Recipes

Lattice topped spinach and ricotta tart

Victoria Prever — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:30:09 +0100

A tart topped with lattice pastry (see left) looks very professional but is simple to make.

Preparation: 20 mins
Chilling: 1 hour
Cooking: 35-40 mins
Serves 8

INGREDIENTS
Pastry
250g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
50g butter, unsalted, cubed
90ml water

Egg wash
1 egg yolk
1 tsp sugar
pinch of salt

Filling
250g ricotta cheese, drained
250g spinach
2 large eggs, beaten
30g parmesan, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 pinch nutmeg
1 dsp olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 190°C.

For the pastry: rub the butter and flour together until like fine sand. Add the salt.

Mix the egg yolk and water, make a well in the flour mixture and pour it into the flour.

Knead together in the bowl into a smooth ball. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

For the filling: heat the oil in a large pan. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add garlic and sautée for 2 minutes.

Place the spinach in a sieve, squeezing out as much water as possible. Chop roughly.

Mix the ricotta gently until smooth. Add the eggs, parmesan, spinach and nutmeg. Season.

Divide the pastry: three quarters for the base and a quarter for the top.

On a lightly floured work top/parchment paper roll out the pastry, then line the base and sides of a 23cm flan tin. Use any leftover pastry for the top.

Spoon the filling over the pastry.

On a floured surface, roll out the remaining dough so it is slightly wider than your pie dish. Use a lattice pastry cutter to create the lattice effect. You will need to use quite a bit of force. Cut away the side of the dough then carefully open up the lattice sections.

For the egg wash: mix ingredients together. Egg wash the sides of the flan, then carefully place the lattice pastry evenly over the filling, pressing the edges down around the edge of the flan.

Egg wash the lattice pastry and bake for 35-40 minutes.

When cooked cool in the tin for 10 minutes then remove the tin and cool on a rack. Serve immediately or, if cooled, reheat for 10 minutes before serving.

www.cookwithlisa.com

Yogurt lemon mousse with strawberry za’atar tuiles

Victoria Prever — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:47:42 +0100

Make the strawberries the day before to infuse.

Preparation: 20 mins
Cooking: 30 mins, plus chilling
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
235g cold plain yogurt
120g caster sugar
Seeds scraped from ¼ vanilla pod
1 tsp powdered kosher gelatine
100g cold milk
3 egg whites
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
For the strawberries:
200g caster sugar
200ml red wine
10 strawberries, quartered
For the tuiles biscuits:
50g plain flour
120g caster sugar
50ml red wine
55g butter
1 tbs ground za’atar spice

Method

Soak the gelatine in the milk for 20 minutes.

Mix the yogurt, lemon juice and zest and vanilla.

Place the egg whites and sugar in a bowl and lower bowl into simmering water. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Remove bowl from water and whisk egg whites to a stiff peak meringue.

Gently melt the spongey gelatine until the crystals have melted. Mix a third of the yogurt into the gelatine and stir into the yogurt mixture.

Fold the meringue into the yogurt a third at a time. Disperse any lumps of egg white gently with a hand whisk.

Pour into wine glasses or ramekins, and freeze for two hours to set. Store in fridge. Take out 10 minutes before serving.

For the strawberries:

Bring the sugar and 200 ml water to the boil, add the wine and cook for 5 minutes on a low heat to reduce.

Add the strawberries and return to a boil. Take off the heat. Once cooled, infused the strawberries overnight in a covered container.

For the tuiles:

Preheat oven to 165°c.

Mix flour, sugar and wine to a thick paste.

Add the butter in two halves then mix in the za’atar.

Using a palette knife, spread a thin layer of the mixture over baking parchment or a silicon mat. Bake for 10 mins — it will bubble.

Remove from the oven, cool for a few minutes and remove from the tray breaking into pieces.

Store in an airtight container.

www.bakingdreamstogether.com

Gorgonzola, pear, walnut, oak roast tomato and rocket salad

Victoria Prever — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:40:21 +0100

If you haven’t tried oak roast tomatoes yet, I recommend them. They are often sold in farmers’ markets. They have a smoky flavour and add an interesting flair to a dish. Sun blushed or sun dried tomatoes also work well. I like to dress the salad with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but you can also go the French way and use vinaigrette instead.

Preparation: 10 mins
Serves 4-6 as a starter or side dish

Ingredients
250g rocket/baby leaves salad
1 pear, such as Conference, washed
50g walnut halves
80g Gorgonzola/Dolcelatte cheese
2 tbsp oak roast/dried tomatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil
Drizzle of good quality balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Wash the rocket and dry well. Scatter it over a large shallow platter.

Quarter and core the pear and finely slice it before arranging it on top of the rocket.

Dice the blue cheese into 2 cm cubes and scatter it on top of the pears.

Top with the walnuts and the tomatoes.

Season with a little salt, freshly ground black pepper, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and of good quality balsamic vinegar.

Serve alone or with bread, either as a starter or as a side dish.

For details of Silvia Nacamulli’s Umbrian cookery courses on 16 - 21 June and 13 -18 October 2013 visit www.cookingforthesoul.com

Carciofi all Guidia — fried artichokes

Victoria Prever — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:55:34 +0100

This is my desert island dish — translated as Jewish-style artichokes — the most renowned traditional Roman Jewish recipe. Use artichokes. which are tender and with as little hair inside as possible.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 fresh artichokes
1-1.5l Sunflower oil
2 lemons, quartered

Method:

Fill a bowl with cold water. Squeeze in the juice of one lemon to prevent the artichoke discolouring.

To trim the artichoke: using a small sharp knife cut off the stem leaving 4cm. Pull off the outer green leaves.

Trim the outer part of the stem (the centre is soft and lighter in colour than the outside). Rub with lemon.

Hold the artichoke with one hand and with the other cut off the top green end of every leaf by turning the artichoke. Cut upwards in a spiral towards the centre. You should have a “closed rose”, where you can see only the white or light green parts of the artichoke.

Rub with more lemon and add to the acidulated water. Repeat with the rest.

Set a deep fryer to 160°C or heat the oil in shallow saucepan.

Slightly open the top centre of each artichoke where the “petals” meet. Season with salt and pepper and place it, stem down, in the oil.

Fry for 8-10 minutes, rotating the artichokes onto the other side of the stem/bottom.

Once the bottom of the artichoke is golden and tender when tested with a fork, use two forks to open up the leaves and turn the artichokes upside down so that the stem is on top. Fry for a couple more minutes. You may lose some leaves but they are delicious eaten as “artichoke chips”.

Drain the artichokes on kitchen paper.

Peach and ricotta crepes

Victoria Prever — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:40:52 +0100

Ideally use ripe fruit for this dish. As peaches are not yet really in season you may prefer to use plums.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Makes: 10

Ingredients
Crêpe:
50g butter, melted and cooled
300ml milk
2 eggs
130g plain flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Oil for frying

Peaches:
3 tbsp sugar
30g butter
500g (about 8) ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
1 tbsp dessert wine

Cheese filling:
250g Ricotta cheese or mascarpone or natural cream cheese
1-2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

For the crêpes: blend all the ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate for an hour.

Heat a non-stick frying pan with a little oil.

Pour in half a ladle of batter and fry until you see bubbles starting to form.

Flip over and cook for another few seconds, just to make sure the centre is fully cooked.

Repeat until you use up the rest of the batter mixture.

For the peaches: melt the sugar and butter in a pan, add the peaches and leave for about 2-3 minutes until they absorb the glaze, become glossy and slightly soft.

Drizzle with wine.

For the cheese filling: Mix together the filling ingredients.

To assemble the crêpes: Spread a thin layer of filling on half the crêpe, place a spoonful of peaches on top and then fold the crêpe in half and then in half again.

Chocolate and chilli tart with lime

Victoria Prever — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:46:28 +0100

Preparation time: 1 hour, plus infusion time
Cooking time: pastry 25 minutes; filling 20 minutes
Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS
Pastry case:
250g plain flour
100g icing sugar
35g ground almonds
125g unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 egg; and for glazing, 1 yolk
Filling:
400g 70 per cent dark chocolate, roughly chopped
350ml double cream
3/4 tsp chilli flakes
150ml milk
2 eggs, beaten
To serve:
Crème fraîche and lime zest

Method

Bring the double cream, milk and chilli flakes to the boil.

Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 1 hour.

Prepare the pastry by rubbing the flour, icing sugar, ground almonds and butter in a bowl.

Add the whole egg and blend together. Do not overmix. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 190°C.

Grease and line a 20cm tart ring.

Roll out the cooled pastry to approximately 3mm thick. Line the tin pushing the pastry into the corners.

Line with baking parchment before filling with baking beads to blind bake.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until the pastry is lightly golden.

Remove the baking beads and parchment and return the pastry into the oven for 10-15 minutes until the base is golden brown.

Remove the pastry from the oven. Seal the case for the chocolate mixture by using a pastry brush to glaze it with the egg yolk.

To make the chocolate mixture, place the chocolate into a medium sized mixing bowl.

Strain the chilli infused cream and bring back to the boil. Once boiled, pour the hot cream over the chocolate and continue to stir until chocolate has fully melted.

Gradually add the beaten eggs and mix well.

Reduce the oven to 150°C.

Pour the chocolate mix into the prepared pastry case and transfer back into the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the mix is just set.

Set aside to cool but do not refrigerate.

To serve, slice the tart with a hot knife and plate with a generous dollop of crème fraîche sprinkled with the zest of lime.

Glazed smoked brisket slab with a spiced red cabbage relish

Victoria Prever — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:36:48 +0100

Ask your butcher for a whole piece of brisket already cooked and smoked

Preparation time: 25 minutes, plus soaking time
Cooking time: 90 minutes
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
2 kg whole piece ready-cooked smoked brisket
For the glaze:
85ml honey
65g brown sugar
75g tomato sauce
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
RED CABBAGE RELISH
1 red cabbage, finely shredded
1 large carrot, peeled and finely shredded
1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 large paprika peppers, deseeded and finely shredded

DRESSING
250ml red wine vinegar
250ml olive oil
65ml fresh lime juice
35g finely chopped coriander
50g brown sugar
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
pinch of ground allspice
1 tbsp cumin seeds or ½ tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1–1½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

METHOD

Preheat oven to 160 °C.

Wash the brisket under cold running water to remove excess salt. It can be left in a bowl of water for an hour, changing the water after 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel.

Cut two large pieces of foil and position them in a roasting pan, one lengthways and the other on top of it widthwise.

Place the brisket on the foil.

Mix the glaze ingredients well and pour over.

Draw the edges of the foil up to the centre and “balloon” the foil around meat to make a pocket of air between meat and foil.

Bake for 1½ hours, by when you should have a tender brisket coated in a lovely sticky glaze.

For the relish: blanch the cabbage in a large pan of salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool.

Transfer to a bowl and toss with the carrot, onion and paprika peppers.

Whisk dressing ingredients in a bowl or shake up in a jar.

Once the sugar has dissolved, let it stand for 20–30 minutes, remove the bay leaf and pour over the red cabbage relish.

Refrigerate until serving if not using immediately.

Serve with the hot sliced brisket and fresh rye bread.

Crunchy fennel and red onion gratin

Victoria Prever — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:00:20 +0100

This is a great side dish to a fish meal or as part of mixed antipasti. I like to use red onions as they are sweet and give a touch of colour but white onions can be used instead. The dish is easy to make and very tasty.

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves 4-6 as side dish or
antipasti

Ingredients
3 large red onions
3 fennel bulbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garlic granules/powder
Small bunch of flat parsley, finely chopped
Breadcrumbs
Extra virgin olive oil

METHOD

Preheat the fan oven to 190°C and line 2 large oven trays with parchment paper.

Peel the onions and wash the fennel, cutting off the stalks from the top. Halve the fennel down the middle through its root and boil in salted water for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the onions into thick slices (2.5 cm/1in) keeping the circled texture and add to the tray.

Once the fennel is soft, drain it and halve it again lengthwise so you end up with 4 long slices for each fennel. If the fennel bulbs are large then cut it in more slices so it is not too chunky.

Spread the onions and fennel slices as a single layer. You can do one tray of each or mix the two together.

Sprinkle each slice with salt, pepper and garlic granules/powder. Top with breadcrumbs, parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Bake for about 45 min until all the vegetables are golden.

Cohens Bakery's No-bake Cheesecake

Victoria Prever — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:13:36 +0100

Preparation time: 40 minutes plus chilling time
Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS
150g digestive or petit beurre biscuits
100g melted butter
225g cream cheese, at room temperature.
70g caster sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice (preferably from fresh lemons)
180ml whipped cream
Fruit for decoration: strawberries, blueberries, or any other preferred fruit.

Method
For the base:

Grind biscuits into crumbs using a food processor or place in a plastic bag and crush them.

Mix melted butter with the crumbs until they are coated.

Grease a 24cm round spring form cake tin.

Press the crumbs into the tin — it is easier to spread the crumbs starting from the sides.

Put biscuit base in the freezer while preparing the filling.

For the filling:

Use a mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth.

Add the sugar and lemon juice and continue to mix.

Beat the cream until it is in soft peaks and holds its shape.

Fold the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.

Remove the base from the freezer and spread the cream mixture onto it.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Preferably overnight.

Once cake is ready, gently remove it from tray and decorate with preferred fruit.

Delicious knishes

Victoria Prever — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:07:44 +0100

If you’re planning ahead, make the potato filling the day before and refrigerate.
Makes 24

Ingredients
For the dough:
500g strong white bread flour
1 tbsp dried yeast
1 tbsp honey
225ml warm milk (or water)
4 tbsp light olive oil or melted butter
2 large free-range eggs
1 tsp salt
sesame or poppy seeds, to sprinkle

For the potato filling:
4 large potatoes, scrubbed
but unpeeled
225g spinach, well washed
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 free-range egg, beaten
25g fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped
1⁄2 tsp paprika or a grating of nutmeg

Method

In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon flour with the yeast, honey and warm milk and whisk until smooth. Leave to ferment for about 15 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface.

In a separate jug, combine the oil or melted butter with the eggs.

Sift the remaining flour into a large bowl and add the salt.

Pour in the egg mixture, add the yeast mixture and mix to a soft, pliable dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel or clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a pan of water until tender. Drain, peel off the skins and mash. Set aside.
Wilt the spinach in a large pan over a medium heat. Drain and finely chop.

Preheat the oven to 190°C and line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.

For the filling, gently fry the onions in the oil until soft but not coloured. Add the potato and spinach and half the egg. Stir in the chives or parsley and season with salt, pepper and paprika or nutmeg. Tip out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead lightly.

Depending on how much time you have available use either method 1 (quick) or method 2 (traditional):

Method 1: roll out the dough to form a large rectangle, 23 x 32cm.

Spread the filling over the top and roll up, Swiss-roll style. Cut into 2.5cm lengths and arrange the circles on your baking sheets with room to rise.

Method 2: roll out the dough thinly and cut into 24 7.5cm circles. Place a teaspoon of filling on each circle, wet the edges and fold over to seal.

Leave on the baking sheets in a warm place to prove for about 30 minutes until puffed up.

Brush with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. l Bake for 20–30 minutes until golden.