir Greek yogurt with orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, parsley, olive oil, optional garlic, salt and black pepper. Keep it cold and bright. Add lemon if it needs more sharpness. 7. Rest, slice and serve. Let the tray stand for 10 minutes, then lift out with the parchment and cut into squares. Serve warm with orange parsley yogurt, salad leaves, extra herbs and wedges of citrus. The best bite has a crisp golden top, soft fennel-bean middle and cold citrus yogurt. 🍽️ Serving and storage tips - Serve as a lunch plate, picnic square, brunch side or light dinner with a crunchy salad. - The baked slab keeps for 2 days in the fridge. Reheat squares in a hot oven or air fryer so the top crisps again. - Keep the yogurt separate until serving. - For a dairy-free version, use unsweetened coconut yogurt or oat yogurt and skip the cheese. Save this one for a golden, practical vegetarian tray bake. 💚 Tasteloom.club