It's Pie Time Spinach and Feta Pie on the Menu Tonight

Spinach and Feta Pie or Spanankopita

Such a easy way to get the green vege into your kids

Often children find it hard to eat those dark leafy vegetables 

But mix it up with cheese, onion and eggs

Turn that into a pie, with crispy Filo Pastry and you are onto a winner

I used a 23 cm square pan, this amount of filling was enough for this size

Don’t forget to work quickly with the filo pastry as it drives out quickly

In fact keep a damp towel to put over it if you have to walk away

Family couldn't wait for me to take the photograph 

You need 

Olive oil

400 gms frozen spinach thawed

1 large onion diced

2 cloves garlic smashed and finely chopped

2 spring onions finely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Nutmeg ground about 1/2 tsp

2 eggs lightly beaten

200 gms feta cheese crumbled

8 sheets Filo Pastry

Melted butter about 60 gms

Heat oven to 170C 

Put the thawed spinach in a tea towel 

and squeeze it to remove all the moisture  

Heat about 2 tablespoons Olive in in a pan

Medium heat

Add onion 

Sauté till tender

Add garlic and spring onions 

Continue over the heat about 2-3 minutes don’t let it brown

Add the spinach

and cook for about 4-5 minutes

Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add a little freshly grated nutmeg

Cool 

Meanwhile lightly beat the eggs

Add feta cheese and mix well

Season with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Add spinach mixture

Your filling is ready to go

Remove your filo from the wrapper and lay on a damp towel 

It’s important that the pastry doesn’t dry out 

Brush the first layer with melted butter 

Lay in buttered tin 

Butter the next sheet and repeat till you have 4 layers

Add your cooled spinach mixture 

Then butter another sheet and lay on top

and repeat with another 3 layers

Fold the edges in

Brush top with little more melted butter

Score the top with a sharp knife

Bake at 170C for about an hour

By then the pastry will be golden and crispy

Below The Cross section, sorry about the photo I need a proper camera ha ha

We had some ketchup on the side

Lunch is served

A little salad on the side to round it out perhaps, if you feel like it 

Winters Here - Soup's Up

I love making soup, just such an excellent way to boost your vege intake all in one bowl

So nourishing and tasty... It has to be good for you

In the fridge, we had what is considered to be winter vege but actually these days, they are available 

all year around

I was lacking in any stock, so I chopped up some salami and used that for the extra flavour

Look at those Brussels Sprouts, I love them and to think I hated them when I was a kid

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil and 30 gms butter

8-10 slices of Pepperoni Salami chopped

1 Onion peeled and chopped

1/2 Cauliflower chopped

1/2 head Broccoli chopped

4 Brussels Sprouts sliced

Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Water

In a pot add the oil and butter

Melt

Add the salami

Saute for a few minutes

Add the onion just a few more minutes

Then the rest of the vege

Saute till they soften and are well tossed in the oil

Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add enough water to cover

Bring to boil and simmer till soft about 30-40 minutes

Remove from heat

Into Blender

AND just like that...Lunch is ready 

Enjoy

Leeks and Fish An Excellent Blend

Leeks are such an excellent. vegetable, so pretty, sweet and tasty 

Sweat them down in some beautiful butter and a touch of Olive oil

I can guarantee you will love them

Served with mashed potatoes with some spinach leaves added and sweet carrots on the side

A Beautiful dinner

This recipe embraces the Leek and combines it with beautiful Fresh Fish

For 4 people

You will need

1 filet fish per person

Olive Oil

Butter

2 leeks cleaned and finely sliced

Zest of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

Chili Flakes

50 gms grated Parmesan Cheese

2 carrots washed and cut into half moons

Maple Syrup

Sea salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

4 filets of white fish e.g. Snapper or Hapuka

4 large Potatoes

60 gms Butter

1/3 cup Milk

1 Packet  200 gms Baby Spinach lightly chopped

Small bunch  of Parsley

Heat the Oven to 200C/ fan forced 180C

Line a baking sheet with baking paper

Toss the carrots with a good glug of Olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Into oven until tender about 25 minutes

Remove toss with 1 tbs of Maple syrup and 

return to the oven for about another 5 minutes

Remove from oven and set aside

Roughly chop the  Baby spinach

and finely chop the parsley

Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces,

Cook till tender

Remove from heat add milk put back on heat till milk bubbles

Remove again Mash potatoes

Add the butter and half the chopped parsley and the baby spinach

Mix well, the spinach will wilt 

Set aside

Meanwhile in a pan add a good slug of Olive oil and 30 gms butter

Add the sliced leeks and gently cook till softened

Add garlic then

Season with sea salt and a pinch of Chili Flakes 

plus the zest of the lemon

Cook gently for another 3-4 minutes till fragrant

add the Parmesan cheese and mix well

Set aside

Lightly oil the fish and season with sea salt and freshly ground Black pepper

Lay the fish on a baking sheet lined with baking paper

Cover with the leek mixture and return to the oven for another 6-8 minutes till the fish is cooked

Remove and serve with the sweet Carrots and Mashed Potato

Garnish with the remaining parsley

Guaranteed a winner for these cold winter night coming up

Hot Cross Buns - An Oldie But A Goodie

It's Good Friday and I got up early, to make Hot Cross Buns for Breakfast
It helped that I was awake reading, no alarms needed in this house, to get me out of bed

Zorra Kochtopf is holding a Bread Baking Day Event.
Blogwarming Party, Please Bring Bread
Zorra is a German Blogger that I follow
When Zorra does the round up of all the recipes, I will post the link for all to see


So I reckon, these lovely buns would be welcome anywhere
Any other time of year,  just don't pipe the cross on top and they will be Spicy Fruit Buns
The recipe is actually really easy.
It does require some kneading and time, but that is not difficult
4 teaspoons (14g) dry yeast
1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
1 cup (250ml) warm milk
4 cups (600g) plain flour
3 teaspoons mixed spice
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 & 1/2 teaspoons salt
80g butter, chopped
1 cup (160g) sultanas
2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed peel
1 egg, beaten lightly
1/3 cup (80ml) warm water, approximately

FLOUR PASTE (For Crosses)
1/4 cup (35g) plain flour
2 teaspoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons cold water, approximately

GLAZE
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon powdered gelatine
1 tablespoon water

METHOD

Combine the yeast with one tablespoon of the sugar and all of the milk in a small bowl;
whisk until the yeast is dissolved.
Cover the bowl and stand in a warm place (on the door in front of a very slow oven is ideal) for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is frothy.

Sift the flour, spices and salt into a large bowl;
Rub in the butter.
Stir in the remaining sugar, fruit, yeast mixture, egg and enough water to make a soft dough.
It took a couple of extra tablespoons of water to get a nice soft dough.

Cover the bowl with oiled plastic wrap and stand in a warm place for about one hour or until mixture is doubled in size.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes
When you knead push the dough out to stretch it

Then pull it back over and in

Turn over and keep going till it is smooth and elastic

Divide the dough into 16 portions;
Place hand over the dough and using a circular motion, roll the dough into a ball.

Place the balls, almost touching, on a large greased oven tray.

 Stand in a warm place for about 20 minutes or until dough is almost doubled in size.
 Preheat the oven to 220 deg C (200 deg C fan-forced).

To make crosses
FLOUR PASTE: 
Sift flour and sugar into a small bowl;
gradually stir in enough water to make a smooth thick paste.
Place the Flour Paste into a resealable plastic bag and snip a tiny piece off one corner.
Pipe crosses onto the buns.

Bake the buns for about 15 minutes or until buns sound hollow when tapped.
(I think I took them out after 12 minutes... they could have done with a little more time)

GLAZE: 
Meanwhile, combine all ingredients in a small pan and stir over low heat, without boiling,
until the sugar and gelatine are dissolved.
Transfer the buns to a wire rack and brush the tops with the Glaze.

 Butter and some Jam...Yum

Cold Asian Noodle Salad with Chicken and Cucumbers

This salad is perfect for a hot day, 

Sweet, sour, and a little spicy. 

The recipe called for wide rice noodles but personally I prefer vermicelli style noodle. 

Also, make it even easier and use a store bought Rotisserie Chicken, 

Just rip the meat off the chicken then you can make soup or stock with the remains, 

The stock freezes well, for later use

For the hot sauce, I like to use Sriracha Sauce but take your pick of your favourite

To Feed 6 people 

You will need

500 gms rice noodles 

1 red capsicum chopped into small chunks

The meat of a whole cooked chicken shredded

4 Lebanese cucumbers thinly sliced

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves torn

1/3 cup coriander leaves torn

1/3 cup mint leaves torn

For the Dressing

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup runny honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon (or more) of your favourite hot sauce

Prepare noodles as per packet instructions

Drain, transfer to a large bowl of iced water

Drain then pat dry

To the noodles add chicken,  cucumbers, basil, coriander and mint

Whisk the fish sauce, lime juice, honey, soy sauce

Season with hot sauce  to taste

Pour over noodle salad and toss to combine

Serve when needed

It will keep up to a day in the fridge

It's delicious and perfect for a hot summer day

Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

Can’t stop eating these cookies

As I was working my way through the Epicurious website, I came across these cookies

With Pistachios and Chocolate you can’t go wrong really

Very easy to make and you can cook half and freeze the rest of the dough for later delights
Would make a nice gift for Christmas as well

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

285 gas unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg white

145 gms  bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup unsalted, shelled raw pistachios, coarsely chopped

Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, kosher salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. 

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. 

Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients; mix just to combine, 

then mix in egg white. 

Fold in chocolate and pistachios.

Divide dough into 4 pieces. 

Roll each piece into an 20cm long log about 4cm in diameter, 

pushing dough together if it feels crumbly. 

Wrap tightly in parchment paper and chill until firm, at least 4 hours. 

(The colder the dough, the easier it will be to slice.)

Place racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 175C

Working with 1 log of dough at a time and using a serrated knife, 

Cut logs into 1.5cm  thick rounds and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet 

spacing 4cm apart.

Sprinkle cookies with sea salt and bake, 

rotating baking sheets halfway through, 

until set around edges and centres look dry, 10–12 minutes. 

Transfer to wire racks and let cool

MAKE AHEAD: Cookie dough can be made 1 month ahead; freeze instead of chilling. 

Slice frozen logs into rounds just before baking.

Mastering the Dough Roll

1. Divide dough into 4 pieces. 

Place each piece in the centre of a sheet of parchment paper and form into a log, about 8" long and 1 1/2" in diameter. 

2. Just like you'd roll up a poster, wrap the parchment around the log, smoothing the paper and pressing out air with your hands. 

Twist the ends of the parchment tightly to compact the dough log. 

3. After wrapping, roll log on a flat surface to create a tight cylinder. 

Let chill at least 1 hour before slicing and baking, or wrap tightly in plastic if freezing.

I cooked 2 of the 4 logs today... these two in the freezer for a later date 

Kurnik (A Russian Chicken Pie)

I was hosting a lunch recently and found this recipe on Jamie Olivers Website

Perfect for 8-10 people 

You could even prep ahead the day before

Cook the chicken mix and the Rice, pop into the fridge and bring out 

about an hour before serving.

Cover with the pastry lid 

Pop back into the fridge to chill

then 

25-30 minutes in a 180C oven

As simple as that

It looks like a Party Dish and tastes good too

If you want to make it a little easier for your self buy a cooked chicken

I had chicken breasts which I poached and shredded

2 onions

400 gms chestnut mushrooms

1/2 bunch of parsley (15gm)

Olive oil

1 heaped tbsp plain flour

200 mls double cream

750 mls organic Chicken Stock

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Nutmeg grated

500 gms chicken breast (or  the meat from a 1.4Kg Chicken)

200 gms long grain rice

1 bunch dill

4 hard boiled eggs

Puff Pastry 400 gms

Egg Wash

1 egg yolk mixed with a tablespoon of water

Place the chicken breast into a pot and cover with Chicken Stock

Bring to boil, turn heat down 

simmer for about 5 mins

Cover and leave sitting in the hot stock for about 20 minutes

The chicken will be perfectly cooked

Remove the chicken and put aside

When you can handle it, cut into bite size chunks 

This stock is your beautifully flavoured chicken stock for the rest of the dish

Meanwhile

Peel and finely slice the onion, garlic and mushroom

Heat a lug of oil into a pan over medium heat

Add onions, saute till soft…not brown

Add garlic, cook another couple of minutes

Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In another frying pan over high heat add 2 tbs olive oil

Add mushrooms, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook till starting to brown (about 5 mins)

Add to onion pan

Mix well

Add flour and stir well

Then pour in cream and 250 mis of chicken stock

Bring to the boil stirring all the time

Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes to thicken

Stir in chopped parsley, lemon zest and juice, a good grate of nutmeg

Add the chicken

Meanwhile pop the rice into a pot with the rest of the chicken stock

Bring to the boil, 

Cover, lower heat and reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes till the rice has absorbed the stock

Remove from the heat and fluff a little with a fork

Pick and finely chop the dill

Peel the hard boiled eggs

Chop them very finely

Mix with the dill

Add to the rice

Set aside

To assemble

Grease a large ovenproof dish

Spread a third of the rice so it is evenly covered

Layer on half the chicken mix and top with half the egg mix

Repeat the process and finish with the remaining rice mix

Roll out the pastry, so that it will generously cover the pie 

Place over the top of the mixture

Tuck the edges in

Place in the fridge for 30 minutes for the pastry to settle

Heat oven to 180C

Remove from the fridge

Brush with egg wash

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is heated through

So how’s that for a pie

I served it with a crisp Iceberg Salad, with some chopped cucumber and sliced radish and a sprinkle of chopped spring onions

Just toss with French dressing just before you serve

Excellent lunch

Roast Pork Shoulder - Weekend Roast

Recently we had a Pork Shoulder to Roast
Unfortunately the skin was missing so we didn't get the crackling but the resulting  Pork was very juicy, tasty and well worth this method
This photo is what it would have looked like if we had the skin on
(Photo  and recipe sourced from sainsburys.co.uk)
Beautiful Crackling to nibble on
Nevertheless it did taste wonderful. Crackling or not

I shoulder pork
10 gms rosemary leaves
4 garlic cloves sliced
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1.5 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions cut into wedges
2 tsp fennel seeds light crushed
2 apples peeled, cored and cut into wedges
1 bulb fennel trimmed and cut into quarters
500 mis of Cider
2 medium parsnips peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into large chunks
2 medium carrots peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into large chunks
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
250 ml chicken stock  You can use a stock cube

Preheat the oven to 180C Fan Bake 160C
Score the skin of the pork and make about 15 incisions all around the meat
Stuff each hole with rosemary leaves and a slice of garlic
Rub the skin with half the salt

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a larger lidded casserole over a medium heat
Add onions and fennel seeds and cook for 5 minutes until the onion is just soft and golden,
Add the apples, cider, fennel, parsnips, carrots and bay leaves and the remaining Rosemary
Pour in the stock,
Bring to a bubble and let simmer for 1-2 minutes until reduce slightly

Sit the pork on the vegetables,

then cover and cook in the oven for 45 minutes
Increase the oven temperature to 210C and cook uncovered for a further 45 minutes

Transfer the pork to a chopping board to carve
Let sit for about 15 minutes to settle down
I made a gravy from the drippings

Carve and serve with green vegetables and drizzle over the gravy
Roast potatoes would a wonderful accompaniment
Peel and cut the potatoes into serving size pieces, toss them in oil and some sea salt
Add them after the first 45 minutes
They should crisp up beautiful in that second cook