Knut's 80+ Yummy Recipes

Close Window
Index:
BLACK BEAN CAKES
SWEET CORN CAKES
RED CAPSICUM SCROLLS
KORMA BEAN CAKES
GREEN TOMATO PICKLE PILLOWS
CARAMELISED ONION AND CHORIZO SCROLLS
TUSCAN VEGETABLE MINI MUFFINS
CORN AND CAPSICUM CAKES
RICOTTA CAKES
CHOKO PICKLE PIZZA
PAPRIKA AND CHEESE SCROLLS
BEAN SHOOT FRITTERS
CHORIZO TOMATO MUFFIN PIZZA
CAULIFLOWER CHEESE BREADSTICKS
MEAT AND VEGE LOAF
EGGPLANT TOPPERS
TOMATO AND BOCCONCINI PIZZA
SPRING CARNIVAL VEGETABLE SLICE
OLIVE BREAD AND CHORIZO CAKE
GREEK FETA AND MILD CHILLI MINI MUFFINS
ONION & CARROT PIKELETS
RATATOUILLE WONTONS
GLUTEN-FREE ARTICHOKE PUDDINGS
ONION TOMATO & FETTA STRUDEL
ROSEMARY POLENTA MADELEINES
BEAN AND CARROT MINI-BURGERS
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE AND SAGE PUDDING
CHICKPEA FILLO
CURRIED EGGPLANT SCROLLS
CORN & CHORIZO CAKES
SPICY POLENTA ARANCINI
GOATS FETTA AND SPINACH PIZZA
FILO PASTRY SAMOSAS
CORN & POTATO CAKES WITH GREEN YOGHURT
BAKED RICOTTA WITH PRESERVED LEMON
CHICKPEA SAMOSAS
SAVOURY FETTA CAKES
GREEN PIZZA
CARMEL'S ZUCCHINI SLICE
EGGPLANT CURRY
CHICK PEA & FETA FILO STRUDEL
BETKA SAMPHIRE PIE
OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH FETTA, SPRING ONIONS, OLIVES AND DILL
RICOTTA AND WALNUT FRITTERS
TERRIFIC TANDOORI TOFU
SWEET POTATO AND ONION PAKORAS
ANTIPASTO PIZZA BITES
CHICKPEA PIKELETS AND CHILLI SAUCE
SPICED RICOTTA CAKES
SPICY EGGPLANT PICKLE PILLOWS
POTATO AND BACON FRITTATA
PICKLED VEGETABLE STRUDEL ROLL
CHEESE AND TOMATO CHOUX PUFFS
PURPLE CARROT AND CHOKO PIE
SALMON and DILL PIKELETS WITH AIOLI SAUCE
PORK MEATBALLS WITH BEANS AND CAPERS
VEGETABLE BEER CAKES
POLENTA CAKES WITH VEGETABLES
COTTAGE CHEESE AND BEETROOT DUMPLINGS
LENTIL AND PUMPKIN CURRY PUFFS
PAPRIKA AND ONION SCROLLS
RICOTTA CORN CAKES
ARTICHOKE AND BASIL TART
POTATO AND CHICKPEA PIZZA
VEGETABLE STRUDEL
ASIAN STYLE GOLDEN PORK NUGGETS
SMOKED SALMON AND DILL TARTLETS
ROAST VEGETABLE AND FETTA PIZZA
SALAMI AND SWEET ONION PILLOWS
PUFF PASTRY PIZZA
SATAY PORK MEATBALLS
RED ONION AND CHEESE TART
SOY BRAISED VEGETABLE FILO ROLLS
BACON AND ONION CHEESECAKE
VEGETABLE PEAR/CHOKO RAFT
CHEESE AND MUSHROOM DUFFELS
BEAN AND PORK HOCK MINI PASTIES
MILD SATAY VEGIE PIZZA
SPANISH POTATO OMELETTE
HALOUMI FRITTERS
CURRIED VEGETABLE TARTLETS
SWEET POTATO AND BACON ROLLS
GNOCCHI LUNA / POLENTA CRESCENTS
CHICKEN & VEGIE QUICHE WITH CRUNCHY TOP
SUMMER GARDEN VEGETABLE QUICHE/SLICE
XMAS TURKEY CURRY MUFFINS WITH COUS COUS
PASTA AND VEGETABLE SLICE WITH CHORIZO
PESTO AND OLIVE BREAD PUDDING
SAUSAGE IN A BLANKET
VINELEAF VEGETABLE FINGERS
MUSHROOM AND PESTO SCROLLS WITH GARLIC AND CHEESE
CHORIZO AND BEAN CAKE
CORN & BACON TORTE
BLACK BEAN CAKES

BLACK BEAN AND BEAN CAKES
(Makes ~30 mini muffin tin sized cakes)

Ingredients:
1 x 400g tin 3 or 5 bean mix, drained and lightly mashed
5 tbsp good black bean sauce (store bought)
2 eggs, whisked
S&P
6 tbsp SR flour, or gluten free SR flour
~200ml milk
Spray oil (for the muffin tins)

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl
Grease mini muffin tins (I like and use silicon ones) and just fill the tin wells
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°C for ~ 18 - 20 minutes (a test skewer comes out dry). Continue with the rest of the mix until used
Cool cakes in the tins for a few minutes, before turning them out.

SWEET CORN CAKES
(Makes ~30 mini muffin tin sized cakes)

Ingredients:
1 x 400g tin corn kernels, drained
4 tbsp corn relish (store bought)
2 eggs, whisked
Salt & pepper
Cumin powder to taste (if used)
5 tbsp SR flour
~100ml milk
Spray oil (for the muffin tins)

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl
Grease mini muffin tins (I like and use silicon ones) and just fill the tin wells
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°C for ~ 18 minutes (a test skewer comes out dry). Continue with the rest of the mix until used
Cool cakes in the tins for a few minutes, before turning them out.

RED CAPSICUM SCROLLS
(makes ~ 30 scrolls)

Ingredients:
· 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry
· 3 medium red capsicum, deseeded and sliced thinly
· 2 medium red onions, sliced thinly
· 1 tbsp ground cumin
· 3 tbsp olive oil
· Salt, pepper & sugar to taste
· 50g grated cheese
· Bake paper

Method:
· Cook down the onions and capsicum on low to medium heat, season to taste, let cool
· Should the mix be runny or watery, then thicken slightly with a small amount of dry bread crumbs
· Defrost the pastry and spread with the cooled mix, leaving a 2 finger gap on one side
· Top sheets with just a little cheese and roll up towards the clean end. Roll not too tight
· Rest roll on the fold and cut across into 1 finger thick slices/scrolls, flatten them ever so lightly
· Place evenly spaced with gaps on papered trays and bake at 190°C for ~16-18 minutes
· Scrolls are ready, when golden brown and pastry is cooked through and dry.
ENJOY

KORMA BEAN CAKES
(makes ~ 30 mini muffin sizes)

Ingredients:
· 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained
· ½ large red capsicum, deseeded & diced finely
· 1 egg, lightly whisked
· 2 tbsp korma paste
· 3 tbsp SR flour
· 1 tsp bicarb of soda
· Spray oil

Method:
· Pre heat oven to 180/190°C
· Combine all ingredients in a bowl
· Grease the mini muffin tins with the spray oil and just fill with the mixture
· Bake for ~ 16 minutes (a tooth pick will come out clean and dry)
· Cool on a wire rack, or enjoy warm as a snack
GREEN TOMATO PICKLE PILLOWS
(makes 32 mini muffin tin pillows)

Ingredients:
· 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, cut into 16 squares each
· Green tomato pickles, or any other pickle you like
· Grated cheese to your liking
· 2 x 12 cup mini muffin trays
· Spray oil

Method:
· Pre heat oven to 190°C
· Grease tins with spray oil & press in the pastry squares
· ½ fill the squares with the pickles & top with a little of the cheese
· Bake in oven for ~ 20-24 minutes.
· Repeat the filling and baking process until all the squares have been used up.
CARAMELISED ONION AND CHORIZO SCROLLS
(makes ~ 25-30 scrolls)

Ingredients:
· 2 sheets frozen puff pastry
· 1 chorizo sausage, Ό lengthways & cut into thin slices
· 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
· Grated cheese to your liking
· Salt to taste
· ½ tsp dry marjoram
· Tomato sauce or pizza sauce, or hommus spread (you choose)

Method:
· Pre heat oven to 190°C
· Fry sausage & drain on kitchen paper BUT reserve the oil/fat to gently fry the onions in. Cook slowly to soften & season with marjoram & salt
· Spread chosen “sauce” over both pastry sheets, leaving a 2 finger wide edge on one side only
· Divide sausage and onions in bands across the pastry, then roll firmly, but not tight towards the “free edge” & rest it there
· Cut across the roll ~ finger thick & lay the slices/scrolls face down on baking sheet
· Leave a space between each, as they’ll expand during baking
· Sprinkle lightly with cheese & bake for ~ 12-15 minutes
· Enjoy warm or cold as a snack, or part of a Mezze plate. They also go well with a drink.
TUSCAN VEGETABLE MINI MUFFINS
makes ~ 40 – 50 mini muffins)

Ingredients:
Vegetables
· 1 medium onion, chopped finely
· 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
· ½ red capsicum, chopped finely
· ½ zucchini, chopped finely
· 50g broccoli, chopped finely
· 1 medium carrot, chopped finely
· ½ red chilli, deseeded, chopped finely
· 1 tsp Tuscan seasoning
· Spray oil to sweat the vegetables with

Ingredients:
muffin batter
· 2 eggs
· 100ml vegetable or olive oil
· 250ml milk
· 400g SR flour or 400g plain flour with 3tsp baking powder
· Ό tsp salt (to taste)

Method:
· Pre heat oven to 180°C
· Gently fry/sweat all vegetables to soften & season with Tuscan seasoning, then cool
· Grease muffin tins with spray oil
· Combine all batter ingredients & gently stir until just combined
· Divide evenly to a just level fill among the greased mini muffin trays
· Bake for ~16 minutes, or until a skewer comes out dry & clean
· Serve with cream cheese, or yoghurt, or chilli jam, or garlic aioli, or tomato relish.
CORN AND CAPSICUM CAKES
(makes ~26 mini muffin tin sized cakes)
Ingredients:
1 x 400g tin corn kernels, drained
100g red capsicum, tinned, diced finely
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 egg, whisked
S&p
Cumin powder to taste
3 tbsp plain flour
100ml milk
Spray oil (for the muffin tins)

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl
Grease mini muffin tins (I like and use silicon ones) and just fill the tin wells
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°C for ~ 15 minutes (a test skewer comes out dry). Continue with the rest of the mix until used
Cool cakes in the tins for a few minutes, before turning them out.
RICOTTA CAKES - (makes ~ 30 mini muffin tin size cakes)
Ingredients:
· 250g ricotta cheese
· 100ml milk
· 2 eggs, whisked
· 1 clove garlic, finely minced
· S&p
· Pinch or two cumin powder (to taste)
· 40g semi dried tomatoes, finely chopped
· Spray oil (for muffin tins)
Method:
· Blend all ingredients in a blender/mixer for the cheese to reach a smooth consistency
· Grease mini muffin tins with spray oil and just fill them with the mix
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C for ~ 12-15 minutes (inserted skewer comes out clean and dry)
· Let the cakes rest a few minutes in the tins, before turning them out
· Repeat with the rest of the mix, until all is used up.
· Enjoy.
PICKLE PIZZA

PICKLE PIZZA
Ingredients:
· 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry
· 1 jar of choko pickles, or your favourite pickle or spread
· ½ cup of shredded cheese

Method:
· Lay pastry on baking sheet and top with the pickle – spread out; then lightly sprinkle with the shredded cheese
· Bake at ~190 C until golden on top and the pastry has baked through
· Cut into desired slices/pieces and enjoy hot or cold
PAPRIKA AND CHEESE SCROLLS

PAPRIKA AND CHEESE SCROLLS
(makes ~ 26-30 small ones)
Ingredients:
· 2 sheets frozen puff pastry
· 6 tbsp ajvar (mild), or eggplant dip, or paprika paste/spread, or similar
· ½ cup chopped fresh basil
· ½ cup grated cheese
· Spray oil

Method:
· Spread ajvar (or other) onto the sheets of defrosted puff pastry, leaving a 2 finger wide edge on one side
· Top with basil and cheese, then roll up onto the (uncovered) edge and cut ~1 finger thick slices across the roll
· Place these scrolls flat (cut side down) onto lined bake tray and spray with a little spray oil
· Bake in pre heated oven at 190°C for ~20-25 minutes, or until browned and the pastry is cooked through.
· Cool on wire rack, or enjoy hot
BEAN SPROUT FRITTERS
BEAN SPROUT FRITTERS (makes ~ 30 small fritters)
Ingredients:
· ~400g tin of bean sprouts or stir-fry vegies (bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnut)
· 50g SR flour
· S & P to taste
· 1 egg, whisked
· 100g French style lentils, cooked/tinned
· 1 tsp Thai seasoning
· ½ tsp cumin powder
· 1 tsp dried coriander leaves (fresh, if you have it)
· ½ tsp crushed garlic
· (some milk, if batter is too thick)
· Spray oil

Method:
· Drain tinned vegetables and combine with all other ingredients in a bowl
· Fry in fry pan (with a little of the spray oil) small fritters – quite thin. Turn over and cook other side briefly
· Enjoy with a salad, a sauce of your liking, or as part of a meal.
CHORIZO TOMATO MUFFIN PIZZA
CHORIZO TOMATO MUFFIN PIZZA (makes ~ 20-24)
Ingredients:
· ½ chorizo sausage, Ό lengthways and sliced very thinly
· 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, Ό and sliced thinly
· Salt and pepper to taste
· 2 sheets of filo pastry
· Spray oil
· Cheddar cheese, grated
· Mini muffin tins

Method:
· Dry fry the sausage til crisp, then drain - cool
· Fry the tomatoes in the remaining fat til soft – cool
· Lay out 1st sheet of pastry and spray with oil, then top with 2nd sheet – cut them into small squares (24)
· Spray mini muffin tins with oil and line with pastry squares
· ½ fill pastries with mix and top with cheese
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 200°C for ~ 10-12 minutes until golden brown
· Remove and cool slightly, then just enjoy
CAULIFLOWER CHEESE BREAD STICKS
(serves ~6-8)

Ingredients:
· 600g cauliflower florets
· 1/3 cup parsley, chopped
· 1/3 cup sweet basil, chopped
· 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, grated (plus an extra handful for the top)
· 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated or flaked
· 3 eggs, whisked
· Salt and pepper to taste
· Spray oil

Method:
· Blitz cauliflower in food processor until it resembles rice
· In a bowl – mix all and season to taste
· Line a bake dish with non stick bake paper and fill with mixture – firm down gently
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 200°C for ~ 10-15 minutes, then take out and spread additional cheese over the top
· Bake a further 15 minutes, or until the top has achieved a nice and golden colour
· Remove – cool slightly – cut - enjoy
MEAT AND VEGE LOAF
Ingredients:
· 125g chicken mince, fine
· 150g pork mince, fine
· 1 medium carrot, grated
· 1 smallish zucchini, grated
· 1 brown onion, grated
· 2 cloves garlic, grated
· 1 egg, whisked
· Breadcrumbs to thicken the mixture & absorb the excess moisture
· S & P (plus additional seasoning to your liking)
· White sesame seeds, as garnish over the top of the loaf
· Bake paper
· Spray oil
· Small loaf tin

Method:(you know that '~' means 'about')
· Line a small loaf tin with the bake paper & spray with oil
· Combine all ingredients in a bowl & season – the amount of the bread crumbs depends on the moistness of the mixture
· Place all into the loaf tin & smooth out, then sprinkle sesame seeds over the top of the loaf
· Bake in a pre-heated oven at ~180/190°C for ~45/50 minutes (inserted skewer comes out clean and dry)
· Let stand for ~5/10 minutes, then slice to desired thickness and enjoy as it, or as a meal with say potatoes and a salad. Or similar
EGGPLANT TOPPERS
EGGPLANT TOPPERS
Ingredients:
· Eggplant, medium, cut into slices (or ½, if too big)
· Tomato sauce, bottle
· Garlic, crushed, jar
· Grated cheese
· Bake paper
· Spray oil

Method:
· Lay out eggplant slices on bake paper, top with a little tomato sauce & garlic. Mix this together & top with cheese
· BBQ or bake in oven (180-200°C) until golden and yummy
· Eat & enjoy
TOMATO AND BOCCONCINI PIZZA
TOMATO AND BOCCONCINI PIZZA (makes ~32 bite size pieces)

Ingredients:
· 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (reduced fat)
· 3 large Roma tomatoes, cored, Ό lengthways & sliced
· 1 medium red onion, finely diced
· 1 jar baby bocconcini cheese (300g in brine), sliced
· 6 tbsp ajvar (medium hot red paprika spread) or tomato paste or pizza sauce paste or pasta sauce
· 1 cup grated cheese
· 2 tbsp Masterfood “Tuscan Seasoning”
· Spray oil (to grease the bake sheets)

Method:
· Pre heat oven to 200°C
· Thaw pastry sheets and place on greased bake sheets – top with ajvar or similar and spread around
· Top with sliced tomatoes & the bocconcini – season with the Tuscan Seasoning & top with grated cheese
· Bake in oven for ~ 15 – 25 minutes with top and bottom heat. Ensure the pastry is cooked through!
· Take out – slice – eat – enjoy.
SPRING CARNIVAL VEGETABLE SLICE
(makes ~ 36 bite size squares)

Ingredients:
· 2 medium carrots, grated
· 2 medium zucchini, grated
· 1 onion, grated
· 1 small green apple, grated
· Olive oil
· Ground cumin
· Ground turmeric
· Salt & pepper
· Sunflower seeds
· 150g cottage cheese
· 4 tbsp SR flour
· 3 eggs, whisked
· ½ cup parsley, chopped
· Little water (to soften the mix)
· Grated cheese for over the top
· ~20x20cm bake dish, greased

Method:
· Cook the vegetables in enough olive oil to soften and slightly evaporate the liquid – cool mixture
· Mix cheese, spices, seeds, flour, eggs & parsley – thin this with a little water, if the mix is thickish
· Add cooked and cooled vegetable mix into this batter – combine well
· Spread mixture evenly in the bake dish & sprinkle grated cheese over
· Bake at 200°C for ~20/25 minutes. Cheese should be golden and a skewer comes out clean and dry
· Serve hot or cold. A spicy sauce or condiment goes really well with this dish.
OLIVE BREAD AND CHORIZO CAKE
OLIVE BREAD AND CHORIZO CAKE (my recipe makes ~30 bite size slices, as a snack)

Ingredients:
· Olive bread (Coles have that), cut into slices
· Marinated feta, cut small
· Fire roasted red capsicum (in a jar), cut small dice
· 1 chorizo sausage, cut into ½ slices and fried to crispy state
· Thyme and summer savoury seasoning
· Chillies, if used
· 1 tub of sour cream
· 200ml milk
· 2 eggs, beaten
· Spray oil
· Grated cheese to your liking to sprinkle over the top

Method:
· Spray foil BBQ dish or baking dish with spray oil and spread out the bread slices (1 layer)
· Top with capsicum, feta, chorizo and seasoning
· Mix milk, sour cream and beaten eggs and pour over the dish; top with grated cheese
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 180/190°C for ~ 20 minutes, or until done (a skewer in centre comes out clean)
· Rest after baking, then remove from tray and cut into suitable slices/pieces
· Serve hot or cold as a starter or main meal with say a salad or similar
GREEK FETA AND MILD CHILLI MINI MUFFINS
(Makes ~32 mini muffins)

Ingredients:
· 1 large mild red chilli pepper
· 1 cup corn meal/polenta
· 1 cup plain flour
· 1/4 cup sugar (yes – that much!)
· 2 tsp baking powder
· 1 tsp salt
· 1 cup milk
· 1 egg, whisked
· 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
· 120g goats feta (or grated cheddar if you prefer), crumbled finely

Method:
· Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly "spray oil" a mini muffin tin.
· Cut chillies in half and scrape out seeds. Then thinly slice them into half-round slivers.
· In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal/polenta, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, egg, and melted butter.
· Fold in cheese and the chillies, reserving a few slivers of pepper to garnish the tops.
· Divide batter between the muffin tin wells. Top the muffins with the reserved peppers.
· Bake until golden brown, ~12 to 18 minutes. A tester should come out clean from one of the centre muffins.
· Enjoy hot or cold with a beer, some salad, or as a side dish to chicken-beef-lamb-BBQ meats
Note: Best served with a sauce, like minted yoghurt or a salad cream or similar.
ONION & CARROT PIKELETS
(makes ~ 36 pikelets)

Ingredients:
· 1 large red onion, grated
· 1 large carrot, grated
· 1 tsp cumin powder
· Ό tsp ginger powder
· 1 clove garlic, crushed
· ½ tsp salt
· 1 cup SR flour
· Ό tsp bicarb of soda
· ½ cup water
· 1 egg, beaten
· Chilli flakes, to your liking (if used)
· 1 sprig coriander, chopped finely
· Olive oil (spray) for frying

Method:
· Combine all ingredients to make the batter – whisk until smooth. You should achieve a "thickish" consistency
· Use a table spoon to drop batter into the frypan and form small pikelets, or similar (pancakes)
· Fry approximately 1 to 2 minutes on each side, using the spray oil
· Serve hot or cold with a yoghurt sauce, containing grated cucumber
· Enjoy!
RATATOUILLE WONTONS
RATATOUILLE IN WONTON WRAPPERS, OR SKINS

Ingredients:
· 1 red onion, 1 cm dice
· 4 cloves garlic, diced
· 1 red capsicum, deseeded & cut into 1 cm dice
· 1 medium eggplant, 1 cm dice
· 1 medium zucchini, 1 cm dice
· Handful deseeded black olives
· Mediterranean spice mix (oregano, cumin, rosemary, sage)
· Salt & pepper to taste
· 1 bay leaf
· 2-3 tbsp olive oil
· 1 pck tomato paste
· 1 can diced tomatoes
· 1 tsp sugar
· Spray oil

Method:
· Sweat the vegetables in olive oil – add tomato paste & stir in
· Add diced tomatoes and perhaps a little water. Now season with the spices & add bay leaf, including the sugar.
· Cook for ~10 minutes, or until vegetables start to soften, then add olives (if used). Adjust seasoning to your liking – remove from heat
· Spray mini muffin tin with spray oil and line the moulds with wonton wrapper sheets – press in and allow high sides
· In pre-heated oven (190 – 200°C) cook/bake these wonton skins/wrappers until golden
· Remove and store, or use immediately with the ratatouille as a filling

Ratatouille can also be used as a vegetable base or side for fish, chicken, pork dishes, rissoles, sausages with mash and lots of other applications.
Enjoy.
GLUTEN-FREE ARTICHOKE PUDDINGS (makes 24 mini muffin size puddings)

Ingredients:
· 1 Ό cup gluten free SR flour
· ½ tsp bicarb of soda
· 2 eggs, whisked
· 2 tbsp HP sauce (or similar)
· ½ cup milk
· 24 x Ό artichoke hearts, or Ό bottoms
· Olive oil

Method:
· Pre-heat oven to 200°C
· Just cover the bottoms of all the mini muffin wells with olive oil and heat to high in oven
· For the batter mix all the ingredients (minus the artichokes) together and whisk briefly to remove any possible lumps
· ½ fill all the wells of the muffin tin with the pudding batter and insert one piece of artichoke in the middle
· Work very quickly, as the pudding will start to cook immediately in the oil
· Bake for ~10 minutes, let rest a short while, then remove from mini muffin tin
· Enjoy hot or cold with a salad, a roast, drinks, as part of a mesa plate, or similar.
top
ONION TOMATO & FETTA STRUDEL
(makes ~30 bite size pieces, or serves 4 as a main meal)

Ingredients:
· 3 onions, finely chopped
· 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
· 1 tin (400g) diced tomatoes
· 2 tbsp vinegar
· 2 tsp brown sugar
· 2 tbsp pesto, or ~20 basil leaves, torn
· 12 sheets filo pastry
· Salt & pepper
· Spray oil
· 340g feta cheese, crumbled
· ~60ml olive oil

Method:
· Fry onions & garlic in olive oil to glassy looking, then add tomatoes plus ½ tin of water
· Gently cook this mixture down until all the liquid has evaporated
· Add vinegar, pesto and sugar and stir through. Mixture should be quite thickish at this stage – now cool completely
· Once mix is cool, add the crumbled cheese and combine
· Spray a sheet of filo with spray oil, cover with a second sheet – oil & top with sheet number three
· Spread ½ of the filling onto the base of the prepared sheets and roll up to form a flattish sausage shape – repeat with the other sheets & the rest of the filling
· Transfer strudels onto greased baking sheets (if they don't fit, cut the strudels in ½) & bake in pre-heated oven at 200°C for ~20 – 25 minutes, or until golden
· Enjoy either hot, as a main meal with say a salad, or cold cut into fingers as a snack or starter.
ROSEMARY POLENTA MADELEINES
(makes 24)
This recipe is brought to you by Arthur and Liz

Ingredients
· 90g plain flour
· 70g polenta
· 1 tsp salt
· ½ tsp baking powder
· ½ tsp bicarb soda
· 1 tsp salt
· 2 eggs
· 180ml buttermilk (I used about 150ml milk and 30ml plain yogurt)
· 30g grated parmesan
· ½ tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
· 85g butter, melted

Method
· Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan forced)
· Sift the flour, bicarb, salt, baking powder and polenta together.
· Whisk the eggs until very light and almost doubled in volume.
· Fold in the flour mixture, buttermilk, cheese and rosemary until just combined.
· Stir in the butter well. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
· Grease the madeleine moulds, or small muffin pan.
· Spoon the batter into the moulds, filling to about Ύ full.
· Bake in the centre of the oven until puffed up and the edges have started to brown – about 10 minutes.
· Immediately turn them out onto a cake rack and let cool. Serve on the day they are made.
BEAN & CARROT MINI-BURGERS

(makes ~ 20 mini burgers)

Ingredients:
· 1 x 400g tin beans, drained of liquid (either 4 bean mix, or any single variety of plain beans – not baked beans)
· 1 medium red onion, finely diced
· 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
· 1 egg, whisked
· Ό preserved lemon skin, finely diced (this can be left out, if you wish)
· 1 x 120g carrot, finely grated
· Dried bread crumbs (enough to bind the mixture together, so mini burgers can be formed)
· 1 pinch of each: cumin, turmeric, ginger, sumac (increase the amounts of ingredients to your liking)
· Salt & pepper to taste
· Spray oil for "frying"

Method:
· Mash the beans & add all other ingredients – combine
· Thicken with enough breadcrumbs, so that the mixture holds together and mini burgers can easily be formed
· Gently fry the burgers in a little of the spray oil until golden on both sides
· Rest the burgers a little – they are fragile at this stage and can easily break
· Enjoy hot or cold with your favourite sauce, a salad and/or fries. Or even as a (vegetable) burger
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE AND SAGE PUDDING
Ingredients:
· 1 kg Jerusalem Artichokes, cleaned & roughly peeled & cut into thin slices
· ½ cup fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
· 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
· Olive oil for frying
· 4 eggs, beaten
· 500ml milk
· 6 slices (brown, or rye, or wholemeal) bread
· 100g grated cheese
· Salt & pepper to taste
· Spray oil

Method:
· Fry artichokes in olive oil in batches to brown and cook, add garlic in small amounts to each batch
· Spray a baking dish (~24 x 24 cm square, is what I used)
· Lay slices of bread to evenly to cover the base of the bake dish, then place all the Jerusalem artichokes & spread out
· Mix milk with beaten egg, season to taste & mix in the chopped basil leaves – pour over the artichokes
· Let this sit for ~ 30 minutes for some of the milk to soak into the bread, sprinkle the cheese over the dish
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 175°C until set (15 – 25 minutes – a wooden skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean & dry)
· Let the pudding rest for a few minutes, before turning it out from the baking dish & cutting it into your preferred portion sizes.
· Enjoy!

NOTE: INSTEAD OF THE JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES YOU COULD ALSO USE: PUMPKIN, POTATO, KOHLRABI, TARO ROOT, SWEET POTATOES OR SIMILAR FIBROUS VEGETABLES.
FRESH SAGE CAN BE SUBSTITUTED WITH DRIED SAGE.
top
CHICKPEA FILLO
CHICKPEA FILLO
Ingredients:
· 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained
· Dried bread crumbs (to soak up liquid of mixture)
· 6 x Fillo pastry sheets
· 2 large red onions, sliced
· 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
· 1 ½ tbsp Patak's Tandoori paste (mild)
· 1 tbsp Patak's lime pickles (gives saltiness & slight hotness)
· Salt & pepper to taste
· 2 tbsp olive oil
· Spray oil

Method:
· Cook onion with garlic in olive oil until just soft (no colour), add paste and pickles & mix through
· Add water to moisten and cook down to almost dry
· Add chickpeas & combine – season to taste. Now cool the mixture, then thicken with dry bread crumbs
· Lay out 1 sheet of fillo pastry & spray with oil, top with second sheet, spray & add top layer of pastry (sheet no. 3)
· Spread mixture onto bottom section of pastry sheets & roll up into a "flattened" sausage
· Repeat with rest of mixture (should make 2 "sausages")
· Transfer onto oiled baking trays & spray tops, then bake in pre heated oven for ~20-30 minutes until golden
· Cool on wire rack, then slice in desired thicknesses
· Enjoy hot or cold. As is, or with minted joghurt.
CURRIED EGGPLANT SCROLLS
CURRIED EGGPLANT SCROLLS (makes ~24) [~ means 'about']

Ingredients:
· 200g eggplant, sliced & diced, but not too small
· 1 medium red onion, diced finely
· 2 cloves garlic, diced finely
· 1 tbsp Patak's lime pickle
· 2 tbsp Patak's (mild) tandoori paste
· Salt & pepper to taste
· 2 sheets frozen puff pastry
· Spray oil
· 3 tbsp olive oil

Method:
· Gently fry onions and garlic in olive oil (no colour)
· Add eggplant pieces – toss through, then add lime pickle & tandoori paste – combine
· Now you want to add water to prevent sticking – ~ ½ way up the curry in the dish
· Reduce heat and gently cook until eggplant is soft and the liquid has reduced to almost a syrupy consistency – cool
· Spread the cooled curry onto 2 sheets of puff pastry & loosely roll up into a cylinder
· Cut across into ~1 finger thick slices & place them facedown onto a sprayed bake sheet
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 180 C for ~ 20 minutes, or until golden in colour and the pastry cooked through
· Enjoy as a hot or cold snack, or part of a vegetarian meal
CORN & CHORIZO CAKES
CORN & CHORIZO CAKES
(makes 24 mini muffin sizes)


Ingredients:
· 1 ½ chorizo sausage, Ό cut lengthways, then cut into small pieces
· 1 x 400g tin corn kernels, drained
· 2 eggs, whisked
· 3 tbsp SR flour
· 6 tbsp milk
· Salt & pepper to taste


Method:
· Pre-heat oven to 200°C
· Cook the sausage in a little oil until all pieces start to crisp up – set aside to cool (drain the fat off)
· Combine corn, flour & eggs, milk to get a batter like mixture – add the cooled sausage pieces. Season to taste
· Grease mini muffin tin and fill with mixture – bake ~20 minutes, or until set & firm. (Test with a skewer, which comes out clean when ready)
· Enjoy on its own or match with a salad
SPICY POLENTA ARANCINI
SPICY POLENTA ARANCINI

(makes ~28 polenta balls)

Ingredients:
· 2 cups water
· Ύ cup fine semolina
· 1 egg yolk
· 40g parmesan cheese, grated
· Salt & pepper to taste
· 1tbsp chilli paste/sauce, or sambal olec – if you like it hot
· Picked onions cut in ½, or fried chorizo pieces, or hard cheese cubes, or boiled peas or corn kernels
· Extra semolina with which to coat the arancinis

Method:
· Bring water to boil and "rain" in semolina/polenta, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon
· Keep stirring till mixture thickens (mind though, as the polenta will "spit" and it's very hot!)
· Take off the heat, season, stir in the cheese and chilli (if using), then cool, before working in the egg yolk
· Once the polenta has cooled enough for you to comfortably handle it, shape small balls in your hands, insert the desired filling & re-roll
· Slightly flatten the arancinis & coat lightly in the raw semolina – re-shape, then set all the arancinis out on baking paper lined tray
· Bake in a pre-heated oven at 220°C until slightly golden
· Serve hot or cold with a mayonnaise style dressing/dipping sauce.
GOATS FETTA AND SPINACH PIZZA


Ingredients:
· 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, defrosted
· 300g tomato sauce/passata, or pasta bake sauce
· 1 tbsp minced garlic
· 200g goats feta cheese, or any feta you like - crumbled
· 200g semi dried tomatoes, chopped
· 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves
· Grated parmesan cheese to your liking
· Salt and pepper

Method:
· Pre heat oven to 200°C
· Spread tomato and garlic onto both sheets of puff pastry (right out to the edges)
· Top pastry with feta, semi dried tomato and spinach
· Season with s&p and sprinkle over with parmesan cheese
· Bake for ~ 15 20 minutes, or until top starts to colour & bottom of pastry is cooked through
· Cut into your preferred serving sizes and enjoy as is, or with a salad
FILO PASTRY SAMOSAS
FILO PASTRY SAMOSAS

Ingredients:
· 100g Tinned peas, drained
· 100g Tinned corn kernels, drained
· 100g Carrots, diced and cooked
· 100g Potatoes, diced and cooked
· 10 Cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
· Curry powder, or your favourite curry paste
· 1 egg yolk
· Filo pastry sheets
· Spray oil

Method:
· Mix all vegetable ingredients with egg and curry, season if required
· Lay out 3 filo sheets on top of one another - one at a time, spraying layers with oil
· Divide sheets into three long bands with a knife, then cut the lengths in half
· Place a tbsp worth of mixture on top end of each length of pastry, then fold over and over again to form triangles with all sides closed
· Repeat process until all mixture and/or filo pastry is used.
· Place parcels onto baking trays, spray tops with spray oil and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for ~15 minutes, or until golden brown
CORN & POTATO CAKES WITH GREEN YOGHURT
CORN & POTATO CAKES WITH GREEN YOGHURT
(makes ~20 mini muffin shapes)
Ingredients:
· 100g corn kernels, drained
· 100g cooked potatoes, cut very small
· 30g shallots, greens finely chopped
· 1 tsp minced garlic
· ½ tsp cumin powder
· 1 egg, slightly beaten
· 2 tbsp SR flour
· 4 tbsp milk
· Spray oil

Method:
· Preheat oven at 200°C and spray a mini muffin tin with the oil
· In a bowl combine all ingredients and work smooth – mixture should be somewhat sloppy – season to taste
· Spoon into muffin tins and bake for ~12 – 15 minutes (a skewer comes out clean)
For the green yoghurt: Combine 100g plain Greek style yoghurt with 2 tbsp of pesto, or chop some of your favourite herbs into it – season to taste
BAKED RICOTTA WITH PRESERVED LEMON
BAKED RICOTTA WITH PRESERVED LEMON

Ingredients:
· 250g fat reduced ricotta cheese
· ½ clove garlic, crushed
· ½ preserved lemon, skin only, cut into fine strips
· 60g semi dried tomatoes, cut into strips
· 1 tbsp capers, chopped
· 20g parsley, finely chopped
· 20g coriander leaves, finely chopped
· 1 lemon/lime, juiced
· 30ml olive oil
· Olive oil spray

Method:
· Preheat oven to 250°C
· Depending how the ricotta comes – reshape it to your liking by pressing it into a suitable mould (maybe a little water to smooth things out)
· Bake the ricotta on a tray with baking paper & the top sprayed with olive oil for ~20 minutes or until browned
· Combine the other ingredients in a bowl
· Lift the baked cheese off the tray (maybe an egg lifter or similar is helpful here) & top with the dressing
· Serve with crackers or crusty bread – this is lovely hot or cold.

CHICKPEA SAMOSAS
CHICKPEA SAMOSAS (makes 40 mini samosas)

Ingredients:
· 20 wonton wrappers, cut in ½ to form 2 x triangles – or you could use shortcrust pastry
· ½ tin (@400g) chickpeas, drained really well and puréed
· 1 tsp minced garlic
· ½ tsp cumin powder
· Ό tsp ground coriander
· Salt to taste
· 1 egg yolk
· Spray oil (for surface of folded samosas)

Method:
· Lay out pastry triangles & nest combined mixture in centre (max. 1 tsp)
· Wet edges with water, fold triangles over & press edges with a fork to seal
· Arrange on a baking tray, spray tops with oil, bake in pre-heated oven at 200 C for ~ 10 minutes – then turn over to colour the other side
· Could also be deep fried (faster, but fattier), or steamed and served with dipping sauce

SAVOURY FETTA CAKES
SAVOURY FETA CAKES

(makes 24 mini muffin type cakes)

Ingredients:
· 250g firm (low salt) feta, crumbled really well
· 2 eggs, slightly whisked
· 2 tbsp SR flour
· Spray oil
· Mini muffin tins

Method:
· Combine feta, eggs & flour, work smooth (no flour lumps)
· Grease muffin tray with the spray oil & Ύ fill the moulds with the cake mixture
· Bake in pre heated oven at 200 C for ~ 10-12 minutes
· Once removed from the oven – press a blueberry into the still warm centre of each cake
· Cool slightly before removing the cakes from the mini muffin trays – then enjoy.

GREEN PIZZA
GREEN PIZZA

Ingredients:
· 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, defrosted
· 200g jar basil pesto, or homemade pesto, if you make this sort of thing
· 100g green olives, (de)stoned, chopped
· Grated cheese (to your liking)

Method:
· Pre heat oven to 190°C
· Spread the pesto evenly onto the sheets of pastry including right out to the edges.
· Top with olives & sprinkle the grated cheese over
· Bake in oven for ~20 minutes – top is starting to crisp & bottom of pastry is evenly golden
· Cut pizza and enjoy – hot or cold

CARMEL'S ZUCCHINI SLICE WITH SMOKED SALMON
(This is an adjusted recipe from "Simply Heaven" – Philadelphia recipes for all occasions and makes 24 to 36 slices)

Ingredients:
· 2 large (400g) zucchini, grated
· 1 onion, grated
· 200g PHILLY spreadable cream cheese
· 1 cup self raising flour
· ½ cup grated tasty cheese
· ½ cup oil
· 5 eggs, lightly beaten
· 1 clove garlic, crushed/minced
· Salt & pepper to taste
· 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped (fresh or dried is ok)
· 1 lemon rind, finely grated
· 100g sliced smoked salmon, cut into small strips

Method:
· Drain excess moisture from zucchini & combine with onion, ½ of the PHILLY, flour, cheese, oil, eggs & seasoning until well combined
· Spoon the mix into greased & lined 22cm x 30cm pan and bake in moderate oven at 180°C for ~30 minutes or until firm to the touch
· Allow to cool, then cut into small squares or sections to your liking
· Combine the other ½ PHILLY with dill and rind. Top each section with a dollop of the PHILLY mixture & smoked salmon strips (decorate with fresh dill sprig if available)
· Other toppings could be: dill pickle slices, cocktail onions, fried chorizo slices, roasted red capsicum from the jar, pieces of fried chicken breast, etc, etc
· Goes really well served hot with a salad too.
· Enjoy YOUR version!

EGGPLANT CURRY
As you can see from the amounts – this is a bulk production, however the recipe can easily be halved, if it seems to massive to you.
I served the eggplant curry in baked wonton skins last night, but puff pastry, short pastry or even filo pastry cases are suitable "containers"

Ingredients:
· 1 kg eggplants, slim (if you can get them), diced smallish
· 20-30 g garlic (~5 cloves), cut finely
· 300g red onion (2) diced
· 100ml olive oil
· 1tbsp cumin powder
· 1tbsp crushed ginger (jar), or freshly grated (skin on is ok)
· 1tbsp salt (or to your liking)
· 3-4tbsp sugar (or to your liking & depending on the bitterness of the eggplant)
· 2tbsp tandoori paste
· 1tsp coriander
· 1tsp turmeric
· Water

Method:
· Gently fry onions & garlic in the oil; when onions have softened add the dry spices and ginger.
· Stir through & when aromatic add tandoori paste. Dissolve paste with a little water, then add eggplant & stir through.
· Top with enough water to ~1/2 cover the vegetable, turn down the heat to simmer & cook until all is softened & liquid has reduced.
· You might have to stir every now and then to prevent the dish from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
· Now season with salt and sugar to taste. Continue to reduce the liquid to just about a paste consistency.
· Cool down to use & keep the curry in the fridge, or ladle into hot sterilised jars to keep it even longer (I refrigerate the jars all the same).
· Enjoy!

CHICK PEA & FETA FILO STRUDEL
(makes 3 rolls of ~ 10 finger thick strudel slices)
Ingredients:
· 1 medium onion, finely cut
· 3 cloves garlic, finely cut
· 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained
· 200-250g feta or firm goats' cheese, crumbled
· ½ red capsicum, deseeded & cubed
· ½ zucchini, cubed
· 1 medium carrot, cubed
· Hint of ginger (if used)
· 3 tbsp chives, snipped
· 2 tbsp olive oil
· Spray oil
· 1 tsp ground coriander
· 1 tsp ground cumin
· ½ tsp ground turmeric
· ½ small red chilli, chopped finely (if used)
· 1 tsp sesame seeds
· 1 egg, whisked
· 6 sheets filo pastry
· Bake paper
· Bake trays

Method:
· Pre heat oven to 200°C
· Cook the cut vegetables in oil, season with the spices and cool
· Mix through the chickpeas, egg and cheese
· Lay out 1 sheet of filo (landscape) and spray with oil, top with second sheet
· Spoon the chickpea and feta mixture onto bottom half of the prepared sheets, keeping well in from the edges
· Fold in sides and start rolling up the pastry (landscape) reasonably tightly; don't tear the pastry
· Repeat the process with remaining sheets and remaining mixture (recipe amounts will result in 3 rolls)
· Place on bake paper on tray and spray with oil – top with sesame seeds
· Bake at 200°C for ~20-25 minutes (tops colour golden)
· Cool slightly, then cut to desired shape and enjoy as a snack – with vegetables or a meat or with a salad as vegetarian meal
· Or cool and have them cold (just as we did today)

BETKA SAMPHIRE PIE
Hi Danny,
Some of us might be away, but we still stuck to the tradition of the after kayak morning tea, with the customary savoury item from me.
Betka is the river we kayaked on, near Mallacoota and samphire is an indigenous "green", similar in taste to say salty raw beans or asparagus.
This savoury can obviously only ever be tasted when in and around Mallacoota. To whet your appetite and that of the stayed-at-home-kayakers, following is the recipe.
Please add to the recipe collection/page for all to find and access.
Many thanks, Knut


Ingredients:
· Green tips of the local samphire
· 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
· 1cm knob fresh ginger, finely grated
· Olive oil
· Salt & pepper (to taste)
· (possibly) 1tsp sugar
· Puff pastry sheet

Method:
· Cook samphire stalks in plain water until soft to the bite (al dente)
· Fry garlic & ginger in oil until aromatic, then add the cooked samphire, toss through & season to taste
You can use it just like this as a vegetable, or follow through for other options:
· Lay vegetable onto ½ of a puff pastry sheet, fold sheet over & close all sides by pressing down with a fork
· Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°C for ~12 – 15 minutes.
· Cut the baked sheet into sections to serve
· Serve as a side vegetable, starter savoury, or finger food
OLIVE OIL CAKES WITH FETTA, SPRING ONIONS, OLIVES AND DILL
OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH FETA, SPRING ONION, OLIVES & DILL (makes ~ 36 squares)
Ingredients:
· 250g plain flour
· 10g baking powder
· 1 tsp salt, or to taste
· 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
· 200g feta cheese, crumbled
· 30g dill, fresh, chopped
· 60g olives, black and/or green chopped
· 3 spring onions, thinly chopped · 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes (optional)
· 2 eggs, whisked
· 125ml milk
· 200g Turkish or Greek style yoghurt
· 125ml olive oil
· 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
· 1/2 tsp sesame seeds

Method:
· Pre-heat the oven to 180°C . Grease or line a 28cm square baking dish.
· Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate soda. Set aside.
· Combine the crumbled feta, dill, olives, spring onions and chilli flakes. Set aside.
· Whisk together the eggs, milk, yoghurt and oil and take 3 tablespoons of this mixture aside to use later.
· Gently combine all three mixtures, do not over mix.
· Pour the cake mixture into the prepared dish.
· Pour the 3 tablespoons of reserved liquid mixture on top. This will ensure a handsome looking crust. Sprinkle the poppy and sesame seeds on top.
· Bake for 20 minutes at 180°C , then reduce the heat to 165°C and cook until the top is golden.

You might have to adjust the yoghurt and milk amount according to the cheese you decide to use or if you use olives or not. The mixture should not be too liquid or too thick.
Adjust the salt according to the cheese you use.
RICOTTA AND WALNUT FRITTERS
RICOTTA & WALNUT FRITTERS

Ingredients:
· 1 x 375 g tub of smooth ricotta
· 1 egg white
· 1 tsp mixed herbs or similar
· ½ tsp minced garlic
· ½ red chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
· 50g quick cook oats
· 80g walnut halves, chopped
· 70g crushed cornflakes, or dried bread crumbs
· Olive oil spray
· Bake paper

Method:
· Pre heat oven to 180°C; line two baking trays with bake paper
· Combine cheese, oats, herbs, walnuts, egg white, 25g of the cornflakes – season to your liking
· Shape little balls with the cheese mixture (I used tsp size) & roll in the remaining cornflakes or dried bread crumbs
· Flatten them slightly to form patties & place onto lined tray
· Spray patties with spray olive oil and bake in oven for ~15 minutes, or until slightly golden
· Don't worry if the fritters seem soft just after baking – they will firm up after cooling
· Great with a salad or, as a starter with a rich tomato sauce or, as an addition to a cheese plate
· Enjoy hot or cold – small or larger size.
TERRIFIC TANDOORI TOFU
TERRIFIC TANDOORI TOFU

(as a snack the amount is suitable for masses of people, cut larger allow 1 block for ~4 eaters as a main course protein)

Ingredients:
· 1 x 350g block of (Extra) Firm Tofu
· 2-4 tbsp of Tandoori Paste (Add more or less depending on how spicy you want it)
· 1-3 tbsp Oil (to soften the paste and allow for easier coating)
· Fresh Lime, or lime juice
· 1 green capsicum, deseeded & cut into finger thick strips

Method:
· Wrap some paper towels around the Tofu block to absorb some of the water, but don't squeeze too much water out
· Cut the Block into pieces that suit you (cubes, strips or steaks)
· Thin the paste with the oil
· Place tofu pieces with the tandoori paste and the oil into a suitable plastic bag & massage the mixture onto the tofu
· Keep in fridge for minimum 3-4 hours for flavours to permeate into the tofu (mine was in the fridge for 2 days)
· Fry the prepared capsicum in a little oil until soft (and possibly a little coloured)
· Cook tofu pieces in a non stick pan or grill to your liking
· Finish the dish with some freshly squeezed lime juice
· Pop them in and enjoy!
SWEET POTATO AND ONION PAKORAS
SWEET POTATO AND ONION PAKORAS

(I didn't give exact measurements, as vegetables vary. The flour amount, though, is enough)

Ingredients:
· 1 sweet potato, white, largish, cut in thin sticks or coarsely grated
· 1 red onion, coarsely grated
· 1 zucchini, medium, cut into thin sticks or coarsely grated
· 5g grated ginger
· 1 chilli, finely chopped (use at your own discretion/hotness desire)
· Salt to taste
· 150g S/R gluten-free flour
· Water (enough to make a thick batter with the flour, ginger, salt, chilli). I used ~1 cup.
· Oil to fry (I used vegetable oil in a spray bottle – as against deep frying in lots of oil)

Method:
· Mix batter to smooth consistency, but thick. Add all other ingredients into mix
· Spray oil into medium hot fry pan and drop pakora mix (from a fork) into pan. Keep the pakoras flat.
· Fry crispy on both sides and enjoy hot or cold with plain yoghurt with a bit of grated garlic and chopped mint.
ANTIPASTO PIZZA BITES
ANTIPASTO PIZZA BITES

(Ingredients and amounts are up to you – mix and match as you see fit and according to your taste. Here is what I used.)

Ingredients:
· Puff pastry sheets
· Eggplant spread (some delis carry this product from Greece or Bulgaria etc)
· Sliced salami, in strips
· Cheese filled bell peppers, sliced
· Marinated feta
· Black olives, sliced
· Garden greens and whatever herbs you have
· Grated cheese
· Fire roasted red capsicums, sliced

Method:
· Pre-heat oven at 220°C
· Spread eggplant spread onto pastry (or tomato, or tomato paste, or pasta base sauce...)
· Layer with your chosen toppings; sprinkle with the grated cheese.
· Bake till golden brown and the pastry is cooked.
· Now enjoy!
CHICKPEA PIKELETS AND CHILLI YOGHURT
CHICKPEA PIKELETS AND CHILLI SAUCE

Ingredients:
· 1 x 400g can of chickpeas, drained and mashed
· ½ tsp cumin powder
· ½ tsp bicarb of soda
· ½ cup self raising flour
· ½ cup milk
· 1 egg, whisked lightly
· Spray oil

Method:
· Mix all ingredients and let stand for a few minutes
· Fry pikelets in a little spray oil over medium heat. Size is up to you; use tbsp or larger
· Turn when pikelet mixture rises a little, or when little bubbles appear on surface
· Fry to golden brown

Yoghurt Recipe:
· Plain Greek style yoghurt with chilli sauce, or sambal oeleck, or sweet chilli sauce
· Combine the two to your taste
· (Yoghurt and grated cucumber is good too.)
SPICED RICOTTA CAKES
SPICED RICOTTA CAKES (makes ~30 mini muffin sizes)

Ingredients:
· 250g low fat ricotta cheese
· 300g jar medium salsa
· 2 eggs, slightly beaten
· Salt & pepper, to taste
· 1 tsp minced garlic
· Fresh chilli or flakes (dried) to taste
· POSSIBLY some dried bread crumbs to tighten the mixture (I used1/4 cup)

Method:
· Pre-heat oven to 190°C
· Work cheese, salsa and eggs to an almost smooth consistency
· Season to your liking (hotness level)
· Add dried breadcrumbs to firm the mixture
· Spoon mixture into mini muffin tins – half full and bake ~10 – 12 minutes
· Test with toothpick; it should come out dry.
· Enjoy on its own hot or cold OR have it with a salad, a piece of chicken and some dipping sauce.
SPICY EGGPLANT PICKLE PILLOWS
SPICY EGGPLANT PICKLE PILLOWS

Ingredients:
· 2 Fat-reduced puff pastry sheets (frozen) · 150g "Patak's Eggplant Pickle (medium)" [comes in a jar from your supermarket ASIAN supplies shelf]; it can be chopped or pureed if you don't like the "bits" in it.
Method:
· Pre heat oven to 200°C
· Spread pickles onto defrosted sheet of puff pastry
· Bake ~12 to 15 minutes, remove, cool, slice, enjoy.
POTATO AND BACON FRITTATA

POTATO AND BACON FRITTATA
Ingredients:
· 1 small sweet potato, diced
· 2 large potatoes, diced
· 1 medium red onion, diced finely
· 1 clove garlic, diced finely
· 5 shortcut bacon rashers, diced
· 1 tbsp olive oil
· Pinch of cumin powder
· Salt & pepper, to taste
· 4 eggs, whisked
· 1 cup milk
· 50g shredded cheese – if used
· 1 x 26cm non-stick fry pan
· Pre-heated oven at 200°C

Method:
· Cook all potatoes in micro wave oven, drain & dry
· Fry onions & garlic in olive oil, when soft – add bacon & cook to slightly colour
· Add potatoes & season with cumin and s&p, toss through
· Pour over the egg & milk mixture and stir through, sprinkle with the cheese (if you wish to use it)
· Cook in pre heated oven (200 C) until set and firm on top (only takes a few minutes)
· Take out of oven and let it sit for a few minutes, then invert frittata onto a tray and back onto a plate or platter
· Cut to serve
· Delicious hot with a salad, or cold as an appetiser or snack.

PICKLED VEGETABLE STRUDEL ROLL

PICKLED VEGETABLES STRUDEL ROLL (makes ~ 40 - 50 finger thick slices)

Ingredients: (Topping)
· 3tbsp pickled onions, sliced
· 1 yellow capsicum, tinned, sliced into strips
· 1 red capsicum, tinned, sliced into strips
· 2 cloves garlic, finely diced (leave uncooked)
· 1 spring onion, sliced thinly on the diagonal (leave uncooked)
· ½ cup black olives, sliced across
· 2 medium gherkins, 1/4ed and sliced
· 2 tbsp tomato relish or tomato paste
· 2 tbsp readymade pesto
Combine all topping ingredients and set aside.

Ingredients: (Yeast pastry base)
· 2 x 7g sachets of dry yeast
· 4 cups plain flour
· 1 tsp salt
· 300ml warmed milk
· 2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
· 1 egg, slightly beaten

Method:
Combine all dry ingredients, then add milk, butter and egg and mix to combine. Knead on a floured bench, until smooth and elastic.
Place in a floured bowl, cover and stand in a warm place for dough to double. (approx. 50 minutes)
Knock down dough and knead for ~ 1 minute, then back into the bowl and under cover for another doubling of the dough.
Knock down dough and roll out into a rectangle to ~1.5 cm thick. Spread with the topping, leaving a 2 cm edge on one side. Roll up.
Divide the roll into 2 or 4 pieces/rolls (according to what size you can fit onto your greased and floured baking tray and into your oven.)
Let the rolls rise and approximately double on the baking trays, before they go into the oven
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for ~25 – 30 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack, or enjoy hot; cut into finger thick slices.

Options:
· Prepare as described above
· Cut the raw rolls into slices and bake individually on their cut sides, just like scrolls
· Roll out the dough, place vegetables on top and bake & serve open, as you would a pizza
ENJOY!!!

CHEESE AND TOMATO CHOUX PUFFS

CHEESE AND TOMATO CHEESE PUFFS

(Makes ~32 items)

Ingredients:
· 125ml water
· 50g butter or margarine
· 1g salt
· 95g flour, plain
· 1tbsp tomato paste
· ½ tbsp crushed garlic
· 30g grated cheese
· Some cheese to sprinkle over the top
· Piping bag with a star nozzle
· Baking tray with bake paper
· Pre-heated oven at 210°C

Method:
· Place water and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil
· Take off the heat and add tomato paste, garlic and mix through, then add flour
· Return to heat and stir in vigorously with a wooden spoon to combine
· Mixture becomes quite firm quite quickly, but continue until mix forms balls when stirred and is smooth
· Take off the heat and now add the cheese and stir in (it should melt into the mix)
· Let mix cool to ~ 30°C (so the eggs do not coagulate), then add eggs one at a time
· Stir in the 1st egg until mix is smooth once more – continue with 2nd egg to smooth consistency
· Place mix into piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe onto prepared baking tray; top with some more of the grated cheese
· Pipe no larger than a 20c piece (leave some space for the puffs to slightly expand when baking)
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 210°C on middle shelf for 20 minutes (do not open oven in this time), then turn the tray and bake for another 4-6 minutes
· Choux puffs should look golden brown on top and should have risen nicely. They should sound hollow, when tapped on the underside
· Cool on a wire rack
· Enjoy!
PURPLE CARROT AND CHOKO PIES

PURPLE CARROT AND CHOKO PIE

Ingredients:
· 4 chokos, peeled and diced (you may wish to wear gloves, as they "slime" up your hands)
· 1 purple carrot, peeled and diced
· 4 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
· Ό red capsicum, diced
· 1 tsp cumin powder
· 1 ½ tbsp curry powder
· 1 cup water, or enough to just cover all the vegetables in a pot
· 2 whole eggs, beaten
· 1-2 sheets puff pastry
· ½ vegetable stock cube
· ½ cup dry bread crumbs
· Potato masher
· Spray oil
· ~24x24cm pie/bake dish

Method:
· Cook all vegetables, spices, stock cube and water until soft
· Spray pie/bake dish with oil and lay out the pastry sheet(s). Allow a border.
· Prick pastry with a fork all over (to prevent it to rise too much) and bake in pre-heated oven at 190 C for ~10 minutes, then take out
· Meanwhile drain excess water from the vegetables and mash roughly
· Let cool somewhat and whisk the eggs under
· Adjust the consistency with the bread crumbs
· Spread the pie filling evenly over the now half-cooked pastry and return to the oven
· Bake a further 15 or so minutes, until the pie mixture feels firm to the touch
· Cool, cut, consume. ENJOY!
SALMON AND DILL PIKELETS WITH LIME AIOLI (makes ~ 48 mini muffin types)

Ingredients:
· 210g tin salmon, drained & chopped (bones and all)
· 2 sprigs fresh dill, chopped finely
· 200g plain flour
· 2 tsp bicarb of soda
· 1 egg (yolk for the batter, white whisked to stiff peaks)
· Salt to taste
· 1/8 preserved lemon, chopped finely
· 1 – 1 ½ cup milk (to achieve a sloppy sort of batter consistency)
· Spray oil
· Mini muffin tin

Method: (You can of course fry the pikelets in a pan and have any size you like, but here is what I did)
· Pre-heat oven to 190°C
· Whisk white to stiff peaks
· Mix all batter ingredients
· Mix in the chopped salmon, dill & lemon
· Rest for ~ 20 minutes
· Fold under the egg white
· Spray muffin tin with oil & half-fill the moulds with the pikelet mix
· Bake for ~ 8 – 10 minutes
· Repeat until all the mix has been used
· Serve with lime aioli and enjoy

LIME AIOLI
Ingredients:
· 4 tbsp quality egg mayonnaise
· 2 limes, juice and 1 grated rind
· 1 clove garlic, finely grated
Method:
· Combine all ingredients and enjoy with seafood, chicken, or as a dressing for steamed vegetables, or on salads

PORK MEATBALLS WITH BEANS AND CAPERS
PORK MEATBALLS - (mixture makes enough to feed an army, or ~25 -30 as a snack)
Ingredients:
· 500g lean pork mince
· 1 large onion, grated
· 3 cloves of garlic, grated
· 1 ½ large zucchini, grated
· 1 to 1½ cups of dry breadcrumbs
· 2 eggs, whisked
· 1 cup of milk
· Salt, pepper to taste
· 1 tsp cumin powder
· 400g tin butter beans, drained and roughly mashed
· 20g capers, lightly chopped
· 2 tbsp light soy sauce
· Oil for frying
· Fry pan

Method:
· Mix all ingredients in a bowl, adjust consistency if required with crumbs or milk
· Shape meatballs to desired size and gently fry in oil, tossing the meatballs often for even colouration
· When cooked, scoop out with slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper
· Continue making and frying meatballs, until all the mixture has been used
· Serve hot or cold with your favourite sauce to accompany
· (I used sweet chilli sauce with a good splash of oyster sauce mixed through.)
ENJOY!

VEGETABLE BEER CAKES
(VEGETABLE) BEER CAKES (makes ~32 bite sized pieces)
Ingredients:
· 50g cauliflower, cooked & chopped
· 50g carrots, cooked & chopped
· 100g potatoes, cooked & chopped
· 50g broccoli, cooked & chopped
· 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
· 1 cup shallots/spring onions, cut finely
· 200g plain flour
· 1 small bottle beer (300ml)
· 2 tbsp mustard of your choice
· 1 egg, whisked
· ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
· Salt & pepper to taste
· 1 tbsp ketjap manis/sweet soy sauce
· Spray oil
· 24 x 24cm bake dish

Method:
· Make beer batter by whisking beer into sifted flour, then add egg – let stand ~ 20 minutes to relax
· Batter is quite liquid, but that's OK
· Chop all vegetables (mine are just what I had; you choose your own if needed)
· Grease bake dish with spray oil
· Combine vegetables with batter and pour into dish
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 180°C for ~40-45 minutes
· A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean and dry
· Invert onto a tray and cut into desired pieces
· Serve with your choice of sauce (I had sweet chilli sauce)
(You can use wholemeal flour, of course, in this recipe. Cakes can be baked in muffin tins, if desired.)
POLENTA CAKES WITH VEGETABLES
POLENTA CAKES WITH VEGETABLES (makes ~32 bite size pieces)
Ingredients:
· 2 cups of water
· Ύ cup polenta
· Salt to taste
· 1 egg yolk (save the white for whipping and use later in the recipe)
· 50g parmesan cheese, grated (+extra for garnish)
· ½ red capsicum, finely diced
· Ό green capsicum, finely diced
· 2 medium mushrooms. Finely diced
· 1 clove garlic, finely diced
· 2 shallots/spring onions, finely diced
· ½ tsp cumin, ground
· 2 tbsp olive oil
· Spray oil
· Small deep dish for cooling the polenta cake

Method:
· Fry off all the vegetables in the olive oil, season with cumin
· Heat water with salt, when boiling, "rain in" the polenta, stirring constantly
· It will thicken in about 2 minutes, but the mix will also spit, so stir quickly
· Take off the heat and add the cheese and vegetables
· When cooled somewhat, add the egg yolk
· Now whisk the white to firm peaks and gently fold under the polenta mix
· (It is good to eat now with your favourite meal, but for the cakes as enjoyed at the morning tea – follow on)
· Spray a deep dish with oil and place the mix in it; spread out evenly ~2cm thick
· Place in fridge to cool
· Cold polenta cake can be inverted onto a cutting board (it releases itself from the dish in ~ 1 minute) and cut into the bite sizes
· Place on a baking tray and cover the pieces with additional cheese and bake in oven till golden on top
· Alternatively, you could panfry the little cakes for crispness all around
· And there you have it – now enjoy!
COTTAGE CHEESE AND BEETROOT DUMPLINGS
COTTAGE CHEESE AND BEETROOT DUMPLINGS (makes 30 minis)
Ingredients:
· 250g low fat cottage cheese
· 120g lite sour cream
· 2 eggs
· Salt, pepper (to taste)
· Ό tsp Cumin powder
· 2 cloves garlic, crushed
· Ό mildly hot chilli, chopped very fine
· 2 baby beets (tin), cut into very small cubes
· Breadcrumbs, enough to line the tins
· Spray oil
· Mini muffin tins

Method:
· Mix all dumpling ingredients until well combined
· Spray mini muffin tins with oil and line wells with breadcrumbs (shake off excess)
· Spoon mixture into tins and bake at 180°C in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes
· Mixture should have set and a toothpick inserted should come out clean
· Let the dumplings sit in the tins for a few minutes, then remove gently and...
· ENJOY!
LENTIL AND PUMPKIN CURRY PUFFS
LENTIL AND PUMPKIN CURRY PUFFS

Ingredients:
· 2 tbsp vegetable oil
· 1 onion, sliced thinly
· ½ butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped into 1cm pieces (~3cups full of chopped pumpkin)
· 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste (red is medium rated)
· 1 x 400ml can coconut cream or milk (depending how "coco nutty" you want the curry to be
· 1 tbsp fish sauce
· 1x 400g tin of brown/red lentils, drained
· 200g green beans, or zucchini, cut into 2cm lengths
· Steamed rice, as an aside, or mixed into the curry
· Mini muffin tins
· 2 x sheets of shortcrust pastry, or 36 individual wonton skins
· Spray oil
· ½ tub of "Greek style" plain yoghurt
· 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
· 1-2 tsp sugar
· 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Method:
· Heat oil in large sauce pan (medium heat), cook onions and pumpkin for ~4 minutes until light golden
· Stir in curry paste – cook briefly to allow to become aromatic
· Add coconut cream and beans and simmer (uncovered) for ~10 minutes
· Add fish sauce, lentils and cook a further ~3 minutes
· Liquid should have reduced quite markedly – ensure the sauce does not catch on the bottom of your saucepan – stir!
· (Spoon curry over rice and eat as is,) OR:
· Cut shortcrust pastry into 16 squares per sheet
· Spray mini muffin tins with oil and place pastry into wells, make indentations in bottom with a fork
· "Blind bake" in pre-heated oven set at 185°C for 7 minutes
· Fill with the curry and bake a further 12 – 14 minutes to finish
· (If using wonton skins – reduce times by ~ 1/3, but procedure is the same
· Product should have crisp pastry with slightly dried surface (of the curry mix)
· The minted yoghurt is a combination of the ingredients (yoghurt, sugar, mint, juice) to taste
· (This keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days and goes well with chicken, poached fish, grilled vegetables etc)
· ENJOY!
PAPRIKA AND ONION SCROLLS
PAPRIKA AND ONION SCROLLS (MAKES ~ 20-24 PIECES)

Ingredients:
· 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry
· 1 tub (~200g) spicy capsicum dip
· Ό bunch spring onions/shallots, finely sliced
· ½ tsp crushed garlic
· ½ tsp smoked paprika powder
· (2-3 anchovies, chopped very finely) optional
· 1 sheet bake paper
· 1 bake tray

Method:
· Combine dip, garlic, powder, (anchovies)
· Spread mixture onto the pastry sheets, leaving a ~1 cm border free all round
· Roll up from two sides towards the middle loosely
· Cut rolls into finger thick slices & place cut side onto paper lined bake tray
· Bake for ~ 15-20 minutes at 190°C
· Make sure the pastry has baked through (no longer glassy looking)
· Enjoy hot or cold with your favourite sauce or dressing
RICOTTA CORN CAKES
RICOTTA CORN CAKES (makes 26)
Ingredients:
· 500g reduced fat ricotta cheese
· 200g corn kernels, drained
· 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
· ½ tsp cumin powder
· 1 egg, beaten
· Black pepper, ground, generous amount
· Spray oil
· Mini muffin tin

Method:
· Pre heat oven to 190°C
· Spray mini muffin tin with oil
· Mix cheese with other ingredients & spoon into tin, ~ ½ full
· Bake for ~ 12 - 15 minutes, then check with skewer (should come out clean)
· Slight golden colour is another indicator.
· Chill on a wire rack, if desired
· Enjoy as is, or serve as (part of) a starter/entree
ARTICHOKE AND BASIL TART
ARTICHOKE & BASIL TART (makes 32)
Ingredients:
· 2 sheets puff pastry, cut into 16 squares each
· 1 egg, beaten
· 2 tbsp milk
· 1 tbsp pesto
· 16 artichoke quarters (jar), cut in ½ = 32 pieces
· Spray oil

Method:
· Pre-heat oven to 190°C
· Spray mini muffin tin with oil & place pastry squares into it
· Prick pastry, then blind bake for 6 minutes
· Mix egg with milk and pesto
· Press a 1/8 artichoke piece into each of the blind baked squares & top with milk mix
· Bake for ~8 minutes until golden & set
· Cool, or enjoy straight away

· Alternative fillings:
o Baby pickled onions
o Slices of chorizo, cooked
o Tuna pieces
o Slices of smoked salmon

POTATO AND CHICKPEA PIZZA
Ingredients:
· 1 tin (400g) chickpeas, drained
· 3 medium washed potatoes, halved then cut into thin slices
· 1 tsp cumin powder
· ½ tsp turmeric powder
· Ό tsp ginger powder
· Salt & pepper to taste
· 3 tsp basil pesto
· 2 eggs, beaten
· 2 sheets frozen puff pastry
· 50g grated cheese

Method:
· Cook potato slices in micro wave & cool
· Crimp over the edges of the pastry sheets twice
· Blind bake pastry at 190°C for ~6-8 minutes
· Slightly mash the chickpeas
· Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl, mix in eggs and ½ of the cheese
· Spread into the pre-baked puff pastry "shells"; even mixture out
· Top with remaining cheese & bake at 190°C for ~15 minutes, or until golden and set
· Cool, slice, enjoy with a Greek style yoghurt or a suitable salad cream
· Also delicious hot with a steak or a piece of fish
VEGETABLE STRUDEL
VEGETABLE STRUDEL (recipe makes two strudels of 12 slices each)

Ingredients:
· 1 carrot, cut into thin batons
· 1 zucchini, cut into thin batons
· 1 yellow capsicum, cut into thin batons
· 1 Bok Choy, whites cut into thin batons – green part shredded
· 1 large brown onion, sliced
· 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
· 1 tin of bean sprouts, drained, or 1 pack fresh
· 2 tbsp light soy sauce
· 2 tbsp oyster sauce
· 2 tbsp fish sauce
· 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
· Salt & pepper, to taste
· ½ tsp Masterfood Thai seasoning
· 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
· Spray oil
· 6 sheets filo pastry

Method:
· Pre-heat oven to 190°C
· Sweat all vegetables in a little oil until they start to soften (no need to colour them)
· Season with S&P, Thai seasoning and the sauces and toss through
· You might need to add just a little water at this stage to aid the cooking process
· Sprinkle over and mix in the sesame seeds – now cool the mixture
· Vegetables mixture should be almost dry – if moist, add some dry bread crumbs to soak up the liquid
· Use 3 sheets of filo pastry per strudel – spray each sheet with oil, before topping it with the next sheet
· Have the sheets in "landscape", add the mixture to the front in a 5 cm wide band and roll up reasonably firm
· Spray the top of the strudel with oil and sprinkle with a few sesame seeds before baking
· Bake for ~20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden coloured
· To serve: cut the strudel into slices, cut on an angle
· Enjoy with your favourite sauce, e.g. sweet chilli sauce.

ASIAN STYLE GOLDEN PORK NUGGETS
(makes enough to feed ~4 people in a domestic situation)

Ingredients:
· 250g pork mince
· 1 large carrot, finely grated
· 1 large zucchini, finely grated
· 1 large onion, finely grated
· 3 cloves of garlic, finely grated
· Salt & pepper to taste
· 1 tbsp oyster sauce
· 1 tbsp soy sauce
· 1 tsp sesame oil
· 1 tbsp fish sauce
· Thai style seasoning, to taste
· 1 egg, beaten
· 50 – 100ml milk
· Enough dried bread crumbs (~ 100g) to firm the mixture
· Olive oil, to fry
· Sauce: make your own personal mix from soy, oyster sauce, sweet chilli, wasabi (if desired), sesame seeds etc

Method:
· Mix all ingredients together, adding b'crumbs in small amounts to check consistency
· Let sit for a bit to firm
· Form small balls, or scrape shapes with a tbsp to form nuggets or quenelles
· Fry in olive oil, turning once or twice. Fry in manageable batches
· Cooking time for each batch is ~ 5-8 minutes (depending on size)
· Drain on kitchen paper and serve either hot or cold with your version of the dipping sauce.
· ENJOY!

SMOKED SALMON AND DILL TARTLETS
(makes 24)

Ingredients:
· 220g tub of Philly cheese
· 2-3 sprigs of fresh dill, chopped
· 20g capers, chopped
· 1 (fire-roasted) red capsicum, chopped
· 1 lime, grated rind and juice
· 100g smoked salmon pieces ("for cooking" variety)
· 1 egg, beaten
· 2 & 1 filo pastry sheets, doubled or folded over
· 1 x 24 hole mini muffin tin
· Spray oil

Method:
· Mix all ingredients in a bowl, add egg & combine
· Prepare pastry, oiling between sheets or folds
· Pre-heat oven to 185°C
· Spray tin
· Cut filo sheets into squares to fit the mini muffin tin
· Fill with filling
· Bake for ~ 15-20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and filling has set
· BON APPETITE!

ROAST VEGETABLES AND FETTA PIZZA
ROAST VEGETABLE & FETTA PIZZA
(makes ~ 18 bites, or would be similar in size to a supermarket bought pizza)
Ingredients:
· 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
· 1 tbsp tomato paste
· 1 tbsp pesto (or similar)
· ½ pack of feta cheese cut into 2cm cubes
· Grated cheese to top the pizza
· Spray oil
· 1 small carrot, cut into 2cm cubes
· ½ zucchini, cut into 2cm cubes
· 3 cloves of garlic, finely diced
· 1 large onion, finely diced
· ½ red capsicum, cut into 2cm cubes
· 1 medium potato, cut into 2cm cubes
· 5 button mushrooms, cut into 2cm cubes
· 10cm piece of celery, cut into 2cm cubes
· 10 green beans, cut into 5cm pieces
· ~100g pumpkin, cut into 2cm cubes
· 1 hand full of deseeded black olives
· Italian/Mediterranean style seasoning, or thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, marjoram
· 2 tbsp olive oil
· Baking paper

Method:
· Place all raw vegetables and seasoning with olive oil into a plastic bag, close the top and massage the vegetables
· Spread vegetables on a baking paper lined roasting tray and roast in pre heated oven (190C) for ~30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes
· Use a little spray oil to lubricate a oven tray and "blind bake" puff pastry for ~ 10-12 minutes (I prick my pastry all over to stymie some of the rise)
· Spread tomato paste and pesto over the ½ baked pastry sheet, ready for the topping
· Once vegetables have roasted and are starting to colour & are soft – remove from oven and spread over the Pastry sheet.
· Top with olives and the feta and grated cheese
· Bake and finish pizza in oven for ~ a further 10-12 minutes
· IT'S NOW READY TO EAT – ENJOY!


SALAMI AND SWEET ONION PILLOWS
(makes 32 pieces)
Ingredients:

· 2 sheets of puff pastry, marked of into 16 squares each
· Spray oil
· 50g salami, spicy/hot, cut into very small strips/lengths
· Cocktail onions, small, sliced & diced
· 1 clove garlic, chopped very finely
· Few sprigs of fresh herbs, chopped small, or pesto or similar
· 3 eggs, beaten
· 300 ml milk
· Grated cheese
· Peppermill to taste
· Mini muffin tin

Method:
· Pre-heat oven to 190°C
· Spray muffin tin with oil and line with the pastry squares – prick pastry bottom thoroughly to prevent some rising
· "Blind bake" squares for ~ 10 minutes until puffed and slightly coloured
· Combine all dry ingredients with the egg & milk mixture – season to taste
· Push down centres of the puff pastry "pillows" and fill with mixture
· Top with a little cheese and bake for ~12 minutes, or until mix has set & pastry is golden
· Remove the salami and sweet onion pillows from tin and cool on wire rack, or enjoy hot with your favourite sauce and a salad
· BON APPETITE!
PUFF PASTRY PIZZA
with Cacciatori salami, mushrooms, red peppers & cheese

Ingredients:
· 2 sheets of puff pastry (each sheet is approximately like a bought "family" pizza in size)
· Tomato paste
· Pesto
· Crushed garlic
· Cacciatore salami, or any meaty topping you like
· Small mushrooms, sliced
· Red capsicum, seeded & sliced
· Your favourite grated cheese

Method:
· Thaw pastry sheets
· Heat oven to 190°C
· Spread tomato paste, pesto and garlic (if you use it) evenly over the pastry base – but not too thick
· Slice mushrooms, capsicum & sausage & spread over the bases
· Top with grated cheese and bake in oven for ~ 20 minutes, or until golden and base is cooked, turning periodically
I have not included amounts, as this is pretty much an individual thing and if you do not like mushrooms, just leave them out and replace with something else that tickles your fancy.
SATAY PORK MEATBALLS
(makes about 30 small meatballs)
Ingredients:

· 250g pork mince
· 2 cloves of garlic, minced
· ½ zucchini, finely grated
· 1 carrot, finely grated
· 1 tbsp "Jimmy's" Satay sauce
· 2 tbsp oyster sauce
· Peppermill to taste
· 1 egg, beaten
· 2 tbsp dry breadcrumbs, to firm the mixture
· 2 tbsp rolled oats, to firm the mixture
· Olive oil, to fry the meatballs

Method:
· Mix all in a bowl and adjust the consistency with the crumbs and/or oats
· Shape small balls & fry in oil over medium heat
· Set on paper towel to drain
· Serve with any sauce you like, or a salad & potatoes, or rice noodles and/or any other combination.

· BON APPETIT!
RED ONION AND CHEESE TART
makes one oven/baking tray = 24 – 36 slices)

Ingredients:
· 3 red onions, finely sliced
· 3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
· 1 leek, white only & finely sliced
· 260g pack of St. Claire cheese, grated
· 60g pesto
· 1 ½ (frozen) puff pastry sheets
· 2 tbsp olive oil
· Spray oil

Method:
· Spray baking tray/sheet with oil & lay out the defrosted pastry sheet
· Prick pastry all over with a fork, then blind bake in pre heated oven @ 180°C for about 10-12 minutes
· Meanwhile slowly sweat onions, garlic & leek in olive oil to soften completely (no colour required)
· Cool slightly, then spread pesto over pastry base, sprinkle on some of the cheese before topping it with onion mix
· Cover with remaining cheese and bake in oven (180°C) for approximately 20 minutes, or until cheese melts and pastry is golden
· Cool on wire rack to cut into portions, or eat warm.
· BON APPETIT!
SOY BRAISED VEGETABLE FILO ROLLS
(makes about 36 mini rolls)

Ingredients:
· 2 small carrots, diced
· 2 cloves of garlic, fine dice
· 1 medium onion, diced
· 1 stick of celery, diced
· 100g green beans, diced
· 100g cauliflower, small florets
· 1 small turnip, diced
· 2 leaves Chinese cabbage, roughly cut
· 1 egg, beaten
· 2 tbsp dry bread crumbs
· 2 tbsp olive oil
· 4 tbsp salt reduced soya sauce
· 1 tbsp oyster sauce
· 1 pinch Chinese five spice powder
· Spray oil
· 4 x 2 sheets filo pastry
· 1 tsp sesame oil

Method:
· Sweat all the hard vegetables together, without colour: onions, garlic, carrot, celery, turnip, beans, cauliflower
· Add soy, oyster sauce and a little water, then braise on medium low heat until vegetables are just left with a bite
· Add cabbage and five spice – cook a further 2-4 minutes, until soft to your liking
· Add a few drops of sesame oil and take off the heat – cool
· Add egg to mixture and thicken lightly with the bread crumbs
· Lay out filo pastry (landscape format), spray with oil & top with another sheet – cut sheets horizontally in 1/2 · Spread vegetable mixture on bottom 1/3 of ½ sheet and roll up. Repeat with other ½ sheet and remaining sheets of pastry
· Bake in pre heated oven at 180°C for about 25 -30 minutes, or until pastry becomes golden
· Yummy treat (hot or cold) with sweet chilli sauce or any other sauce you fancy
· ENJOY!
BACON AND ONION CHEESECAKES
(makes approximately 36 pieces)

Ingredients:
· 1 x sheet short pastry
· 6 x shortcut bacon rashers, chopped
· 2 x medium brown onions, chopped
· 2 x cloves of garlic, chopped
· 250g packaged cream cheese
· 1 x tbsp self raising flour
· 4 x eggs, lightly beaten
· 300g carton light sour cream
· 1 x tsp ground cumin
· Spray oil

Method:
· Grease a 24cm bake dish & place pastry, blind bake at 180°C for approx 10 minutes.
· Cook bacon & onions in pan for about 5 minutes, then add garlic – stirring until lightly coloured
· Season with cumin & cool, then sprinkle with the flour - combine
· Whisk together the cream, cheese and eggs, then add cooled onion mix
· Pour into the short pastry base and cook at 170 C for approximately 20 minutes
· When a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, it is done
· Lovely warm or cold on its own, with a salad or part of a meal
· BON APPETIT!
VEGETABLE PEAR/CHOKO RAFT
(It is so light – it seems to float on the pastry)
(Makes ~ 30 bite size pieces)

Ingredients:
· 1 short pastry sheet
· 200g pack feta, in small cubes
· (1 cup of shredded cheese, if using)
· 2 chokos, quartered and thinly sliced
· 2 eggs, beaten
· Seasoning
· 50g pesto
· 2 cloves garlic, crushed
· 1 cup milk
· 2 medium onions, sliced
· 1 tbsp olive oil
· 1 pinch cumin powder
· Spray oil

Method:
· Grease 24 x 24 cm or similar bake ware with spray oil and line with pastry
· Prick all over & "blind bake" at 180 C for ~12 minutes
· Fry onions to just glassy stage with little colour – season & add cumin
· Cool slightly, then layer chokos, onions, garlic, & cheese onto/into the pastry
· Mix milk with pesto & beaten egg; pour over dish
· Bake covered at 170 C for ~30minutes
· Remove cover and colour top at 190°C (you can melt additional shredded cheese on top at this stage)
· Great dish warm with a salad, or let it cool and enjoy as "finger food"
· BON APPETIT!
CHEESE AND MUSHROOM DUFFELS
(Mixture will make 3 rolls and yield ~ 30-36 pieces)

Ingredients:
· 8 medium mushrooms, small dice
· 2 cloves garlic, small dice
· 2 bacon rashers, small dice
· 200g Philadelphia cream cheese
· 1 egg, beaten
· Salt & pepper to taste
· 1 pinch ground cumin
· 1 pinch ground nutmeg
· 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
· 1 handful English spinach leaves, roughly cut
· Spray oil
· 6 sheets Filo pastry
· (2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs, if needed)

Method:
· Cook off mushrooms, garlic & bacon to brown – add spinach and let it just melt, then cool the mixture
· Soften the cheese with the beaten egg in a bowl, add parsley
· Add mushroom mixture & season
· (If the cheese & mushroom mixture seems runny – add about 2 tbsp of dried breadcrumbs to just give it a bit of structure)
· Lay out 2 sheets on top of each other "landscape" format & spoon mixture on bottom edge (about 10 cent piece diameter)
· Spray remaining surface and roll up.
· Cut diagonally into slim shapes, about a finger thickness
· Place onto a greased oven tray
· Repeat procedure with the remainder of pastry and cheese & mushroom mixture
· Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°C for approximately 16-20 minutes
· Golden pastry colour and a firmed up filling means they are ready to take out and EAT.


BEANS & PORK HOCK OPEN PASTIES
Ingredients:
· 1 x 400g tin 4 bean mix
· 1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes
· 1 brown onion, chopped fine
· 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
· 60g pork hock, or smoked ham, or bacon, chopped
· 1 tsp cumin powder
· 1/3 tsp marjoram
· 40g shredded cheese
· Salt to taste
· Black ground pepper, to taste
· 2 sheets reduced fat puff pastry
· 1 tbsp olive oil
· Oil spray for the muffin tin
· Mini muffin tin

Method:
· Defrost pastry sheets
· Drain bean mix
· Slowly cook onions and garlic in olive oil to quite soft, but not browned
· Add chopped meat & sweat slightly
· Add tomatoes and the juice from the tin
· Reduce heat and cook slowly down to almost dry & season
· Remove from heat – cool slightly, then add cheese
· Cut puff pastry into appropriate sizes and line the oiled mini muffin tin
· "blind bake" puff pastry until just cooked but not coloured (at 200°C)
· Fill mini muffins with bean and pork hock mix & bake a further 5 – 8 minutes (pastry has now coloured)
· Cool on a wire rack, or eat straight away with a salad, or as a snack/finger food, or as a different kind of vegetable side dish.
MILD SATAY VEGETABLE PIZZA
Ingredients:
· 100g green beans, cut small & cooked
· 1 large red onion, finely diced
· 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
· 1 yellow or red capsicum, finely diced
· 1 small eggplant, finely diced
· ½ zucchini, finely diced
· 1 medium potato, cooked & cut small
· 3 medium mushrooms, finely diced
· 1 1/2 tsp "Jimmy's" Satay Sauce
· 2 tbsp Philly Cheese
· 1 egg, beaten
· Salt & Pepper
· 1 tsp olive oil
· 2 Lebanese flatbread, or 2 shortcrust pastry sheets
· 2 baking trays

Method:
· Sweat all the vegetables, except beans and potatoes in oil, you might have to add a little water and cover it for a bit, so they don't burn
· Season when cooked, add potatoes & beans to heat through
· At this stage there should be no more moisture in the topping mixture
· Add "Jimmy's" or any other quality Satay sauce, to flavour and combine
· Cool the vegetable mixture slightly, then add Philly and egg & mix through
· Blind bake the shortcrust pastry, or spread mixture straight onto flatbread, if using
· (once shortcrust is cooked through/baked, add topping)
· Return "Pizza" to the preheated oven at 190 C and cook/bake for a further 10 or so minutes

Then cut and serve with a side salad, or similar.
Enjoy – it's better than a shop bought one!
SPANISH POTATO OMELETTE
Ingredients:
· 500g desiré potatoes, washed, cubed (1/2cm), with skin on
· 1 medium red onion, finely diced
· 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
· 3 bacon rashers, finely diced, rind removed
· 180g tinned red capsicum, finely diced
· 1 tbsp olive oil
· Spray oil
· 4 eggs, beaten
· 300ml milk
· Salt & pepper
· 1/3 tsp dry thyme
· 1/3 tsp dry oregano
· 1/3 tsp dry sage
· 1/2 tsp cumin powder
· Ovenproof baking dish (24 x 24cm)

Method:
· Fry vegetable dice (not the capsicum) in oil till soft
· Microwave potatoes
· Combine all in a bowl & season with herbs & spices
· Grease bake dish with spray oil & add cooled mixture
· Combine eggs & milk, pour over the omelette preparation
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 180 C for ~ 20-25 minutes
· A wooden skewer inserted in centre comes out clean & dry
· Invert onto wire rack & cool
· Serve/use as/bake in:
   o Mini Muffin tin, as individual mini serves
   o Single omelette
   o Bake whole and slice
   o Wrap in filo pastry & bake (small shapes)
   o As starter, or main course with side salad
   o Spice mixture with: olives, capers, anchovies, chilli
All variations are nice, either served hot or cold
Enjoy!
HALOUMI FRITTERS WITH PUMPKIN AND CORN - (makes 48 mini fritters)
(This recipe is NOT fried, but cooked in the oven with absolutely minimal fat)
Ingredients:
· 180g haloumi cheese, grated
· 180g butternut pumpkin, grated
· 1 medium red onion, grated
· 2 tsp lemon rind, grated,
· 3 stalks spring onion, finely cut
· 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
· 80g corn kernels (tin)
· 1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
· ½ cup self raising flour
· 2 eggs, lightly whisked
· 1/3 tsp turmeric powder
· Seasoning to taste
· Spray oil
· Mini muffin baking tray

Methods:
· Combine all grated ingredients in a bowl
· Add all seasonings and spices & lemon rind
· Add flour and then add eggs, mix well
· Spray muffin tin with oil and spoon each mould half full with fritter mix
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 180 C for 12-15 minutes, or until golden and cooked
· Cool on wire rack
· Enjoy as is, or with a salad
CURRIED VEGETABLE TARTLETS - (makes ~ 30-35 tartlets)
Ingredients:
· 1 red onion, finely sliced
· 1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
· 50g red lentils, soaked
· half tin diced tomatoes
· half tsp cumin powder
· half tsp smoked paprika
· 1/3 tps red curry paste, or 1 tbsp curry powder if you like it milder
· 50g pumpkin, diced
· 50g carrots, diced
· 50g zucchini, diced
· 50g broccoli
· 50g grated cheese
· Salt & pepper, to taste
· 2 sheets fat reduced shortcrust pastry
· Spray oil
· Mini muffin tin for baking

Method:
· Steam pumpkin, carrots, zucchini & broccoli, then set aside
· Sweat onions & garlic in a little oil to soften and just colour lightly
· Add curry, cumin & paprika powder & sweat to just aromatic
· Add tinned tomatoes & cook til lentils are soft (might need a little water to just keep it from sticking)
· Add the diced vegetables to just heat through (The vegetable mix should be quite thick, not runny)
· Cool to allow the cheese to go in now, adjust the seasoning
· Grease the muffin tin with spray oil
· Cut pastry into small squares and line the tin, prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork and "blind bake" for ~ 8 minutes at 180°C pre-heated oven
· Remove from oven and fill with the vegetable and cheese mixture, return to oven and bake a further 10 minutes until pastry is golden & cooked
· Remove and cool on wire rack, or enjoy immediately as is or with a salad etc...
· Bon Appétit!
SWEET POTATO AND BACON ROLLS - (makes about 48 bite size pieces)
Ingredients:
· 300g red sweet potato, grated
· 1 tsp garlic, minced
· ½ tsp cumin powder
· Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
· 2 whole eggs, whisked
· 3 bacon rashers, lean & rind removed
· 3 tbsp salsa verde or basil pesto (either make yourself or buy a jar!)
· 2 sheets puff pastry, fat reduced
· Baking tray
· Baking paper
· Sesame seeds, to sprinkle onto the finished rolls before baking

Method:
· Season grated potatoes, mix well & press down to marinate for ~ 10 minutes
· Cut bacon into small strips, same size as the grated potatoes & fry, then cool
· Squeeze out the sweet potato, add eggs and cooled bacon strips
· Thaw the pastry sheets, then cut each in half
· Spread mixture onto 4x sheets in a sausage fashion along one side of the pastry
· Roll up to form sausage roll shape, lightly flatten the rolls & place on baking tray (with bake paper)
· Make diagonal small incisions across the top surfaces of the rolls
· Brush surface lightly with water or milk & sprinkle with sesame seeds
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 190 C for ~ 25 minutes
· The rolls should have a nice golden colour all over
· Cool on a wire rack, then cut into bite size pieces
· Serve with your favourite sauce

This recipe can also be used to make an open pie type dish. Use puff pastry or short crust pastry for the base.
Use an ovenproof dish deep enough to take all the filling.
I sprinkle grated cheese over the top and bake about the same time, or until the cheese has coloured golden.
Serve with a mixed salad, or your favourite meat.
GNOCCHI LUNA / POLENTA CRESCENTS      (makes about 40-45 pieces)
Ingredients:
· 4 cups water
· Salt, to taste
· 1 ½ cup polenta
· 2 egg yolks
· 50g + 10g grated parmesan
· ½ red capsicum, fine dice
· 1 yellow capsicum, fine dice
· 1-2 cloves of garlic, fine dice
· 3 shallots/spring onions, fine dice
· 1 medium carrot, fine dice
· 1 medium zucchini, fine dice
· 50ml olive oil
· ½ tsp cumin powder
· Ground black pepper to taste
· Greased baking tray
· Preheated oven at 190°C

Method:
· Sweat all the finely cut vegetables in olive oil
· Season with s+p and the cumin and cook to about half soft
· Set aside
· Bring measured salted water to the boil and slowly rain in the polenta, stirring constantly
· This will thicken quite soon and it will spit at you, so lower the temperature somewhat and stir vigorously
· Once it does no longer taste like raw maize (after about 2-3 or so minutes), it is cooked
· Set aside and mix in the cooked vegetables and the grated cheese (50g) – adjust the seasoning if needed
· When cooled to just warm, mix in the egg yolks
· Now spread the polenta mixture in the prepared baking tray to about 1-2cm thickness
· Level the surface with a wet or oily spoon; cover and refrigerate to set (about 1 hour)
· Invert the tray onto a cutting board – the mixture will loosen from the tray in a minute (or you could briefly run the underside under warm water)
· Cut shapes: rounds, crescents, squares – whatever you like
· Set out the shapes on baking tray (use the covering paper from earlier in the tray)
· Grate some more parmesan (10g) over the top of the shapes and bake for about 10 or so minutes; (light golden colour and soft polenta shapes)
· Lovely hot or cold

This polenta mixture is also suitable to have as a soft side dish, freshly cooked with chicken, fish, veal, braises, stews, steamed vegetables etc.
I would then leave out the eggs though.

CHICKEN & VEGIE QUICHE WITH CRUNCHY TOP
(This is the same recipe as last week's (below)!)

Ingredients:
· Any grated or finely cut vegetable you like in such a dish
· Add cooked pasta or rice, if preferred
· Add diced cooked chicken, or some such
· Use milk instead of the sour cream
· 3 small packs of chips

Method:
· Same procedure as last week (below), only the top is different:
· Crunch up the potato chips and mix with the remaining cup of grated cheese
· Spread this over the top to give a crunchy finish/top

Enjoy!
SUMMER GARDEN VEGETABLE QUICHE/SLICE (makes ~ 32 bites)
Ingredients:
· 1 large carrot, grated
· 1 large zucchini, grated
· 1 onion, grated
· 2 cloves of garlic, grated
· 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
· ½ cup of finely chopped garden herbs
· 5 eggs
· 300ml sour cream (light)
· 1 cup SR flour
· ½ tsp bicarb of soda (do not exceed this amount!)
· 2 x 1 cups grated cheese
· Salt and pepper to taste
· Bake paper, to line the bake dish
· Bake dish, approximately 24 x 40cm

Method:
· Line bake dish with the paper
· Preheat oven to 180°C
· Combine all quiche ingredients (but only 1 cup of cheese) and mix well
· Spread in bake dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese
· Bake ~ 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes free clean
· Cool on wire rack, then cut into desired portions.

XMAS TURKEY CURRY MUFFINS WITH COUS COUS
(makes about 50 muffins, this will of course change depending how many leftovers you have/use)
Ingredients:
· 300/400g cooked Leftover turkey meat (breast and/or leg meat), cut very small
· 50g green beans, cooked and cut into small pieces
· 1 cup cous cous
· Any roast vegetables to your liking, or what is leftover – cut small (~100g)
· 1 to 2 tbsp Tandoori Curry paste, or your favourite mild curry paste
· 1 tsp curry powder
· Spray oil
· 1 cup water
· Filo pastry sheets from supermarket
· Grated cheese, to sprinkle over the top
· Small muffin tins/trays

Method:
· Cook cous cous to packet instructions, then add chopped roast vegetables and beans
· Soften curry paste with a little water in saucepan, add meat and curry powder
· Once heated through, (you might need more of the water) add cous cous
· Combine all well and let the water cook out – mixture should be sticking together and be of a uniform colour
· Use three layers of filo, spraying each layer with oil before you place them over the top of one another
· Cut the prepared filo into squares to suit your muffin tins/trays
· Gently place into the trays, then 2/3 fill with the curry
· Repeat process, until all the mixture has been used up
· Sprinkle the curry muffins with cheese, if you like
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 180° C for 11 – 12 minutes
· Pastry should be crisp and the underside (when lifted out of the tray) should also have coloured

MERRY CHRISTMAS – make sure you keep some leftovers for this very easy recipe.

PASTA AND VEGETABLE SLICE WITH CHORIZO (makes ~ 30 bites)
Ingredients:
· ½ bunch asparagus, grilled
· 1 red or yellow capsicum, roasted
· 3 cloves of garlic, roasted
· 150g pumpkin, roasted
· 50g pitted black olives, cut into slices
· 1 ½ cup grated cheese
· 3 eggs
· 60g raw risoni (rice shape) or any smallish pasta shapes
· 2 tbsp mild (American style) mustard
· Spray oil
· Ground black pepper to taste
· 1/1 brown onion, sliced finely
· 2 tbsp SR flour
· 1 chorizo sausage, cut lengthways, then sliced finely

Method:
· Roast, or grill vegetables in a fry pan or on the grill/BBQ
· Cook the chosen pasta in salted water, drain and cool
· Chop all grilled/roasted vegetables
· Fry the chorizo pieces to almost crisp
· Spray a 24 x 24cm baking dish with oil
· In a bowl combine and mix all ingredients, mix in flour evenly
· Spread mixture in baking dish, level surface
· Bake in pre-heated oven at 170°C for ~ 20 -24minutes
· Check for doneness with a wooden skewer in the middle
· Cool slightly on a wire rack, then portion to your liking
· Yummy hot or cold – Enjoy.

PESTO AND OLIVE BREAD PUDDING (makes about 24 “bites”)
(this is just an adaptation of and bread and butter pudding recipe – only savoury)

Ingredients:
· 6 bread rolls, white, seeded if you like – crust cut off
· 1 tps minced garlic
· 60g butter, melted
· 60 – 100g pesto
· 1 cup pitted black olives, sliced (or, for variety, 1 cup chopped ham instead)
· 100g grated cheese
· Spray oil
· 6 eggs, whisked
· 150ml milk (for the egg mixture)

Method:
· Grease a square baking dish (24 cm by 24cm) with spray oil
· Slice rolls and cut into squares (5cm or thereabouts)
· Spread pesto on the underside of bread, butter the tops
· Set out slices, overlapping in baking dish
· Spread olives over the layers and in between the slices
· Mix milk with beaten eggs and pour onto the pudding
· Lightly press the bread into the liquid
· Sprinkle over the grated cheese and bake in preheated oven at 160°C for approx 25 minutes
· An inserted skewer should come out clean and clear.
· Cool, then cut into bites or squares
· ENJOY!

SAUSAGE IN A BLANKET (makes about 30 pieces)
Ingredients:
· 2 sheets of puff pastry
· 4 – 6 sausages, cooked (your choice of flavour)
· Hot chilli sauce (amount is personal tolerance)
· Tomato sauce, spiced with garlic & cumin powder
· Asparagus spears, or young leeks, cooked
· 1 cup of grated cheese

Method:
· Thaw pastry sheets
· Mix chilli and tomato sauces, adjust taste to just slightly hot
· Line baking tray(s) with bake paper, then lay out pastry sheets
· Spread sauce onto sheets evenly
· Cover the centre area (about 10 cm wide) of the pastry sheets with the grated cheese
· Top with the cooked sausages (in a line), then place your vegetable(s) beside the sausage line
· Roll up the pastry (not tight) and bake in a 190° C hot oven for about 16 – 20 minutes, or until the pastry has a nice golden colour and is cooked through
· Let the product cool on a wire rack, then cut into desired portions. Yummy hot or cold.

VINELEAF VEGETABLE FINGERS (makes about 35 pieces)
Ingredients:
· ½ brown onion, finely diced
· 1 clove of garlic, finely diced
· 1 zucchini, finely diced
· 1 medium tomato, finely diced
· 3 asparagus spears, halved lengthways and cut finely
· 10 black olives, pitted and chopped
· 1 tbsp olive oil
· 70 – 100g fat reduced ricotta cheese
· 2 eggs
· Seasoning to taste
· 1 tbsp tomato sauce
· ½ tsp turmeric powder
· Breadcrumbs to adjust cooked mixture to a spoonable consistency
· ½ packet of baby spinach leaves
· Vine leaves in brine (they come in packets of about 20, or a 620g jar from good supermarkets or your favourite Deli)
· Shaved parmesan cheese, to sprinkle over the vine leaf fingers when serving (hot or cold)

Method:
· Fry all diced vegetables in oil until just soft.
· Add olives, spinach, seasoning, turmeric and tomato sauce and combine.
· Take off the heat – the spinach will just soften in the hot mixture – cool.
· Whisk eggs and cheese together – fold cooled vegetable mix under.
· Adjust consistency with bread crumbs (see above).
· Unfold vine leaves, if large cut in half and remove centre rib.
· Fill leaves with 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon amounts of vegetable, fold in edges and roll up.
· Arrange in large fry pan or pot, ½ cover with water and a lid and gently simmer – approximately 5-10 minutes.
· Remove from vessel and cool – but they could easily also be used as a hot starter.
· Arrange on a platter. Sprinkle over the grated parmesan.

MUSHROOM AND PESTO SCROLLS WITH GARLIC AND CHEESE (makes 30 pieces)
Ingredients
  • 2 x sheets of fat reduced puff pastry
  • 100 – 150g pesto
  • 12 x medium mushrooms cut small
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 50g pine nuts, roasted
  • 50g flaked almonds, roasted
  • 2 tablespoons salad cream or low fat mayonnaise
  • Your favourite grated cheese – to sprinkle over the top of the scrolls
Method
  • Spread thawed pastry sheets with the pesto
  • Fry mushrooms in olive oil until dry, add garlic and season to taste
  • Bind dry m’room mixture with salad cream, then cool. Add roasted nuts and combine
  • Spread mixture onto pastry sheets (on top of the pesto)
  • Roll up the sheets reasonably tightly. Cut into slices across the rolls
  • Lay flat side onto baking sheets (keep a small space around each) and lightly sprinkle with grated cheese
  • Bake in oven at 200 C for about 15 – 18 minutes. Check that pastry is cooked through. Turning the scrolls might be necessary
  • Cool on a wire rack, or enjoy immediately

CHORIZO AND BEAN CAKE - Should make 30 pieces
Ingredients:
  • 1 chorizo sausage (Coles deli counter), cut in ½ lengthways, then cut across as finely as possible
  • 1 medium brown onion, chopped finely
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
  • 1 x 400g tin of butterbeans, drained
  • 1 small carrot, chopped finely
  • ½ red capsicum, chopped finely
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped finely
  • ½ tea spoon cumin powder
  • 1 tea spoon sweet chilli sauce
  • Salt to taste
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ table spoon olive oil
  • Grated cheese to sprinkle over the top of the cake
  • 150g self raising flour
  • ½ tea spoon bi-carb of soda
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • Milk, enough to soften dough to honey consistency
Method:
  • Cook onions, garlic, capsicum, carrot and sausage till vegetables are soft, but not browned in the oil
  • Add tomato and cook till soft, then add beans, spices and seasonings – cool the mixture
  • Make batter with flour, eggs and milk
  • Spray an earthenware quiche dish or similar with spray oil then add cooled mixture and the batter – mix through
  • Cake should stand about 3 cm high
  • Bake in moderate oven (approx 180° C) for about 20 minutes – halfway through sprinkle top with the cheese
  • A wooden skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean
  • Invert and cool on a wire rack, then slice into small potions and enjoy.


CORN & BACON TORTE (makes about 34 “bites”) -16 October 2012
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ sheet frozen shortcrust pastry
  • 1 x 400g tin sweet corn kernels, drained
  • 2 x slices of shortcut bacon, cut into short strips
  • ½ jar of any pasta sauce (@ 500g)
  • 1 x tsp minced garlic
  • 1 x medium brown onion, sliced
  • 2 x beaten eggs
  • Water to thin out the sauce
  • 2 x 50g grated cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 x tbsp vegetable, or olive oil
  • Baking paper
Method
  • Line a baking tray (approx. 40 x 25 cm) with baking paper and place the defrosted sheets of pastry with protruding sides. Crimp the sheets where they overlap. Puncture the sheets with a fork (“dock”) to prevent the pastry from rising when you “blind bake” it. You can use rice or pulses in baking paper spread evenly across the surface to achieve the same “blind baking” result)
  • ½ bake the pastry sheets in a pre-heated oven at 200 C. Approximately 10 minutes. Take out and set aside.
  • Sweat onions and bacon in a little oil, add garlic and corn. Toss together and heat through. Then add the pasta sauce, seasoning and extra water to thin the sauce somewhat. Cook for a few moments. Sauce and mixture should again have the original bottled sauce consistency.
  • Take off heat and add ½ the cheese. Mix through.
  • Once mixture is cooled, mix in the beaten eggs and pour onto the ½ baked pastry. Spread out evenly.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 180° C. Return corn and bacon torte to oven, bake for ~ 15 minutes.
  • Take out and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over, return to oven for a further 6 or so minutes. (Judge by the pastry colour and the set filling centre).
  • Cool on a wire rack, then cut into your bite size pieces, or serve as a meal with a green salad.


To print - Ctrl P

Close Window