Fig and Brie Filo Crinkle Pie

January 6, 2025January 6, 2025 BelindaLeave a comment

375g Filo Pastry
150g unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup thickened cream
Salt & pepper
500g double brie cheese, cut into slices
6 figs, thinly sliced
3 sprigs fresh thyme

We used a 24cm by 34cm rectangular baking pan for this recipe. You can use any shape dish, simply position the folded filo Pastry in the shape of your pan.

Before you begin this Filo Pastry recipe, take your packet of Filo Pastry out of the fridge, still in its plastic bag and allow it to come up to room temperature.
Preheat your oven to (350F (180 C), fan forced. Brush a 24cm by 34cm rectangular baking pan with butter.
Combine the eggs, cream, salt and pepper in a mixing jug and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
Lay two sheets of Filo pastry onto your workspace, one on top of the other, with the short sides of the Filo Pastry facing you. Using your fingers, fold the pastry in a concertina design. Transfer the folded Filo Pastry to your baking tray. Repeat with remaining Filo Pastry, until your tray is full.
Drizzle the melted butter over the tray using a Pastry brush. Slot the sliced brie and figs into the Pastry layers. Pour the cream and egg mixture over the Pastry. Sprinkle with thyme.
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Easy Greek olive tapenade

July 3, 2024July 3, 2024 Belinda

A fabulous and easy recipe from Food Blog, “Hungry happens”

Serves 4

1/3 cup Greek olive oil
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh oregano finely chopped
3/4 cup green olives, finely chopped
2 oz feta cheese, finely crumbled
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 large lemon, zested + juiced
2 tsp honey

Combine all ingredients in a shallow rimmed plate. If it needs more olive oil, add more.
Enjoy this with crusty bread, crackers or veggie sticks.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Halloumi stuffed dates with honey and lime

June 14, 2024June 14, 2024 Belinda

Recipe from Lukas Volger.

You can cook these using the broil setting of your toaster oven if you have either.
Paneer or even feta would make a good substitute for the halloumi. Just steer clear of anything that won’t hold its shape as it heats up.
It’s simple to scale this recipe up or down however you need.

Yield 12 stuffed dates | Prep & cook time 10 minutes

12 dates
Half of an 8.8-oz package halloumi cheese
Honey or hot honey
Olive oil
Lime Zest
Smoky chili flakes, such as Aleppo flakes
Flaky salt

Preheat your broiler.
Using a paring knife, make a slice down the length of each of the dates and gently pry them open to expose and remove the pits. Cut the halloumi into 12 rectangles. Place a piece of halloumi in each date and gently wrap the date around the sides of the cheese. Arrange them on a small baking tray.
Transfer the tray to the oven and place it directly beneath the heat source. Broil the stuffed dates until the cheese is golden brown on top and the dates’ skins are slightly blistered, 3 to 5 minutes (this could vary quite a bit based on the strength of your broiler), watching carefully.
Arrange them on a plate and drizzle lightly with honey and olive oil. Use a microplane to shower them with lime zest, and finish with a few pinches of chili flakes and salt.
Serve warm.

Appetizer Vegetarian

Pan-fried halloumi cheese with olives, dried apricots & hazelnuts

November 19, 2023November 19, 2023 Belinda

This recipe is really simple and so good, it comes together quickly and is made with minimal ingredients.
Serve it with crackers or some toasted bread.

Serves 8-10
½ cup hazelnuts
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
½ cup dried apricots, chopped
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1lb halloumi cheese
flour, as needed
½ cup olives, halved (Kalamata, Castelvetrano, etc)
crackers or toasted bread

Preheat the oven to 400°F

Spread the hazelnuts onto a baking sheet. Roast for about 8-10 minutes until golden. Let cool slightly. Use a kitchen towel to rub the skins off (it’s okay if some stay on). Roughly chop the hazelnuts and set aside. Lower the oven to 300°F.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt. Let sauté until softened, caramelized, and somewhat crispy, stirring often.
Stir in the apricots, honey, and red wine vinegar. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cook for a minute or so until slightly reduced. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Slice the halloumi cheese into ½” rounds. Toss with enough seasoned flour just to coat the slices on all sides.
Heat another skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to come up the sides about a ¼ of an inch. Once the oil is hot, work in batches to fry the halloumi cheese until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side (shake off any excess flour as you add the cheese to the pan)
Remove the halloumi cheese and season with a pinch of salt.
Keep warm in the oven until the rest of the cheese is fried.
Meanwhile, heat the shallot mixture back over medium heat. Stir in the hazelnuts and olives. Cook another minute or so.

Serve the halloumi with the shallot mixture spooned over top. Add a drizzle of olive oil to finish. Serve with crackers or toasted bread.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Sauces

Cacik (Turkish yoghurt and cucumber)

September 12, 2023 Belinda

Cacik is one of the simplest Turkish meze dishes to put together. No cooking, just assembly. It’s a creamy, refreshing and healthy side dish that pairs with just about anything. An essential for any Mediterranean-style dinner party spread.

1 cup Greek yoghurt plain
1 cucumber about 300g(deseeded then grated)
1 bunch dill about 50g (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove minced
salt and pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
pinch sumac for garnish

Cut the cucumber in half and then using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard.
Coarsely grate the cucumber and then wrap in a clean tea towel. Squeeze out the excess water (keep the liquid and use, added to water for a refreshing drink with lemon. or add a little to a gin and tonic!)
Place the cucumber in a bowl and mix in the yoghurt, dill, garlic, salt & pepper, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.
Decant to a bowl and then drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a little black pepper and sumac.

Notes
Cacik complements a wide range of dishes, including grilled meat, seafood, and rice-based dishes like Chicken Pilaf.
Perfect Meze Companion: When preparing vegetable meze recipes, cacik serves as an excellent accompaniment. Simply provide ample bread or raw vegetables for dipping and scooping.
Fridge Storage: Keep cacik covered in the fridge, where it remains fresh for 2-3 days. Avoid freezing, as it tends to become watery upon defrosting. Freshness is key!

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead

Turkish beet and yoghurt dip

August 29, 2023 Belinda

Recipe from food blog, “Cook Eat World”

This vibrant and beautiful bright pink dip is an essential at any Turkish-inspired meze table. A light, sweet, earthy and incredibly addictive dip.

8 oz beets (225g) pre cooked or raw
2 tbsp plain Greek-style yoghurt
Salt & pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground roasted cumin
2 tbsp fresh dill (chopped)
2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

Place cooked beets in a food processor, along with all the other ingredients. Blend for 1-2 minutes until very smooth.
Spread over a platter or shallow bowl
Mix a little extra yoghurt with a little milk to make it more runny then drizzle over the surface of the dip.
Sprinkle liberally with the herbs then drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and some black pepper. That’s it, you’re done.
If cooking the beets from raw
Preheat oven to 400F/200ºC.
Trim the stalks and wrap each beet in foil separately – skin on and place on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes until the beets are soft through (pierce with a sharp knife). Unwrap the foil and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Cover your hands in a plastic bag, or wear rubber gloves and peel the beets. The skin should come away very easily. Leave to cool completely before using.
Notes
Extra flavor – Sprinkle this salad with a little feta cheese for a perfect salty counterbalance to the sweet, earthy beets.
A tasty salad dressing – Dollop a little of this dip over a platter of peppery rocket leaves or watercress and top with some lightly roasted walnuts or pine nuts for a simple, flavoursome salad.
Make a yellow dip – yellow beets will make a delicious alternative to red.
Storage
Fridge – You can keep this dip fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container.
Freezer – This salad is best eaten fresh, but will freeze for up to 2 months. Be sure to completely defrost before using. For better flavour, bring up to room temperature.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead

Creamy French onion dip

August 1, 2023August 1, 2023 Belinda

Think of this crowd-pleaser as the love child of French onion soup and French onion dip: an ooey-gooey, salty, tangy Gruyère-filled dip with jammy caramelized onions. Gruyère is classic for that French onion soup flavor, but any fairly firm cheese like cheddar or Gouda will work—you can even mix and match if you’d like.

Recipe from Bon Appetite magazine

Serves 6-8
3 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
5 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 sprig thyme, plus more for serving
1¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided
8 oz. full fat cream cheese, room temperature
¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
1 lb. Gruyère, coarsely grated, divided (about 4 cups)
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 baguette, sliced
2 pears, sliced
2 red endive, leaves separated

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onions, garlic, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, 1 thyme sprig, and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and jammy, 15–20 minutes.

Step 2
Meanwhile, stir cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a large bowl to combine well. No lumps!

Step 3
Remove bay leaves and thyme sprig from onions; discard. Transfer onions to cream cheese mixture. Add 3 cups Gruyère and season with pepper; stir to combine. Transfer dip to an 8″ cast-iron skillet or 2-qt. ovenproof baking dish and spread into an even layer with a rubber spatula.

Step 4
Toss panko, remaining Gruyère, remaining 1½ tsp. oil, and remaining ¼ tsp. salt in a medium bowl to combine, then sprinkle over dip. Bake until heated through and top is lightly browned, 25–30 minutes.

Step 5
Heat broiler. Broil dip until bubbling and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.

Step 6
Scatter more thyme over dip and serve with baguette, pears, and endive alongside for dipping.

Do ahead: Dip (without panko mixture) can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Top with panko mixture just before baking.

Appetizer Vegetarian

Whipped honey ricotta with saffron tomato confit

July 14, 2023July 14, 2023 Belinda

This whipped honey ricotta appetizer is topped with delicious saffron infused tomato confit. It’s best served with olive oil grilled bread for dipping and is a fun and flavorful way to use up all of your summer tomatoes. (or a great way to make winter tomatoes taste even better!)

Serves 4
For the Saffron Tomato Confit
1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
½ cup garlic cloves peeled
½ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pinch saffron threads
For the Whipped Honey Ricotta
1 15 oz container full fat ricotta
2-3 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon finishing olive oil
1 lemon zested only

For The Tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.
Add cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, a hefty pinch of salt, pepper flakes and honey to a small baking dish.
Bake for 45 minutes then remove from heat. Immediately add saffron threads and stir. Set aside.
For The Ricotta
While the tomatoes are cooking, whip together ricotta, honey, olive oil, one hefty pinch of salt and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Stir and set aside.
For the finished dish
Once the tomatoes are ready, add the honey whipped ricotta to a large serving bowl and evenly cover the bottom of the bowl.
Add the roasted tomato and garlic confit on top of the ricotta, gently drizzling the remaining olive oil on top.
Serve with olive oil toasted bread and enjoy!

Appetizer Vegetarian

Labneh dip with za’atar, pistachio, mint and olive topping

June 16, 2023May 12, 2024 Belinda

Sprinkled with fresh pomegranate seeds and served with pita chips – this easy labneh recipe is the perfect appetizer or can be served as part of a mezze platter.
Unless you’re buying the labneh, it is made overnight but keeps in your fridge for a month.

2 cups labneh (store-bought or home-made) replace that with 3 cups yogurt to make it from scratch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tbsp chopped pistachios (toasted preferably but optional)
1 tbsp chopped pitted Kalamata olives
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup Za’atar spice
2/3 cup Moroccan olive oil extra virgin
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
For the Za’atar Pita Chips:
2 large Pita breads (not Greek style) cut up into wedges
2 tablespoons Za’atar spice
1/4 cup good Moroccan olive oil

Making labneh from scratch
Start with the Greek full-fat yogurt. Mix it with the salt
Pour the yogurt/salt mixture over a cheesecloth in a sieve placed over a large bowl. Squeeze it out as best as you can to remove any moisture from the yogurt.
Place the cheesecloth with squeezed yogurt over the sieve overnight in the fridge squeezing as often as you can. This should take between 8 – 24 hours
Now remove the sieve and discard the excess water.The labneh cheese should be well dried out and has turned into a dry thick creamy paste like tangy cheese.

Pita chips
The easiest thing to make when you’re out of crackers is pita chips. They take less than 8 minutes in the oven and come out super crisp super thin and packed with flavor.
You’ll need quality olive oil here to taste the flavor of the za’atar, pita chips and labneh.
Start by cutting off your pita chips into wedges.
The best way to do that is to cut each pita bread in half, and then cut each half into three wedges. Another thing is to separate the layers in your pita bread. That way you have paper thin chips.
Mix together together the olive oil, za’atar and salt
Take a brush and thoroughly brush the chips with the mixture
Bake the chips at 350 for 6-7 minutes until crisp

Labneh dip
In a small bowl, add in the chopped mint, pistachios, olives, pepper flakes, za’atar spice and olive oil. Mix well.
Spread your labneh on a flat plate mounding the labneh to about an inch high. Swirl so there are dips and mounds, so the topping looks attractive when spooned over.
Spoon the topping ingredients over the top of the labneh and allow it to drip from the sides.
Sprinkle with some pomegranate seeds