Starters Recipes - Peruvian Ocopa

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• Corn oil

• 2 green chilies, seeded and chopped

• 175 g/6 oz/1 1/2 cups walnut halves

• 6 salted whole wheat digestive biscuits (Graham crackers)

• 6 plain sweet biscuits (cookies)

• 225 g/8 oz/1 cup cottage cheese

• Milk, if necessary

• 15 ml/1 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)

• Lettuce leaves

• 225 g/8 oz cooked penne or rigatoni, or sliced boiled potatoes

• 2 hard-boiled (hard-cooked) eggs, cut into wedges

• 6 black olives

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Method:

1. Fry (sauté) the onion and garlic in 15 ml/1 tbsp of the oil until a rich golden brown.

2. Place in a blender or food processor with the chilies and add enough oil to just cover the blades.

3. Add the nuts, biscuits, cottage cheese and coriander and puree until smooth.

4. Add a little milk if too stiff. Pile on to the lettuce leaves on 6 plates.

5. Arrange a little of the cold pasta around each and garnish with wedges of egg and a black olive.