Do-ahead · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Middle Eastern herb filo pie

July 15, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

Another gem from Ottolenghi. With Sephardic roots, this is a wonderful centerpiece for a dinner party, whether vegetarian or not.

Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for brushing the pastry layers
1 large onion, diced
1lb Swiss chard, stems and leaves finely shredded but kept separate
5 oz celery, peeled and thinly sliced
2 oz green onions (scallions) chopped
2 oz arugula
1 oz flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 oz fresh mint, chopped
2/3 oz dill , chopped
4 oz ricotta cheese, crumbled
4 oz aged Cheddar cheese, grated
2 oz Greek feta cheese, crumbled (not pre-crumbled)
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large organic eggs
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp superfine sugar (caster sugar)
9 oz filo pastry

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Pour the olive oil into a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 8 minutes without browning. Add the chard stems and celery and continue to cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the chard leaves, increase the heat to medium high and stir as you cook for about 5 minutes or until the leaves wilt. Add the green onion, arugula and herbs and cook for 2 mins more. Remove from the heat and transfer to a colander and cool.
Once the mixture is cool, squeeze out as much water as possible and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the three cheeses, lemon zest, eggs, salt and pepper and sugar and mix well.
Lay out a sheet of filo pastry and brush it with some olive oil. Cover with another sheet and continue in the same manner until you have 5 layers of filo brushed with oil, all covering an area large enough to line the sides and bottom or an 8 1/2″ pie dish, plus extra to hang over the rim of the dish. Line the pie dish with the pastry, fill with the herb mix and fold the excess pastry over the edge of the filling, trimming the pastry as necessary to create a 3/4″ border.
Make another set of 5 filo layers brushed with oil and place them over the pie. Scrunch up the pastry a little to create a wavy, uneven top and trim the edges so it just covers the pie.
Brush generously with olive oil and bake for 40 mins until the filo turns a nice golden brown.
Remove from the oven and serve warm or at room temperature.

Do-ahead · Egg based · Meat

New Zealand bacon and egg pie

November 2, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is the ultimate NZ recipe and a dish I would “kill” for! Nothing brings back those memories of picnics more than this. It’s also the best bacon and egg pie you could ever eat, as the eggs are left whole and when you hit one of those rich canary-yellow yolks, it’s like winning the lottery, aside from the big chunks of bacon.

Serves 12, (or in my case, 1)

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 9” by 11” sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed and chilled
20 eggs
1 tbsp heavy cream
8 oz grated mature cheddar cheese
1lb sliced bacon, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 400 F
Whisk together the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
Using a rolling pin, roll one sheet of puff pastry on a floured work surface to form an 11” x 14” rectangle; transfer to a 9” x 12 1/2” baking pan and let the excess hang over the sides.

Separate 1 of the eggs and place the egg yolk in a small bowl; stir in the cream, and set egg wash aside.
Place the remaining egg white evenly on top of the pastry, crack the eggs and drop them on top of the pastry, spacing them evenly apart, and sprinkle evenly with bacon, drizzle the ketchup mixture evenly over the eggs and bacon and sprinkle over the cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Fold the dough hanging over the edge of the pan, back over the ingredients and brush with some of the egg wash; roll the second pastry sheet into a 10” x 13” rectangle and place on top of the eggs and bacon, tucking the edges into the sides of the pan.
Cut 4 slits in the top of the pastry with a paring knife then brush completely with egg wash.

Bake until golden brown and the eggs and bacon are cooked through, about 1 hour; cut into squares and serve

Appetizers · Holiday Food · Vegetable-related

Roasted butternut squash, spinach and feta tartlets topped with pine nuts.

October 27, 2013November 3, 2018 Belinda

Once the cooler weather arrives, I just love cooking with pumpkins and squashes. This is a twist on the Greek dish, Spanakopita but has the addition of roasted butternut squash and pine nuts to add sweetness, along with the spinach and feta cheese. So good!!
You can also add sweet potato instead of the squash and replace the dill with other chopped herbs, like parsley or basil or use sun dried tomatoes, or some diced bacon with the onion. If you don’t like feta cheese, try parmesan or mozzarella or even a blue cheese.

6 sheets filo (phyllo) pastry, thawed
2 cups peeled, diced small butternut squash
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh spinach (around 8 oz) stems removed, chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp raw pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Toss the diced squash with 1 tbsp of olive oil, place in a single layer on a baking tray and cook for 15 minutes.
While the squash bakes, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
Cook the onion for 6 minutes, then add the spinach and cook for 4 minutes, stirring regularly.
Stir in the dill, salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
Stir in the crumbled feta and baked squash (keep the oven heated to 350 F) and set aside.
Combine the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil with the melted butter in a small bowl.
Place 2 filo sheets side by side on a work surface and brush each sheet evenly with the butter-oil mixture.
Place 2 more sheets on top and brush with butter-oil, then repeat once more.
Cut each stack into six 5 inch squares, for a total of 12 stacks with 3 sheets each.
Lightly grease a standard 12 cup muffin pan with butter-oil mixture.
Place each square filo stack into a muffin cup, pressing gently to mould the pastry into the bottom.
Spoon 1/4 cup of the spinach-pumpkin filling into each and fold the extra pastry back over the filling, roughly crumpling around the edges so that the filling is still exposed.
Brush the edges with the remaining butter-oil mix.
Sprinkle pine nuts in the middle of each tart.
Bake for 18 minutes, then remove from the oven and transfer the tarts from the muffin pan to a cooling rack.
Let cool slightly then serve.

Variation ; Instead of making 12 muffin-size tarts, you can make four individual pie-sized tarts or one larger pie

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Fish

Thai salmon filo parcels

August 19, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

These are super low fat, highly tasty and healthy.Wonderful to make ahead of time and perfect for entertaining. They are a Delia Smith fail-safe recipe that I often serve (UK chef and recipe book author)
Those lovely lime and cilantro flavors fill your mouth with freshness and the smoothness of the salmon and the crunchiness of the filo pastry says it all!

Serves 2, but can easily be doubled

2 middle-cut fillets of salmon, skin removed (about 5 oz each and an even thickness)
4 sheets filo pastry (approx 7″ x 12″)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 scallions, finely sliced
2 oz butter, melted
salt and ground black pepper

To serve;
a few sprigs of fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into quarters

Preheat the oven to 375 F

First of all, in a small bowl, mix together the ginger, lime zest, garlic, cilantro and scallion, then stir in the lime juice.
Now melt the butter in a small saucepan, then lay 1 sheet of filo pastry out on a flat surface, brush it all over with some of the melted butter, spread another sheet of filo on top and brush this lightly with melted butter as well.

Now position one of the salmon fillets near to one end of the filo, season it well and sprinkle half the lime and herb mixture on top.
Next, fold the short end of the pastry over the salmon, then fold the long sides inwards, roll the salmon over twice more and trim any surplus pastry (it’s important not to end up with great wedges of pastry at each end)

Wrap the other piece of salmon in exactly the same way and brush the parcels all
over with melted butter and place on a greased baking sheet.
At this point you can cover and refrigerate them for up to an hour, making sure you bring them to room temp before putting them in the oven uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is brown and crispy.

Serve garnished with sprigs of cilantro and wedges of the lime to squeeze over.

Do-ahead · Meat · Nuts

Moroccan-spiced pie with harissa yoghurt dressing

August 17, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

Ground meat is such a great way to save money but also have a dish that is spectacular to look at and eat. Ground lamb is so much more flavorful than ground beef and marries very well with the Moroccan spices. Thank you to the BBC Good Food Magazine for this recipe.

1lb ground lamb
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds. (I roast my own then grind them as they pack more flavor that way)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
4 medium carrots, grated coarsely
2 raw beets (beetroot) grated
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
5 tbsp butter
5 tbsp olive oil
15 sheets (200g) of Filo pastry
Freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tbsp olive oil for frying the meat

For the harissa yoghurt

2-3 tsp harissa
7 fl oz of Greek yoghurt
2 -3 tbsp milk
pinch of paprika

Put the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the ground meat until browned all over.
Add the garlic, ginger, spices and seasoning and stir in to the meat, frying for about 4 -5 minutes.
Add the carrots, beets, cranberries and most of the pine nuts, reserving about 1 tbsp for decoration.
Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes checking for taste then set aside and allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 425F
Melt the oil and butter together in a pan. Brush a 11 inch round loose bottom fluted flan tin with the oil and butter. Lay one sheet of the filo pastry in the bottom, allowing the edges to hang over the sides of the tin.
Brush lightly with oil and butter (you may need more than the recipe says) and continue to layer up to
8 sheets of pastry at alternate angles so that the whole base of the tin is covered and you have plenty hanging over the sides all round the tin.
Pile the cooked meat mixture into the tin and bring the pastry up over the filling, scrunching the pastry on top. Add 5 or 6 more sheets of filo on top to cover the top, brushing lightly with the butter/oil mixture then drizzle the remaining butter and oil mixture over the top.
Bake for 20 minutes and sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts and continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp.

Mix the harissa paste with the yoghurt and milk and sprinkle with a little paprika.
Slice the filo pie and serve hot with the harissa sauce on the side

Do-ahead · Egg based · Fish

Crab Quiche

August 14, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

Delicious and light.
Serves 6

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (with 1/2 cup set aside)
1 cup crabmeat, chopped and picked over for any bits of shell
4 eggs
1 & 1/2 cups light cream
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
3/4 tsp chopped fresh dill or 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
fresh crushed garlic to taste ( use 2 cloves)
A 9 inch deep frozen pie crust (defrosted)

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Place the cheese and crabmeat in the bottom of the pastry shell the set aside
Beat the remaining ingredients together thoroughly and pour into the pie shell over the crab. Sprinkle the top with the extra 1/2 cup of grated cheese.
Place on a baking sheet and cook on the lower shelf of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the filling is just set, puffy and golden.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack for 10 minutes before cutting into.

Note You can also substitute shrimp that is cleaned, peeled, deveined and chopped up

Appetizers

Caramelized onion, apple and bacon in phyllo cups with gorgonzola

June 10, 2012February 7, 2016 Belinda

This is a variation on the previous blog recipe with the addition of apple and bacon. Outrageous huh?

Ingredients

2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large yellow onions, sliced (1/4 inch slices)
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped finely
1 packed tbsp brown sugar
4 strips hickory smoked bacon, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup good gorgonzola cheese, crumbled. (Please don’t buy that ready crumbled stuff, it’s not Italian and tastes like wallboard)
26 mini phyllo shells from 2 x 1.9 oz packages in the freezer section. Prepare/cook according to the instructions

Directions

To make the caramelized onions, heat 2 tbsp butter and olive oil over medium low heat in a large non stick skillet.
Add the onions, cover and cook for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove the lid, and cook an additional 15 minutes or until beautifully caramelized.
To make the apples and bacon, heat the chopped apples in the remaining 1/2 tbsp butter and brown sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Saute for 10 to 12 minutes or until the apples are softened and lightly browned.
Wipe the pan clean and place the bacon in it. Saute over medium heat or until crispy and browned, stirring occasionally. Drain on paper towels.

To assemble the shells, place the caramelized onions, cooked apples and bacon and salt in a small bowl and mix well.
Evenly distribute the mixture among the mini phyllo shells. Top evenly with the crumbled gorgonzola.
You can put them in the oven at 400F for about 5 minutes until the gorgonzola is melted, but you don’t have to. I rather like the melty cheese on the top. Watch them incase the pastry starts to burn though.

This recipe makes 13 servings of two phyllo cups each.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers

Caramelized onion tart with gorgonzola and brie

June 10, 2012February 7, 2016 Belinda

If you can’t find fresh tarragon you can use crushed fennel seeds (about 1/2 tsp) and sprinkle over the tart. to replace the tarragon.
Makes 9 – 12 appetizer sized squares

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups sliced onions, sliced root to top into 1/4 inch slices (about 2 large onions)
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp ground pepper
8 oz frozen puff pastry, (defrosted in the fridge for a couple of hours)
3 oz chilled brie, rind removed and diced
3 oz gorgonzola or other blue cheese, diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon (or 1/2 tsp or so of crushed fennel seeds)

Directions

Heat the oil in a large deep pan on medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 10 minutes or until wilted and stating to brown. Add the sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat and cook gently for 25 to 30 minutes or until richly caramelized.
Add a little water if the onions look like they’re starting to dry out. Cool.

Roll the pastry into a 10 by 14 inch rectangle, or whatever shape you want. Place the pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Prick with a fork at a couple inch increments to prevent the pastry from forming big bubbles while baking.

Spread the onions over the pastry, all the way to the edges of the pastry. Dot with the cheese, sprinkle with the tarragon. Refrigerate if not baking immediately.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 18 to 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the pastry is crispy.
Cool for 5 minutes then cut into wedges or squares and enjoy!