A delicious, gelatine-free panna cotta that saves yoghurt from the waste bin
I
was really shocked to learn from environmental action NGO Wrap that, of the 51,000 tonnes of yoghurt that’s wasted in the UK every year, half of it is in unopened pots! The reason is our old arch enemy, date labels, which can cause confusion and trick us into thinking that perfectly safe yoghurt is not OK to eat. That’s one reason many supermarkets have scrapped use-by dates on the likes of yoghurt, but they still use best-before dates. Remember, if a product doesn’t have a use-by date, always do the sniff test before throwing it away.
Today’s recipe is a light, gelatine-free version of panna cotta that’s instead set with agar agar (a type of seaweed), which gives it a soft-set texture. It’s refreshing, deliciously sour and simple to make. I use brown sugar for flavour and micronutrients, but regular sugar, honey and other sweeteners will all also work well.
This vegetarian pannacotta is made with yoghurt instead of cream for a lighter, less rich and more refreshing take on the traditional Italian pudding; it’s also a delectable way to use up excess yoghurt or it’s non-dairy equivalents. It goes beautifully with my tea-soaked prunes from last week, especially with a little of their syrup drizzled over the top; it also goes well with jam, and with any poached seasonal fruit or compote. I like the soft texture of the set yoghurt just as it is, but if you want to add some crunch, scatter a few toasted nuts on top; pine nuts, for instance, have a delicious, sophisticated flavour that goes very well with the prunes.
