Things to do with Grated Cheese - How About Pinwheels?

I have found a couple of fab easy things to make, when you have people coming around for drinks
Pinwheels
If you go to this link you can get my original post.
These have been very popular.
Often you don't have the correct ingredients and have to improvise

I have been playing with some flavours and my Judges (The Grandkids) have given both of these the thumbs up. Aren't they gorgeous?

A bag of ready grated Tasty Cheese is quite handy to have in the fridge, all done for you.
I wouldn't use it for a sandwich, I'd  rather grate fresh. BUT it is very useful for cooking.
Had some friends coming over unexpectedly for a drink, cupboard was a little bare
I did have the aforementioned Grated Cheese and in the Pantry was some Beetroot Relish
In the Freezer some Flaky Puff Pastry sheets
I love these sheets they defrost really quickly

So to make this Pinwheel version
2 sheets Flaky Puff Pastry
1 cup grated Tasty Cheese
3 large tablespoons Beetroot Relish
Freshly Grated Black Pepper
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon of water to Glaze

Lay the pastry on the bench
Mix together the relish and the grated cheese
and spread over 3/4 of the pastry leaving 1 edge free for rolling
Grate Black pepper over the top

Brush the exposed pastry with some beaten egg
Roll up and push the roll together firmly
The egg will seal the parcel

After you have completed your rolls,
Wrap them in plastic...let them rest in the fridge, preferably for about 2 hours
15 minutes will do if you are in a hurry

When you are ready to bake
Heat the oven to 200C
Remove rolls from the fridge and cut into slices
Each roll should yield approx 10
Place on a Baking Paper lined Tray

Brush tops with more beaten egg and cook for about 15-18 minutes
Just keep an eye on them after 15 minutes, nice and golden
Serve

You will be very popular

The kids requested Pinwheels for their lunch
Had a fossick around in the fridge and found leftover Tomato Sauce from the day 'befores' Pizza.
A wedge of Parmesan Cheese, Bacon, a Red Capsicum, and some Olives
Just like a Pizza, but encased in Pastry instead

3 Sheets Flaky Puff Pastry
1 cup Tomato Pasta Sauce (recipe follows, at end of post)
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
3 Rashers Streaky Bacon finely chopped
1/2 Red Capsicum finely chopped
Black Olives, stoned and finely chopped
Enough Finely Grated Parmesan Cheese 
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon cold water

Lay out the pastry on the bench
As it thaws, cover 3/4 with tomato sauce

Meanwhile put Olive Oil in a cold pan
Add bacon bits and chopped capsicum
and fry till bacon crispy and capsicum soft

Let cool for about 5 mins
Sprinkle  Bacon and Capsicum over the Tomato Sauce 
Throw over Olives
Cover with finely grated Parmesan Cheese
Grate over some Black pepper

Once again brush the uncovered edge with the egg wash
Roll up and press roll down firmly to seal
Wrap in plastic wrap

Leave in the fridge for 2 hours if you can but 20 minutes would be OK
Pre Heat oven to 200C
Remove Rolls from Fridge
Slice and place on a baking tray lined with Baking Paper
Should get 10 slices from each roll

Brush with beaten egg to glaze
Into Oven cook for 15-20 minutes

These little pies are still really good at room temperature
So invite people around so you can make them

Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
1 tin crushed tomatoes
 Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
Slosh of vinegar (white or red wine, cider or rice wine you choose)

On a medium heat add olive oil and garlic
Just cook for about 2 minutes to get the garlic going, (Oooh that divine aroma)
Add the tin of Tomatoes, rinse out the tin with a little water, no waste please
Season with Salt, Pepper and Sugar
Simmer for about 10 minutes, longer if you have time but not really necessary
Add Vinegar

Voila 
Make a double batch, its handy to have on hand

Simple Mille Feuille - Best Dessert for Kids

This is probably the easiest and most successful dessert, that I have made for the Grandchildren.

They just love it and seriously, it is so, so simple
Loosely based on the Famous Mille Feuille Recipe
I am not going to give exact quantities, I think you can decide how much of everything you need yourself
For instance 1 sheet makes 3 Milles Feuilles

I use Raspberry Jam usually but if you want to make it more adult.
try fresh berries, marinated in some sugar and maybe some raspberry liqueur
In fact I used Fresh berries in the dessert pictured

Take a packet of rolled out Frozen Flaky Puff Pastry
1 egg beaten with a tablespoon of water
Some White Sugar

Raspberry Jam
Cream whipped with a little sugar and some vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 200C

Cut the sheet of pastry into rectangles
Prick to stop excess rising
Brush with beaten egg

Sprinkle Liberally with Sugar
Bake till golden and crisp
About 10-15 minutes

Cool on a rack

To assemble
Put one rectangle on the bottom
Press down lightly to flatten
Spread with raspberry Jam
Cover with whipped cream

Place another on top

Not only great for kids, I can own up to loving it myself

A Summer Stew-Turn that into A Summer Pie -My Word, What a Pie

I have been watching a programme on Food TV Britain’s Best Chef, it has been fascinating watching amateur cooks trying out to cook the best Dish in Britain. One of the dishes I was intrigued by was a Yorkshire Beef and Pale Ale Pie.
This short crisp pastry  doesn't brown up like puff pastry.
There is no egg wash.
Good for people allergic to eggs!
It is fabulous though, very simple.
This is how it looks.
Yum

Of course it is the middle of summer here, so Beef and Pale Ale… not really appropriate!
The judges all commented on the pastry, so I thought I would make the pastry and fill it with something more summer like.

So I made a Mediterranean Style Stew
I had some tomatoes and peppers, getting close to their use by date so I used them

Basically a this stew is a Ratatouille with some beef, gently simmered away till the beef is tender and lovely flavours have developed.

The pastry for the pie is very simple, but not exactly healthy
I don’t imagine I would making it often..
We all need treats.
It contains lots of butter and also lard. This should make it very light and crisp.
But let's attack the Stew first

I actually used a Rosemary infused oil which gave extra fabulous flavour
But you could add some sprigs of fresh Rosemary
I also had some left over Rose wine in the fridge
Nice light wine flavour

2 tablespoons Rosemary Infused Avocado Oil
I large onion chopped
1 red freshly ground black pepper chopped
1 yellow freshly ground black pepper chopped
1 courgette chopped
5 tomatoes chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
Oregano

2 tablespoon vege oil
300 gms thinly sliced beef chopped into squares
2 tablespoons flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
300 mls wine

Gently heat the Rosemary oil in a medium fry pan
Add onions
Cook till just soft
Add rest of vegetables
Season with S & P
Cook till soft

Add tomatoes
Season with S & P and the sugar
Cook about 5 minutes

Place into a large pot
Toss the meat in seasoned flour
Then add vege oil to the fry pan
Heat till hot
Add meat and brown
You may need to do this in two batches
Don’t overcrowd the pan

Add to the vegetables in the pot
Add wine to fry pan to deglaze
Bring to boil and simmer for about 5 minutes

Add to pot
Taste and check seasoning,
then simmer the whole stew for about an hour very gently

Gently being the operative word.
Here's what happened while I was busy writing this copy.

Oh dear
I did save it though
Your Mediterranean Stew is ready

Now for the pastry
I made a mistake...when I made the first batch it was a disaster
I did it by hand and didn't add enough water
I thought it looked too dry and I didn't trust my instincts
Maybe it would be OK after it had sat resting in the fridge

 Oh No

So I threw it away and started again
This time I made it in the food processor
and added more water than the recipe states
Just do it slowly
Test the pastry by pushing with your fingers, it should suqash up nicely.
Not too much water or it will be tough
Voila I did it...see how nicely it rolls out

So here you go

455 gms plain flour
125gms butter cubed
125gms lard cubed
pinch sea salt
60 mls or 2 tbs cold water (you may need more)

Put flour and salt in food processor
whiz for a couple of seconds to mix
Add butter and lard
Whiz till the mixture looks like breadcrumbs
Don't over work it
Add water a tablespoon at a time
It will start to get together but don't let it go to a ball stage
Push the mix between your fingers if it squashes together
Its done
Tip onto bench
Form into a ball
Wrap in Gladwrap and let rest in fridge for at least 20 mins
Meanwhile heat oven to 180C
Also grease your pie tins
This makes 6 pies
Cut off 2/3 dough
Roll out cut and use to line pie tins
Trim edges
Fill with cooled stew

Roll out the other third to make lids
Place a lid on each pie
Crimp the edges together

Into the hot oven
These pies will take about 25 minutes to cook

I could eat both of those. God help my waistline though.
Treat your self it's worth it.