Fresh To Go! Courgette Flower and Leek Quiche with Goat’s Ricotta and Parsley

“Where the **** have you been?” I hear you ask in my guilt ridden dreams just before morning.

So I promise myself over and over again that today will be the day that I actually blog some of the recipes that I have been developing, cooking and selling (Yes actually selling) over the past few months. But then life takes over again and I run out of time.

Forgive me Father for I have sinned. It has been seven weeks since my last blog. Seven weeks! It feels terrible just typing it.

My explanation is as follows:

We have set up a small catering company called “Fresh To Go” supplying naturally delicious & healthy prepared foods, in our local area. It is for people who really want to eat healthily but don’t have the time, skills or inclination to cook for themselves every day.

We send out a newsletter every Friday detailing the dishes (with photographs obviously) on the following week’s menu. It is just an extension of this blog really. I go to the farmer’s market in Coin on Sunday and look at which natural fruit and vegetables are in season and looking gorgeous and create recipes using them. The only difference being is that now we make food for other people too. Sounds simple doesn’t it?

And it is, sort of. The thing is that it doesn’t leave much time for blogging, so I apologise for neglecting you and hope that this beautiful little quiche, made with the best of this season’s produce, will go someway towards making it up to you.

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Courgette, Leek & Courgette Flower Quiche with Goat’s Ricotta & Parsley

Makes 1 large or 3-4 small quiches, vegetarian

For the pastry crust:

• 150 g wholemeal spelt (or normal) flour
• 50 g oats
• 50 g walnuts, blended to a course powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 80-100 ml cold water
• 1 egg white for glazing (save yolk for filling)

Mix together the flour, oats, walnuts, salt, pepper & thyme in a large bowl with a fork. Then add the olive oil and, using the fork, mix it into the dry ingredients, mashing it together so it is evenly distributed and resembles crumble.

Then slowly drizzle in the water (you may not need all of it) mixing it with the fork until it starts coming together. Using your hands bring it together into a ball and knead gently just until it holds, don’t overwork it. It will be slightly crumbly.

Preheat oven to 200C. Oil and flour a 9 or 10 inch tart tin/dish or 3 or 4, 4-5  inch tart cases and line the base with a circle of baking paper.Flour you work surface  and rolling-pin and roll out your pastry to a flat disc about 3-4 mm thick and big enough to line your tart case(s).

Using your fingertips and heel of your hand press it into and up the sides of the tin. A flat-bottomed mug can be quite useful too. When you have the base reasonably even, trim off any bits hanging over the edge and use them to fill any holes. Put in the fridge for at least 10 minutes to firm up.

Place a sheet of  baking paper in the tin, fill with baking beans and bake for 8-10 mins. Remove from the oven, brush the base with the egg white and put back in for two minutes – this should stop it getting a soggy base. Leave to cool while you make the filling.

For the filling:

• 1 courgette, thinly sliced on the slight diagonal
• 1 leek, trimmed, halved lengthways, rinsed & sliced
• 1 green spring garlic (or clove), trimmed and sliced
• 4 courgette flowers (stamens snipped out) if baby courgettes still attached slice them too
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• salt & black pepper
• a pinch of dried chilli flakes
• 1 egg yolk (saved from above)
• 2 eggs
• 1 pot (125 ml) goat’s or Greek yoghurt
• rice milk (or your choice of milk)
• about 100 gr goat’s ricotta (or Greek Feta) 
• a handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 190 C. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a pan and saute the leeks, courgettes (and baby courgettes if you have them) & spring garlic with a good pinch of salt, black pepper, thyme, chilli flakes. Stir occasionally until the courgettes are well softened. Taste for seasoning and drain for a few minutes on kitchen paper to get rid of any liquid.

Cover the pastry base with an even layer of the courgette & leeks then crumble over the ricotta/feta. In a measuring jug whisk together the egg yolk, eggs and yoghurt. Add in enough milk to take it up to about 400 ml (more if your tin is deep), season well with salt & black pepper, throw in the chopped parsley and whisk again.

Place the quiche on the middle shelf of the oven then whisk and quickly pour in the liquid up to a few mm below the edge. Slide in the tray carefully to avoid spillage and shut the oven door.

Bake for about 25 – 30 minutes, check how it is cooking and add the flowers to the top when it is nearly cooked. Put back in for another 5 or so minutes until the flowers have wilted slightly and the quiche is browned and set in the middle.

My apologies again for the extended absence but cross your fingers for us that  this is a success!

Savoury Cherry Tomato Clafoutis with Basil, Goat’s Cheese and Courgette Blossom

I have been wanting to make a clafoutis for a while now. The traditionally sweet French dessert is made with fruit, usually cherries, cooked in a batter made with eggs, ground almonds, sugar and flour. Cherries are in season here now and are very cheap but it is impossible to find a cherry pitter/pipper/stoner or whatever it’s called, in this town. Apparently you can make it with the stones left in the cherries but I live with the most accident prone man in Andalucia and can’t be doing with the Heimlich manoeuver in this heat.

Thankfully our cherry tomato plant has just decided to produce a large amount of ripe fruit at the same time that the basil plants (purple and green) are growing like weeds. I say thankfully because I found a recipe for a savoury clafoutis in  The Little Paris Kitchen by Rachel Khoo that my friend Rhian bought me for my birthday. There are lots of lovely things in the book but the savoury clafoutis was top of my list of things to try especially with our little baby tomatoes.

I saw these courgette blossoms still with the little courgettes attached at the market and bought a load of them. I used some as a topping with some portobello mushrooms on a pizza but still had a few left so I sliced the mini courgettes into the clafoutis filling and topped them with a flower.

I made two individual clafoutis in mini loaf tins with this recipe but you can double it and make a big one in a baking dish or tin that should serve 4-6 as part of a lunch or picnic. Or use little ramekins.

You could change the cheese to a Manchego, Cheddar or Gruyère, switch up the herbs and use leftover roasted vegetables as an alternative filling. I served it with this French Potato Salad.

Cherry Tomato Clafoutis with Goat’s Cheese, Basil & Courgette Blossom

Serves 2-3 (easily doubled), Vegetarian. Adapted from The Little Paris Kitchen

Prep time: 10 mins Cooking time: 15-20 mins (small) 30-40 mins (large)

• 50g goat’s cheese/feta
• 50g cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 2 or 3 courgette blossoms (stamens removed) baby courgettes finely sliced (optional)
• a handful of fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• a few sprigs of fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
• 2 eggs
• salt & black pepper
• 25g ground almonds
• 1 tbsp flour
• 50g goat’s yoghurt (or greek yoghurt)
• 50 ml milk (I used oat milk)

Preheat oven to 180C and lightly oil and flour your dishes. Scatter the tomatoes, crumbled/torn goat’s cheese and sliced baby courgettes, if using, evenly over the base(s).

Whisk the eggs well with the salt & pepper then gently fold in the ground almonds and flour until just combined. Stir in the yoghurt, milk and fresh herbs.

Pour the batter over the filling and top each one with a courgette flower. Bake until golden brown and set. 15-20 minutes for small, 30 -40 minutes for larger. Tip them out of the moulds or serve from the large dish, warm or at room temperature.

Things That Made Me Smile Today………

Our new lavender plant, a beautiful magenta colour.

Huge, bright and blousy squash and pumpkin flowers, the first sign that autumn will arrive and along with it relief from the unbearable heat.

Enjoy your weekend..

Rustic Plum and Lavender Galette

This post is dedicated to my Auntie Pat who left us unexpectedly on Monday night.  She was an amazing woman who lived life to the full and was always there for everyone no matter what. She has left a huge void in all our lives and no one really knows what to do next.

A Shining Star

She was like the sun

And we were all little planets floating around in her orbit

Some  near, some far away

But all held together by the magnetism of her warmth and love

They say the sun is just a huge star

And that the stars died millions of years ago

But we can still see them at night

So as long as there are stars up in the sky

She, the sun, will never die

I used the same wholemeal olive oil pastry recipe that I used for my Fresh Fig & Goat’s Cheese Quiche but added a few tablespoons of sugar, reduced the salt and added some dried lavender instead of the rosemary and oregano.

I’ve been wanting to make a galette for a while now but when I saw this recipe with stunning pictures on Cafe Fernando I knew I had to copy it. Arranging the plums like this is not as difficult as it looks but slicing them is a little fiddly, you need quite firm plums if you pardon the expression.

This amount of pastry made enough for one large galette and two mini individual ones. I cut around a large dinner plate for the large and two bread plates or saucers for the mini ones. I made a mini fig galette a mini plum. You could use nectarines, peaches, apples, pears or apricots too. Just try to keep them in one layer so the fruit doesn’t get too wet and make the pastry soggy.

Rustic Plum & Lavender Galette

Makes 1 large plus two mini individual galettes. Vegan.

Pastry recipe from Chocolate & Zucchini. Filling from Cafe Fernando

Prep time: 35 mins Cooking time 45 mins

• 250 g wholemeal or spelt flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp chopped dried lavender (optional)
• 2 tbsp raw or soft brown sugar
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) cold water

Mix the flour, salt, sugar & lavender (if using) in a large bowl then slowly add the oil mixing/mashing it in with a fork until crumbly. Add an ice-cube to the water and slowly pour it (not the ice-cube) into the flour and mix it in with the fork until just absorbed then bring it together with one hand kneading a little just until it forms a cohesive ball. Do not over work or it will be tough.

Roll it out on a lightly floured surface, turning it quarter turns as you go to stop it sticking, to the correct size about 2-3 mm thick. Flour your largest dinner plate, turn it onto the pastry and cut around it so you have a large circle. Carefully remove the circle to a piece of baking parchment and put in the fridge for 30 minutes while you prep the filling. Make mini ones with the leftover pastry using small bread plates or saucers.

• plums (I used about 8 or 9 small ones and a couple of figs for the mini galette)
• 2 tbsp or more raw or brown sugar (depending how sweet, or not the plums are)
• 1 or 2 tbsp ground almonds (optional) I used this with the figs to soak up their juices
• olive oil
• apricot or plum jam
• water

Prepare your fruit by halving, removing the stones and slicing them into 3- 5 mm thick pieces. They don’t have to be perfect, it’s easier if the fruit is underripe.

Preheat the oven to 190 C. Place the pastry circle on the baking paper on a baking tray. Leaving a border around the edge of about 1+ 1/2 inches clear, sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar (plus the tablespoon of ground almonds for juicier fruit) evenly over the base of the pastry circle.

Overlap the fruit in a circle all around the outside edge inside the border. Then make another circle of overlapping fruit, going in the opposite direction, just inside the first one. Finish off with a mini circle going the same direction as the first one in the middle of the circle. (see pictures above).

Start to carefully roll up the edge of the pastry towards the fruit turning the tart (or paper) as you go around until it’s all done. Brush the edges of the pastry with olive oil and sprinkle the sugar all over the fruit. Use more if you think the fruit is very tart.

Bake for 40 -45 minutes (25-30 for the minis) until the pastry is golden and the fruit cooked. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Make the glaze by melting a few tablespoons of seedless jam in a pan with a few tablespoons of water until it forms a smooth syrup. Paint this all over the fruit and serve the galette warm. Some vanilla ice cream or  creme fraiche would be nice to go with it but it is good on its own too.

I just wish she could be here to enjoy it.

For you Auntie Pat

With Lots of Love

Individual Strawberry and Amaretto Trifles with Toasted Flaked Almonds and Crushed Amaretti Biscuits

You can make a big one if you like but these are cute, don’t you think? I made a big version (in fact it was huge) for a Jubilee party at our friend, Jeanne’s house. There were about 14 people going so I made the most enormous trifle and an apricot frangipane tart aswell. Well you wouldn’t want to run out of desserts would you? 

Jeanne knows how to throw a party, she has a fine selection of a cushions in a pink Jubilee style and she always makes the best drinks. Champagne with strawberries and a big jug of Pimms filled with fresh fruit, cucumber and mint. How to choose? One of each obviously.

Even after a gorgeous buffet prepared by Jeanne everyone managed to polish off one or (in some cases) two desserts. It’s difficult to get a good picture of a trifle as you can see from my attempt below, it’s like a big sloppy delicious mess really. I was pleased with the glaze on my apricot tart though.

So, solely for your benefit you understand, I had to make some of these pretty little individual trifles that would photograph better.

Just a few tips; the recipe below is just an outline, it obviously depends on the size of you dish, glass or bowl as to how much of everything you need. The fruit can be replaced with whatever is in season or looks nice in the market, as can the booze, just try to match it with the fruit. You may have to do a few taste tests first before you get the right combination!

Oh and don’t go too mad with the amount you put in, apparently it is possible to have too much alcohol in a trifle. Mine was a little on the strong side but there are worse things in life and I didn’t hear anyone complaining.

Individual Strawberry & Amaretto Trifles

• mini sponge cakes (or trifle sponges)
• strawberry jam
• amaretto
• fresh strawberries
• icing sugar
• creme patissiere (or thick custard) see my recipe  That amount was enough for 4 or 5 individual trifles . I added a splosh of amaretto to it instead of the orange blossom water.
• double cream (for whipping)
• vanilla extract
• caster sugar
• mascarpone
• flaked almonds (toasted in a dry pan)
• amaretti biscuits

Spread the jam on each of the sponges and sandwich them together to form a single layer covering the bottom of your dish, glass or bowl. Try one. Jam sponge is lovely, how long has it been?

Poke holes all over the sponges with a wooden skewer and slowly drizzle over the Amaretto letting it soak in. Don’t go too mad. Leave it for about 10 minutes to soak in properly.

Hull and half or quarter some strawberries and arrange them evenly on top of the sponge. Blend about the same amount of strawberries and a tablespoon or two of icing sugar to a smooth coulis/sauce and pour it over the strawberries.

Cover with a layer of cooled creme patissiere (or thick custard). Whip some cream with the same amount of mascarpone, a little vanilla extract and a few tablespoons of caster sugar to soft peaks. Spread this evenly over the custard layer.

Refrigerate until ready to serve and then top with a layer of toasted flaked almonds and crumble over some Amaretti biscuits.

Enjoy!!

Things That Made Me Smile Today

Rufus posing on his favourite sofa. Very handsome he looks too!!

Individual Apricot, Almond and Rosewater Tartlets

I have spoken before in a recent post about inspiration. These pretty little tarts came into being because I pass apricot trees laden with fruit, beautiful roses and young green almonds every morning when I run with the dog. These things stick in my head and come out in the form of food generally.

I was going to make an apricot galette inspired by Pease Pudding’s stunning Pear & Chocolate Galette but I wanted to make my pastry using spelt flour and use olive oil instead of butter. The olive oil pastry idea came from Food To Glow’s olive oil crust recipe. It’s a savoury recipe for a  gorgeous Tandoori Cauliflower Tart but she also talks about a sweet version of the pastry using ground almonds and vanilla. This got me thinking.

This is what I do you see, go off on a tangent. I end up using about four different recipes at the same time taking the bits I need from each one. Both ladies above suggested using Chocolate & Zucchini’s olive oil pastry recipe but then I found an apricot and almond tart using a sweet olive oil pastry on La Tartine Gourmande.

So I went with that one. And the pastry is lovely, for a tart. It’s just a bit too delicate for a galette. It’s a really short pastry which means it’s kind of like a biscuity shortbread rather than a pastry you can fold around a fruit filling without it cracking. So the little tart tins came out and the galette got put back a bit. I know my friend Jeanne said recently that she had lots of peaches and plums growing at the moment and both of those would be perfect in a galette.

Apricot, Almond & Rosewater Tartlets

Makes 2 x 10cm tartlets, vegan, wheat-free. Adapted from La Tartine Gourmande

• 7 or 8 apricots
• 2 or 3 tbsp rosewater
• 100 gr spelt flour (or wholemeal/plain)
• 30 gr raw or soft brown sugar
• 2 tbsp ground almonds for the pastry
• pinch salt
• 2 drops almond extract
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp water (maybe)
• 2 tbsp ground almonds for the filling
• 2 tbsp honey or agave syrup
• flaked almonds
• icing sugar to serve

 For the pastry, mix the flour, sugar, ground almonds and salt in the bowl of a food processor (or you can do it by hand). Add the almond extract and olive oil and mix/ pulse until crumbly, stop if necessary to scrape the sides of the bowl and make sure that everything is well incorporated. Pulse until it forms a ball that leaves the side of the bowl, you may have to add a little water a teaspoon at a time to get it to hold together. Wrap it in cling film, flatten it into a disc and put in the fridge for at least an hour.

Half the apricots and remove the stones, the skin of mine came off really easily when I was preparing them but you can leave it on if you like. Cut each half into 4 wedges, put in a bowl and sprinkle over the rosewater. Leave this to marinate while your pastry is resting.

Preheat your oven to 180 C. Cut the dough into two equal pieces and roll them out between two sheets of floured clingfilm, this stops it sticking to the work surface & rolling-pin. Roll them into rough circles to fit your tart tins about 2-3 mm thick. Lift them carefully on the clingfilm and place into the tins. Push the dough into the tins so it is even, trim around the top with a sharp knife and patch up any cracks with the off cuts.

Prick the bases all over with a fork and then sprinkle over a thin layer of ground almonds. Arrange the apricots slices in a fanned circle around the edge and put 2 slices in the middle. Squeeze the honey/agave syrup over the fruit and top with some flaked almonds. Bake for about 25 minutes, leave to cool slightly and dust with a layer of icing sugar to serve. Some rose petals scattered over look pretty too.

Have a great weekend!

Aloo Gobi Filo Tartlet – My Guest Post at Como Water

The inspiration for this dish came to me because at the moment, where I walk the dog in the mornings, they are harvesting potatoes and cauliflowers.

One of my favourite Indian dishes is Aloo Gobi which is potatoes and cauliflower cooked in a spicy masala. It is real Indian comfort food, the potatoes and cauliflower are meltingly soft, this is no time for al dente vegetables!

 Serving it in a filo tart shell just gives it a little contrast in texture. The delicate crisp filo is the perfect vehicle for the Aloo Gobi and it makes it look a bit more special too.

The recipe for this tartlet is over with Tiffany at Como Water. I was really honoured when Tiffany asked me to guest post on her blog.

I first “met” Tiffany as a friend on Foodbuzz and quickly discovered that we have very similar values and taste in food. I would even go as far as to say that we are foodie kindred spirits. I really hope that one day that we can meet in person and have a very long lunch somewhere gorgeous! This is her introduction:

When I was fourteen, I decided to defy the codes of my family and of my community.  I stopped eating meat. With a splash of age, a sprinkle of food documentaries, a dash of books about the food industry, and a bushel of life experiences, vegetarian and vegan food went from being something I approached rather nonchalantly to becoming a way of life. I started comowater.com to share information and to share my meatless meals, to dialogue with people who approach food from perspectives that may be similar to or very different from my own, and to showcase what I cook on average nights and on special occasions. This site is not about conversion or pushing an agenda. Instead, I hope that folks–vegetarians, vegans, flexitarians, pescatarians, and carnivores alike–come to comowater.com to be inspired to make their own vegan and vegetarian cuisine prepared with passion and love.

She also has a “When You Need a Boost Page” filled with really inspirational quotes. This is one of my favourites:

“Everything you could ever want or to be, you already have and are.” ~I Heart Huckabees~

Hop over to Como Water for the recipe and have a look around while you’re there. Say hello to Tiffany from me!

Orange Curd and Little Tarts

Living here at the moment is like living in an orange world. People keep giving me bags full. The trees seem to produce so much fruit with so little work. Everyone has orange trees and nobody knows what to do with them all, so they give them away.

Not that I mind it gives me a chance to get creative, there is only so much orange juice you can drink…..

I’ve made lemon curd before and it was really easy and had been thinking about making curd with the oranges that were threatening to go off  in carrier bags in my kitchen.I wasn’t sure it would work or about the sugar ratio. The deciding moment came when I saw a recipe for orange passionfruit curd tarts on 6 Bittersweets. They looked so beautiful, I didn’t need any more encouragement……….

I used the same recipe I used to make lemon curd but I just used a bit less sugar. It worked!  It really is lovely on toast and the smell of  the orange zest while you are making it is intoxicating……

It is really easy to make into a tart as well. You just pour/ dollop it into a baked sweet tart case and leave it in the fridge to set.

Orange Curd Recipe

makes 3 jars, vegetarian

• grated zest & juice of 4 oranges
• 4 eggs
• 300 gr caster sugar
• 230 gr room temperature unsalted butter
• 2 tsp cornflour

Lightly whisk the eggs in a medium saucepan, add the rest of the ingredients and put on a medium high heat. Whisk continuously until thickened (about 5-8 minutes). Lower the to minimum and simmer, still whisking for another minute. Remove from the heat and pour into hot sterilized jars (Just put them through the dishwasher). Seal immediately, leave to cool then store in the fridge.

Orange Curd Tart Recipe

• orange curd (see recipe above)
• baked sweet tart shell/cases see my recipe here or buy one/some
• icing sugar
• orange zest curls

Bake the tart shell/cases until golden, leave to cool slightly then pour/dollop in the orange curd. Spread it about evenly and chill in the fridge. Best eaten on the same day as filling the case. When ready to serve, dust with a little icing sugar and top with some orange zest curls.

It would be lovely topped with soft meringue and baked too. I will have to try that next time. I have a feeling there will be a next time, my friend Rhian has just invited our dog, Rufus, around to play. She said to bring a bag as she has loads of oranges………..

The Holy Trinity Pie – Potato, Cheese and Onion

 

Potato, cheese and onion are, for me, the Holy Trinity of flavours. Think Cheese and Onion Crisps (Walkers obviously), they are the best flavour by a mile. Sour Cream & Chives Pringles.  Jacket potato with cheese, sour cream and chives (a la Spud -U-Like)  the classic, original & best topping. And, of course, the Potato, Cheese and Onion Pie.

Trying to replicate the flavour of that perfect pie with crumbly pastry and that soft, mellow, almost sweet and comforting filling, was a challenge I was very happy to take on. With so few ingredients they all have to be exactly right or you might as well not bother.

• The Potato: something floury for making good mash with no lumps, you don’t want waxy here. There is a  fantastic list of which potatoes to use for which dish at Love Potatoes. Apparently Maris Piper and King Edward are good all rounders but they recommend Nadine, Rooster, Saxon or Wilja for mash.
• The Cheese: a personal thing obviously but I recommend using a creamy, white, crumbly cheese like an unmatured Lancashire (The Washer Up’s favourite). Other cheeses to use are a crumbly Caerphilly or, if you want to go more “European”, an Italian Fontina or French Tomme de Cantal.
• The Onion: the classic yellow onion is the onion of choice for me but you could use spring onions for a fresher, green flavour and look. Softened leeks would be lovely especially if you’re going for the Caerphilly option and flying the Welsh flag. Or even chives if you want the full sour cream and chives Pringle effect.

I have opted (controversially,I know) to make a wholemeal shortcrust pastry. I thought the contrast between the soft fluffy centre and a nutty, flaky crust would be nice and I was trying to “healthy” it up a bit I suppose. Potato and cheese guilt taking over maybe. It works really well but feel free to stick to plain flour if you are a traditionalist. My pastry recipe comes from a book called The Art of the Tart by Tamasin Day-Lewis which is where I also discovered the recipe for L’Aligot Tart.

 L’aligot is a country dish from south-western France made with mashed potatoes, garlic, cheese (tomme de Cantal) and cream. Sounds amazing doesn’t it. So I decided to add some garlic to my onions (controversially again) and I swapped the cream for sour cream to stay on my Spud-U-Like theme….

Potato, Cheese & Onion Pie Recipe

makes 3 individual pies, double the amounts to make 1 big pie for 4-6 people, vegetarian

• 180 gr wholemeal flour (or plain or a mixture)
• 90 gr cold butter, diced and refrigerated
• a pinch of sea salt
• iced water (2 or 3 tbsp)
• 2 potatoes, about 500 gr peeled and cut into eighths
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• salt & black pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg
• about 150 gr Lancashire cheese (see above for other cheeses) crumbled into chunks
• about 75 ml sour cream/creme fraiche/cream
• 30 gr butter
• 1 egg white, for brushing

Sieve the flour and a pinch of sea salt into a bowl or food processor(throw in the wholemeal bits left in the sieve as well). Put the cold diced butter on top and process (or rub the butter and flour through the tips of your fingers) until the butter is the size of peas. Then drizzle the ice-cold water in, a tablespoon at a time, (with the processor running) until it coheres into a single ball. Don’t add too much water or it will shrink when baking. If you can still see the butter that is good, that’s what makes the pastry flaky. As soon as it forms a ball wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge for at least half an hour to chill.

Meanwhile put your potatoes in a large pan of cold, salted water, bring to the boil, lower the heat slightly and cook for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Saute the onions in a tablespoon of oil or butter with a big pinch of salt, over a medium heat until they are softened, not browned about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook gently for another couple of minutes.

When the potatoes are soft drain them, put them in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher. Heat up the sour cream and butter in a small pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted pour this onto your mashed potatoes and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon. Add the onions and garlic and the cubed/crumbled cheese. Season with salt, pepper and a little grated nutmeg, mix everything together and set aside while you roll out your pastry.

Preheat oven to 190C. Butter and flour your pie dishes/baking dish, Flour your work surface and cut your ball of dough into three (if you are making individual pies). Keep one piece out to work with and put the other two back in the fridge. Roll the pastry out to about 3 mm thick, cut a third off and keep it for the top of the pie, in the fridge. Push your pastry into your pie dish/ramekins (don’t stretch it) and leave some overhanging the edge. You can cut bits off and stick it in any gaps. Put it in the fridge while you do the other two. Blind bake the pastry shells by lining the bottoms with baking paper and weighing it down with some baking beans (uncooked beans or chickpeas). Bake for 5 -6 minutes, then remove the baking paper & beans, prick the base with a fork and brush the bottom with the egg white. Return to the oven for another 4 minutes to firm up the base. Trim off any rough edges.

Roll out 3 circles from the reserved pastry a little bit larger than the top of your pies. Fill the blind baked pastry shells with the mashed potato mixture, pushing it down so you don’t get any gaps. Top with the uncooked pastry circle and seal the edges with a fork. (I forgot to do this). Make a few holes in the centre of the top and brush with egg white.

Bake for about 15 -20 minutes until the top is browned and the pie warmed through…..

Serve hot out of the oven in the pie dish or leave to cool for about 10 minutes before turning out onto the plate. I think peas are perfect accompaniment to this pie but broccoli or wilted spinach would work too. Maybe even with a salad for lunch….

Once you’ve tried this you will never go back to buying them again. The ultimate in vegetarian comfort food perfect for rainy days like these….

Poor Rufus……Wet dog!!

Lovely Little Lemon Tarts

Mouthwatering!

These are the best lemon tarts ever! The Washer Up is a bit of a pastry star & these are my favourite thing at the moment. Currently available at Santiago’s Restaurant Alhaurin where the Washer Up makes all the desserts & they are fabulous. 

Lemon Tarts Recipe 

Makes  8/10 individual or a 9 inch big tart  

Vegetarian 

For the Sweet Pastry (Pate Sablee) 

• 200gr plain flour
• 120gr butter cold
• 60gr icing sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• egg white for brushing

1. Put the butter, sugar & egg yolks into a food processor & work together quickly
2. Then blend in the sifted flour & work into a paste
3. A soon as it forms a ball wrap it in clingfilm & refrigerate it for at least an hour ( The longer the better it will be easier to work with )
4. When the pastry is really well chilled cut it into 8 equal portions keep 1 portion out & put the rest back in the fridge.
5. Get 2 big pieces of clingfilm & lay one on your work surface & dust liberally with icing sugar.
6. Put the piece of pastry on the cling film, dust it with more icing sugar then top with the 2nd piece of clingfilm. Push it down into a flat round shape.
7. Roll out the pastry (in between the 2 bits of clingfilm to stop it sticking to the rolling pin)to a size a bit bigger than the tart tins
8. Peel off the cling film carefully & push the pastry into the tart tin(Push it in don’t stretch it)
9. Trim off the edges & use the excess to fill any holes.
10. Now put the tart in the fridge & take out the next piece of pastry. Continue until all the tarts are in the fridge.
11. If you make a big tart you only have to do it once obviously(much less work!!)
12. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees.
13. Line the tarts with baking paper & fill with dry baking beans or uncooked rice.
14. Cook in the middle of the oven for 6mins for individual tarts. 10 mins for the large tart.
15. Remove the baking paper & beans, prick all over the pastry bases with a fork.
16. Put them back in the oven for another 6 mins. 10 mins for the large until it is starting to dry.
17. Brush with pastry bases with egg white & put back in the oven on the bottom shelf for 2 mins to harden slightly
18. Take out & leave on a rack to cool slightly while you make the filling.
19. Turn the oven down to 170 degrees

For the lemon filling 

• 170gr caster sugar
• 185ml double cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 125ml fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest

1. Whisk the sugar, cream & egg yolks in a bowl to blend well.
2. Mix in lemon juice & zest. Transfer to a jug.
3. Put the tart cases on the bottom shelf of the oven & pull the shelf out slightly
4. Pour the filling into the tart cases & carefully slide the shelf back in.
5. Bake for 15 -18 mins until set round the edges & a slight wobble in the centre.(About 30 mins for a large tart)
6. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack before taking out of the tart tins.
7. Serve with vanilla ice cream
8. If you want to brulee the top you can sprinkle it with brown sugar, shake off the excess, then blowtorch it or put it under a hot grill until browned.

It may seem like a lot of work but if you make one big tart it is a lot less work & totally gorgeous!! This sweet pastry recipe is a fantastic buttery shortbread type pastry which can be used for fresh strawberry custard tarts in the spring or apple custard tarts in the winter it really is lovely….

Fabulous Feta & Courgette Souffles

I used to hate courgettes (& aubergines) too many disgusting watery vegetarian lasagnes I think..

Now I love cooking with them they are so versatile & go along way.  A great way to cook with courgette is to grate it then you don’t have the watery chunks that I find so horrible. I have used grated courgette to make courgette bread, courgette & feta fritters & great pasta sauces but my favourite courgette recipe (because I couldn’t believe it when they came out right!) is for courgette & feta souffles. Now don’t be scared if I can do it you can!

Feta & Courgette Souffles Recipe

Serves 2 Vegetarian 

• 1/2 med courgette grated
• salt
• 25gr butter
• 40gr plain flour
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 110ml milk ( I use goats milk)
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• salt & white/black pepper
• 75gr feta cheese crumbled (Greek if possible the Danish is not as good & made with cow’s milk)
• 2 tbsp parmesan grated
• A handful of chopped mint, coriander & chives
• 3 eggs separated

1. Place the grated courgette in a colander, sprinkle with salt, toss slightly, put a small plate on top weighted down with 2 tins & stand the colander on a plate to catch the juices. Leave for about 30 mins.
2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
3. Squeeze out the grated courgette in a clean tea towel to get rid of any more liquid.
4. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, stir in the flour & mustard then stir over a med heat for 1 min.
5. Remove from the heat & gradually stir in the milk then stir on a med high heat until thickened.
6. Add the grated nutmeg
7. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl with the courgettes, cheeses, herbs & egg yolks then stir to combine(you can refrigerate the mix at this point & do the rest when ready to serve).
8. Beat the egg whites to the soft peak stage & gently fold them into the courgette mixture in 2 batches.
9. Butter 2 cup size ( holds about 250ml liquid) souffle dishes & carefully pour in the mixture (try not to get any around the rim as this stops it rising)
10. Run your thumb carefully around the inside of the rim to make sure it’s clean & free to rise.
11. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 mins until risen & golden
12. Serve immediately to rapturous applause!!