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Roasted Veg & Pesto Focaccia Sandwich

Written by admin on . Posted in Medium, Savoury. No Comments on Roasted Veg & Pesto Focaccia Sandwich

Difficulty: Medium • Serves: 4

This focaccia sandwich is like bringing a café lunch home. Soft, olive-oil-rich bread filled with roasted vegetables, pesto, and cheese – hearty enough for a main meal or to share.

Ingredients

For the focaccia:

  • 500 g strong white bread flour
  • 7 g fast-action yeast (1 sachet)
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 350 ml warm water
  • 3 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for the tin and topping)

For the filling:

  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 1 courgette, sliced
  • 1 small red onion, wedges
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3–4 tbsp green pesto
  • 150 g mozzarella or feta, sliced or crumbled

Method

  1. Make the focaccia dough: Mix flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Add warm water and olive oil, then mix to a sticky dough.
  2. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic (a stand mixer is handy here).
  3. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and rise for 1–1½ hours, until doubled.
  4. While the dough rises, roast the veg: toss pepper, courgette and onion with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 200°C (fan 180°C) for 20–25 minutes until soft and slightly charred at the edges. Leave to cool.
  5. Once risen, press the dough into an oiled rectangular tin (about 30 x 20 cm). Use your fingers to dimple the surface and drizzle with a little more olive oil.
  6. Rise again for 30–40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°C).
  7. Bake the focaccia for 20–25 minutes, until golden. Cool slightly on a wire rack.
  8. To assemble the sandwich, slice the focaccia horizontally.
  9. Spread the base with pesto, layer on roasted vegetables and cheese, then top with the remaining focaccia.
  10. Slice into squares and serve.

Cosy Oven Tip

You can add leftover roast chicken, ham, or extra cheese if you’d like to make it even more filling.

Berry Crumble Squares

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Difficulty: Easy–Medium • Makes: 12 squares

These berry crumble squares are half traybake, half dessert. With a buttery base, jammy fruit centre, and crumbly topping, they’re perfect for afternoon tea or as a lunchbox treat.

Ingredients

For the base and crumble:

  • 250 g plain flour
  • 200 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 100 g caster sugar
  • ½ tsp salt

For the filling:

  • 300 g mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
  • 50 g sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Line a 20 x 20 cm baking tin with parchment.
  2. Make the base/crumble: In a bowl, rub the cold butter into the flour, sugar and salt until it looks like coarse crumbs and starts to clump together.
  3. Press about two-thirds of the mixture firmly into the base of the tin to form an even layer.
  4. In another bowl, toss the berries with sugar, cornflour and lemon juice.
  5. Spread the berries over the base.
  6. Scatter the remaining crumble mixture over the top.
  7. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
  8. Allow to cool completely in the tin before slicing into squares.

Cosy Oven Tip

These are lovely slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as a simple dessert.

Cinnamon Swirl Buns

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Difficulty: Medium • Makes: 9–12 buns

Intro

These cinnamon buns are a proper weekend bake. Soft, fluffy dough rolled with buttery cinnamon sugar and glazed lightly on top — they’ll make your kitchen smell just like The Cosy Oven on a busy morning.

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 250 ml warm milk
  • 7 g fast-action yeast (1 sachet)
  • 75 g sugar
  • 75 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 large egg
  • 500 g strong white bread flour
  • 1 tsp salt

For the filling:

  • 75 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 120 g light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

For the glaze:

  • 100 g icing sugar
  • 2–3 tbsp milk

Method

  1. In a bowl, mix warm milk, yeast and 1 tbsp of the sugar. Leave for 5–10 minutes until slightly foamy.
  2. Add the remaining sugar, melted butter and egg. Whisk briefly to combine.
  3. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Pour in the wet mixture and bring everything together into a soft dough.
  4. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  5. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave to rise for 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
  6. While it rises, mix the filling: beat together softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon into a paste.
  7. Once risen, roll the dough into a rectangle about 40 x 30 cm.
  8. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the surface.
  9. Roll up tightly from the long side to form a log, then slice into 9–12 even pieces.
  10. Arrange the pieces in a greased baking tin, leaving a little space between each. Cover and prove for another 30–45 minutes.
  11. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C).
  12. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
  13. Mix icing sugar and milk to make a pourable glaze, then drizzle over the warm buns.

Cosy Oven Tip

If you like extra gooey buns, pour a couple of tablespoons of warm cream into the tin just before baking.

Caramelised Onion & Feta Quiche

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Difficulty: Medium • Serves: 6–8

Intro

This quiche is simple but full of flavour: sweet caramelised onions, salty feta, and a silky egg custard in a crisp pastry shell. It’s lovely warm for lunch or served cold with salad.

Ingredients

For the pastry (or use ready-made shortcrust):

  • 200 g plain flour
  • 100 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2–3 tbsp cold water

For the filling:

  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 20 g butter
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 200 ml cream or full-fat milk (or a mix)
  • 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Make the pastry: Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add water gradually until it forms a dough. Wrap and chill for 20–30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C).
  3. Roll out the pastry and line a 23 cm tart tin. Prick the base with a fork, line with parchment and baking beans, and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and bake for another 5–10 minutes until lightly golden.
  4. While the pastry bakes, caramelise the onions: heat olive oil and butter in a pan, add onions and cook gently for 20–25 minutes until soft and golden. Add sugar and cook a few minutes more.
  5. In a jug, whisk together eggs and cream/milk with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  6. Scatter the onions over the pastry base, then sprinkle with crumbled feta.
  7. Pour the egg mixture over the top.
  8. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the filling is just set and lightly golden.
  9. Cool slightly before slicing.

Cosy Oven Tip

This quiche tastes even better the next day – perfect for make-ahead lunches.

Cosy Oven Cheese & Herb Scones

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Difficulty: Easy • Makes: 8 scones

These savoury scones are a café-style twist on a classic. They’re light, cheesy, and full of fresh herbs — just the thing for serving with soup, salad, or plenty of butter.

Ingredients

  • 250 g self-raising flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp mustard powder or smoked paprika (optional, for flavour)
  • 60 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 120 g grated mature cheddar
  • 1–2 tbsp chopped fresh chives or parsley
  • 150–170 ml milk
  • 1 egg, beaten (for glazing – optional)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Line a baking tray with parchment.
  2. In a bowl, combine flour, salt and mustard powder/paprika.
  3. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
  4. Stir in the grated cheese and chopped herbs.
  5. Add most of the milk and bring the mixture together gently to form a soft dough – add a splash more milk if needed.
  6. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a round, about 2.5–3 cm thick.
  7. Use a cutter or slice into triangles, and place on the tray.
  8. Brush the tops with beaten egg or a little milk.
  9. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until risen and golden.
  10. Cool slightly on a wire rack and serve warm.

Cosy Oven Tip

Don’t overwork the dough – gentle handling keeps the scones light and fluffy.

Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Difficulty: Easy • Makes: 12–16 cookies

These cookies are everything we love in a treat: crisp at the edges, soft in the centre, and packed with chocolate chunks. They’re rustic, comforting and perfect with a mug of coffee or a glass of cold milk.

Ingredients

  • 150 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 100 g light brown sugar
  • 80 g caster sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 220 g plain flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 180 g chocolate chunks or chips (milk, dark, or a mix)

Method

  1. Beat the butter and sugars together until light and creamy.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks.
  5. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours) for thicker, richer cookies.
  6. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) and line two baking trays with parchment.
  7. Scoop balls of dough (about 1½ tbsp each) and place them on the trays, leaving space to spread.
  8. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centres still look slightly soft.
  9. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Cosy Oven Tip

Sprinkle a tiny pinch of sea salt on top of each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven for that bakery-style finish.

Cosy Oven Lemon Drizzle Loaf

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Difficulty: Easy • Serves: 8–10 slices

There’s always at least one loaf cake on our counter at The Cosy Oven, and this lemon drizzle is a firm favourite. It’s simple, bright, and full of zesty flavour — the kind of bake that disappears slice by slice with cups of tea and coffee.

Ingredients

For the loaf:

  • 200 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 200 g caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 200 g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 3 tbsp milk

For the drizzle:

  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 100 g icing sugar

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan 150°C). Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour if the mixture looks like it’s curdling.
  4. Fold in the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder and lemon zest – until just combined. Stir in the milk to loosen the batter slightly.
  5. Pour into the tin and smooth the top.
  6. Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  7. While the cake is baking, mix the drizzle: whisk the lemon juice and icing sugar together until smooth.
  8. Poke holes all over the warm cake with a skewer and carefully pour the drizzle over the top, letting it soak in.
  9. Leave to cool in the tin, then slice and serve.

Cosy Oven Tip

For extra lemon flavour, add an extra teaspoon of finely grated zest to the batter and a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.