Monday 12 August 2019

Nadiya Hussain Apple Palm Pies.

- Nadiya Hussain Apple Palm Pies Recipe | BBC Time to Eat
Introduction
These are so easy and quick, because there is no peeling of apples, no coring or chopping, so you can have your pie and eat it too.
The filling is a mixture of apple sauce mixed with spices, dried fruit and nuts, then wrapped in filo, perfect enough to fit in the palm of your hand and in your mouth, in a bite, or two.
They freeze well, so when you need pie, be it for yourself or for guests, you’re always one step ahead.

Makes 12 Easy Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients
2 x 285g jars of apple sauce, chunky
0.5 tsp mixed spice
50g mixed nuts, or nuts of your choice, roughly chopped
50g raisins
cooking oil spray
270g pack of filo pastry, or 6 sheets
demerara sugar, for sprinkling

You will need a 12-hole muffin tray.

Instructions
Put the apple sauce, mixed spice, nuts and raisins into a bowl, stir well and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C.
Have a 12-hole muffin tray at the ready.
Spray the inside of each hole liberally with oil.

Unroll the filo pastry on to a work surface.
Using kitchen scissors, cut out all the pastry in one go to make 8 equal squares, which should give you 48 squares in total.
Keep the squares you’re not working with under a tea towel to prevent them drying out.

Take 1 square of filo and spray it with oil, lay another square on top, spray again, then lay another on top and spray again.
You should have three squares oiled together.
It doesn’t matter if the squares are a bit off-centre.
Place inside the oiled cavity of the muffin tray, press down, and repeat this process until you have filled all 12 holes in the muffin tray.

Fill each hole with an equal amount of the apple filling.

Take another square of filo and spray well, then fold in half and in half again to create a small square.
Place the small square on top of the apple mixture and fold the pointy edges inwards.
If any areas feel dry, spray with oil.
Repeat for all 12, then sprinkle with sugar and bake for 14–16 minutes.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
These are best eaten warm, with ice cream or custard.

Any left over can be cooled and frozen.
I know 12 wouldn’t last very long in my household, so due to the ease of making these, why not double the ingredients and make another full 12 to freeze, providing you have freezer space!

Saturday 10 August 2019

Cheese, pistachio and prune cake. By Rachel Khoo.

- Cheese, pistachio and prune cake recipe - BBC Food
Ingredients
250g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
150g soft goat’s cheese, cut into small pieces
80g pistachios, roughly chopped
100g prunes, roughly chopped
4 free-range eggs
150ml olive oil
100ml oz milk
50g plain yoghurt
1 tsp salt
pinch freshly-ground black pepper

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a loaf tin measuring 22x11cm/8½x4¼in across the top and 6cm/2½in deep with baking paper.
In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, goat’s cheese, pistachios and prunes.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until fluffy and pale in colour.
Then gradually whisk in the oil, milk and yoghurt.
Season with the salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Fold the flour mixture into the whisked eggs.
Try not to overbeat as this will make the end result tough (it’s better to undermix).
Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin.

Recipe Tips
Use a rubber spatula rather than a whisk to prevent overbeating the flour.

Thursday 1 August 2019

Swedish Meatballs with Orzo.

- Nigella Lawson’s meatballs with orzo recipe | The Sunday Times Magazine | The Sunday Times

For the sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion (approx 150g), finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tsp dried oregano
4 tbsp (60ml) red vermouth
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
275g orzo pasta
- Fill a measuring jug with 4 cups of cold water and put near the stove.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based Dutch oven or saucepan that comes with a lid and is large enough to take the meatballs and pasta, too.
Cook the chopped onion over a medium heat, stirring every now and again, for about 10 minutes, or until completely softened, then stir in the parsley and oregano and cook, stirring for a minute or so before adding the vermouth.
Let this bubble up for a minute and then tip in the tomatoes.
Half-fill the empty cans with water from the measuring jug you have at the ready, give them a good swill, and pour into the pan, along with the rest of the water and salt.
Bring to a boil, turn the heat down, clamp on the lid and leave to simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Uncover the pan and drop the meatballs gently into the simmering sauce.
- I have Smorgasbord Swedish Meatballs - ASDA Groceries
Bring it back up to a boil, then turn the heat down again, put the lid back on and simmer the meatballs for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid, tip in the orzo, stir gently and turn up the heat to bring back to a bubble.
Cook at a robust simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked.
You will have to give the odd gentle stir throughout this time to make sure the orzo isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Serve in shallow bowls, sprinkled with parsley, and with Parmesan on the table alongside.

I love Scandinavian food and these delicious Smorgasbord Swedish Meatballs (from Sainsbury or Asda) are my favourite.
Made in Sweden to a traditional recipe combination of pork and beef, gluten free, no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives!

But if you prefer homemade then here's a recipe for you:
500g minced beef
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more to serve
2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
4 tbsp finely grated parmesan, plus more to serve
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

- Line a large baking sheet with plastic wrap, then put all the ingredients for the meatballs into a large bowl and mix together, gently, with your hands.
Don’t overmix, as it will make the meatballs dense-textured and heavy.
Pinch out pieces of this mixture and roll between the palms of your hand to form meatballs that are somewhere between a cherry tomato and a walnut in size, putting them on your lined sheet as you go.
You should get about 30 meatballs.