- by Santiago de los Reyes (comes from Uruguay)

Manages La Trattoria, 113 Ponsonby Road, Auckland

What you need:

• 350 gms dates

• 240 ml or water

• 2 cups of oats

• 1 cup of flour

• 3/4 cup of brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

• 1 spoon of vanilla essence

• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

• 200 gms of vegetable butter unsalted

Mix the dry ingredients in a food processor and process not too much so the mix looks rough.

Add the butter and mix.

In a pan put the dates with 240 ml of water and boil in low heat until the water is gone (10 min approximately)

Then add a spoon of vanilla essence and process a bit.

In a tray of 20x25 cm with baking paper, make a thin lay of the oats then on top a lay of the dates and on top another lay of the oats.

Bake for 35 min at 180°C.