Ashrua is a traditional Turkish dessert also referred to as Noah’s Ark Pudding. Legend has it that as supplies were running low on the Ark, Noah took everything he had left in his stores and mixed everything together to make a sweet, savoury and satisfying meal. Noah must have been thinking just like us, how can I use all the stuff at the back of my cupboards?

Because we have been enjoying making recipes from cuisines from all over the world, I suspect we have plenty of spices and odds and ends that will go out of date if we don’t use them up. Nuts can go rancid easily. I’ve been into my cupboards to create this combination, adapted from my Crunchie Munchie recipe in Easy Peasy Sweetie Pie to make a granola style version. You can substitute ingredients as you fancy, using dried dates or apricots as well. Either way, with a huge dollop of Greek yoghurt and a selection of fresh fruit, this makes a very satisfying breakfast. Very nice as a mid- morning nibble too.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons crunchy munchies or muesli

5- 6 tablespoons Greek-style yoghurt

Mixed fresh fruit such as banana, kiwi, raspberries, blackberries, orange

Extra runny honey

Make up the breakfast, layering the crunchy munchies at the bottom, dollop the yoghurt on top,

decorate with the fruit and drizzle everything with lots of honey.

CRUNCHY MUNCHIES

100 g rolled oats or porridge oats

2 handfuls desiccated coconut

1 handful chopped hazelnuts

1 handful sliced almonds

1 handful sunflower seeds

1 handful pumpkin seeds

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

A couple of pinches of salt

1 tablespoon runny honey

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon demerara sugar

2 handfuls sultanas

Method:

Pre-heat oven 190 C /gas 5

Add the porridge oats, coconut, hazelnuts, almonds, sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds in a large mixing bowl. Add the cinnamon and salt and mix everything together.

Put the oil, honey and sugar into a shallow saucepan and gently bring to the boil. Stir with a long wooden spoon taking care not to get splashed as the mixture gets very hot. It is ready when it bubbles and rises and combines into a hot syrup. Pour this over the mixed seeds and nuts and stir everything together.

Grease 2 large baking trays and line with baking paper.

Spread the mixture evenly between the trays and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from the oven, mix everything together again and bake for a final 5 minutes.

Remove and leave to cool. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container. (Lasts about 2 weeks)

Mary Contini OBE is a writer and Director of Valvona & Crolla ltd. We are happy to welcome you in our CaffèBar and shop again, open all day. Book and order online: www.valvonacrolla.com

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