Tea time surprise is a delicious baked dish recipe by my mother. She would make this for us for our birthday brunch so it was apt to share it on my birthday week. The layers are a delicious tomato sauce, bread rolls filled with mixed vegetables, spaghetti in white sauce and a crust of baked cheese! You mouth had to water reading it! This is such a fun dish to have and also to make! It is full of vegetables so maybe this was her way of making us have all the veggies without complaining.

A unique vegetarian casserole recipe that you can make Vegan! You can easily make this from before and keep so its super easy to meal prep.

Happy Cooking!

Servings: 4-5 servings

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 40-50 mins

Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins

Ingredients: 

Bread rolls:

• 100g chopped half steamed cauliflower florets

• 100g mixed veggies- I used a frozen bag of carrot, corn, beans and peas

• 1 medium onion finely chopped

• 1-2 green chilis or Serrano peppers

• 2-3 cloves garlic finely chopped

• 2 stems scallions chopped

• 1 tsp Salt

• 1/2 tsp Pepper

• 1/2 tsp Chilli flakes

• 7/8 sandwich Bread slices- see notes

• Milk-1/3 cup

• 2/3 cup water

• 1 tbsp olive oil

To assemble: 

• 3/4-1 cup Tomato sauce

• 1 1/4-1/2 cup White sauce

• 3-4 oz Spaghetti / macaroni

• 1/2 cup pasta water

• 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese

Directions: 

• Prepare tomato sauce and white sauce and keep aside.

• Bread rolls filling: In a pan on medium heat add oil and chopped garlic and chilli. Cook for 2-3 mins till they become fragrant.

• Add the onions and cook for 4-7 mins till translucent.

• Add cauliflower, mixed veggies and scallions and mix it. Cook for 3-4 mins till they start to soften.

• Add child flakes, salt and pepper and mix it together.

• Keep cooking on low. Add 2-3 tbsp water if needed. Cook till they are soft enough for a fork to pierce them.

• Let the vegetables cool. The filling it ready.

• Pasta: Boil pasta in seasoned water till al-dente according to pasta box. Save pasta water.

• Add pasta water to tomato/pizza sauce. It should not be very thick. Pour sauce on the base of an oven safe pan.

• Heat up the white sauce and make sure it is a pourable consistency.

• Preheat oven to 350F.

• Bread rolls: Mix 1/3rd cup milk and 2/3rd cup water.

• Cut corners of the bread slice.

• Dip both sides of the bread slice in the milk water mixture.

• Gently press down the bread slice between your palms and squeeze it out.

• Fill in about 2 tbsp of filling in the bread slice and close over to form a ball. Press from all edges in your palm to shape it.

• Place it over the tomato sauce in the pan. Place the open edge of the bread slice face up.

• Repeat for all bread slices.

• Top each bread roll with little white sauce.

• Layer and over with the boiled pasta.

• Spread the rest of the white sauce over the pasta covering it entirely.

• Cover with shredded cheese.

• Optional- Add thin sliced bell pepper rings over the cheese.

• Bake at 350F for 12-16 mins. Broil at high for 5-6 mins.

• When the cheese is crusty and golden brown and bell peppers baked it is ready to serve.

Notes/Tips:

• Chop the veggies small so that they fit well in the bread roll.

• Make sure you squeeze out the liquid from the bread slices.

• You can use any store bought tomato sauce if you like.

• The bread slice you use should be soft. You can use white/butter/brown as you like. The sprouted bread slices do not work. They should become soft when dipped in the liquid and squeeze out so that you can shape it.

• Be gentle while shaping the rolls. If it breaks a bit you can squeeze it together.