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Fans of Ottolenghi SIMPLE will love these ten recipes from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love

by Genevieve Halbert

published on 1 October 2021, last updated on 24 July 2025

For many home cooks, the best-selling Ottolenghi SIMPLE was a user-friendly entry point into the always fascinating, but sometimes intimidating, world of Ottolenghi. For those not as au fait with advanced cooking techniques as the man himself, SIMPLE delivered classic Ottolenghi flavours, minus the fuss. If you loved SIMPLE , Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love is destined to become your new favourite cookbook. A collaborative effort from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen team, Shelf Love was partly inspired by the restrictions and limitations of 2020. While it is emphatically “not a lockdown cookbook”, according to Noor Murad, former head of the Test Kitchen and one of the book’s authors, the lockdown did shape the team’s approach to the recipes and the level of flexibility with which they are presented. There’s an emphasis here on getting creative with your store cupboard, making the most of your freezer, taking your veg box produce to new heights, and adapting recipes to suit your needs and preferences. The book is every bit as approachable and accessible as SIMPLE , and is destined to become just as popular. We’ve put together a list of ten dishes from Shelf Love that are guaranteed to get the attention of SIMPLE fans, from a berbere spiced chicken tray bake to a Middle Eastern twist on mac ‘n’ cheese.

For today only, you can download Shelf Love for just £1.99 .

Berbere Spiced Chicken, Carrots and Chickpeas

Made with berbere, an Ethiopian spice blend, this all-in-one recipe packs a fiery punch. A refreshing orange and coriander salsa serves to balance and enhance the spicy flavours of the dish.

5-a-day Toad-in-the-hole

In this vegetarian spin on toad-in-the-hole, earthy root vegetables are pillowed in a puffy, golden batter and drizzled with homemade mushroom gravy

Spicy Pulled Pork Vindaloo

Spicy, melt-in-the-mouth strands of pork served up in soft rolls; a truly crowd-pleasing feast. The OTK team recommend serving this with a zingy lime and poppyseed slaw.

Confit Tandoori Chickpeas

This super-easy chickpea dish has had its share of Instagram fame, thanks to its simplicity, flavour, and, let’s face it, dashing good looks.

Sticky Sweet and Sour Plums and Sausages

A novel way to celebrate plum season, this dish pairs the sticky-sweet fruits with pomegranate molasses, sumac, and pork sausages. It’s got autumn written all over it.

Skillet Berries, Bread, and Browned Butter

Put those frozen berries languishing at the back of your freezer to good use in this cosy dessert recipe, packed with oats, browned butter, and toasted sourdough. Star anise and vanilla make these humble ingredients sing.

M.E. Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Za’atar Pesto

A Middle Eastern twist on a comfort food classic, this indulgent mac ‘n’ cheese is topped with crispy fried onions and aromatic za’atar pesto.

Very Giant Giant Couscous Cake

This crisp, savoury cake recipe can be adapted to use up whatever grains, cheeses, and greens you happen to have lying around. An excellent addition to your zero-waste recipe arsenal.

One-pan Crispy Chicken and Spaghetti

In this thoroughly unconventional but totally addictive recipe, chicken thigh pieces and spaghetti are cooked in the same pan. The dish is topped with cheesy breadcrumbs for added crunch.

Kale Pesto Strata with Gruyère and Mustard

For a truly luxurious brunch dish, you can’t do much better than this savoury bread pudding, flavoured with Gruyère and mustard.

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