Chef Yotam Ottolenghi releases cookbook targeting busy home cooks

Chef Yotam Ottolenghi has released a new cookbook titled Simple Too, designed for people who juggle work, family, and daily commutes. The book serves as a follow-up to his earlier title, Simple, which sold approximately 3 million copies eight years ago. Ottolenghi and co-author Verena Lochmuller aimed to keep the focus on flavor while reducing the effort required to prepare meals.

Ottolenghi, who is based in London, noted that his life as a father to two growing boys has influenced how he approaches cooking at home. He described the new collection as a response to the reality of modern schedules, which include managing phones, gym sessions, and long to-do lists. The recipes are structured to work with limited planning, allowing a cook to start with a partial idea and finish with a complete meal.

Most dishes in the book can be prepared in under 30 minutes. Many are designed to be cooked in a single pot or tray, which reduces the amount of washing up required. The authors also included a new section called fundamentals, which features 15 recipes for pantry staples like spring onion oil, green salsa, and confit tomatoes. Ottolenghi said these items can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for use on busy weeknights.

The cookbook covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. One featured recipe is a brown sugar cake with a cream topping, which serves eight people. The preparation time is 10 minutes, and the bake time is 35 minutes. The authors suggest serving the cake with sumac roasted strawberries, a recipe that requires 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking time.

Another dish in the book is chicken meatballs with pistachios and spinach, inspired by Iranian cuisine. This meal serves four to six people and takes 15 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to cook. The authors note that the entire dish can be made the day before and reheated before serving. A third example is a breakfast potato dish that combines elements of Spanish patatas a lo pobre and huevos rotos. This recipe serves six, requires 10 minutes of prep, and takes 1 hour and 5 minutes to bake in the oven.

The book is published by Ebury Press and is priced at 75 New Zealand dollars. Photography for the text was provided by Jonathan Lovekin. Ottolenghi also operates nine delis and the NOPI and ROVI restaurants, and he has co-authored 11 cookbooks prior to this release.