Spanakopita Pretty simple recipe for a spinach pie, you can improvise and try some other cheese as well, or just more of it, can’t really go wrong with this one. Ingredients: 1 onion, diced 4 garlic cloves Half bunch of chopped fresh thyme leaves 750g frozen spinach 200g feta cheese 4 eggs Juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp dukkah 1 tsp nutmeg Salt, pepper, cayenne, olive oil 10 sheets filo dough Melted butter Mash garlic with salt in a mortar and pestle, and sauté in olive oil.  Mix in the thyme for the last minute.  Thaw spinach and squeeze out all the liquid.  Mix with the onion mixture, feta, nutmeg, and lemon.  Season with salt and pepper.  Beat the eggs and combine. Brush a 9x9 inch glass dish with melted butter, and layer on dough, alternating angles, brushing with butter in between each sheet.  Put the spinach mixture in the middle, top with a bit of cayenne and the dukkah.  Fold over the filo onto the top to cover, brushing with butter as you go so it’s all covered.  Bake at 200C / 375F for 45 minutes High-res

Spanakopita

Pretty simple recipe for a spinach pie, you can improvise and try some other cheese as well, or just more of it, can’t really go wrong with this one.

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • Half bunch of chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 750g frozen spinach
  • 200g feta cheese
  • 4 eggs
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp dukkah
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • Salt, pepper, cayenne, olive oil
  • 10 sheets filo dough
  • Melted butter

Mash garlic with salt in a mortar and pestle, and sauté in olive oil.  Mix in the thyme for the last minute.  Thaw spinach and squeeze out all the liquid.  Mix with the onion mixture, feta, nutmeg, and lemon.  Season with salt and pepper.  Beat the eggs and combine.

Brush a 9x9 inch glass dish with melted butter, and layer on dough, alternating angles, brushing with butter in between each sheet.  Put the spinach mixture in the middle, top with a bit of cayenne and the dukkah.  Fold over the filo onto the top to cover, brushing with butter as you go so it’s all covered.  Bake at 200C / 375F for 45 minutes

Thyme Poached Eggs with Bacon and Ciabatta I found this excellent recipe for ciabatta bread (I made it into a loaf instead of pizza), the only change is that I added another half cup of flour or so since it was too watery and didn’t look like the photos.  Great recipe, very soft fluffy bread and it only took a couple hours to make and it very simple on a Sunday morning. For the eggs, I poached them in cellophane (using a bowl, crack an egg into the center of the cellophane, add a sprig of thyme, and scrunch up the top).  Boil for about 3-5 minutes until the whites are cooked.  Serve with fresh slices of ciabatta and bacon. High-res

Thyme Poached Eggs with Bacon and Ciabatta

I found this excellent recipe for ciabatta bread (I made it into a loaf instead of pizza), the only change is that I added another half cup of flour or so since it was too watery and didn’t look like the photos.  Great recipe, very soft fluffy bread and it only took a couple hours to make and it very simple on a Sunday morning.

For the eggs, I poached them in cellophane (using a bowl, crack an egg into the center of the cellophane, add a sprig of thyme, and scrunch up the top).  Boil for about 3-5 minutes until the whites are cooked.  Serve with fresh slices of ciabatta and bacon.

Peach, Mushroom and Blue Cheese Pizza I’ve been pretty obsessed with finding peaches for a while now, so I may have bought a few too many when I finally found them.  I also picked up some pretty good looking oyster mushrooms, so I tried something a bit different with this. Pizza can be really simple to make and the base can be make ahead of time, and refrigerated with cling film.  I used this recipe from Jamie Oliver, which wasn’t too bad, and only takes an hour to rise. Ingredients: 1 portion of pizza dough 2 tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 cups sliced onion 2 peaches, cut into thin wedges 2 cups oyster mushrooms (or whatever other mushrooms you want) 1/4 cup chopped rosemary Blue cheese (I used blue brie) Salt and pepper Saute onions in balsamic in one pan, while you saute the mushrooms in a bit of olive oil, the rosemary, salt and pepper in another.  Once they’re about ready to go, add the peaches for 2-3 minutes. In an oven-proof skillet, coated in olive oil, lay the pizza dough in, spread about 1 cm thick.  Layer on the cooked mushrooms, then the onions with thickened balsamic, then the peaches, and top with blue cheese.  Pop in the oven for about 15-20 minutes at 200C / 375F, until the top is golden. High-res

Peach, Mushroom and Blue Cheese Pizza

I’ve been pretty obsessed with finding peaches for a while now, so I may have bought a few too many when I finally found them.  I also picked up some pretty good looking oyster mushrooms, so I tried something a bit different with this.

Pizza can be really simple to make and the base can be make ahead of time, and refrigerated with cling film.  I used this recipe from Jamie Oliver, which wasn’t too bad, and only takes an hour to rise.

Ingredients:

  • 1 portion of pizza dough
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cups sliced onion
  • 2 peaches, cut into thin wedges
  • 2 cups oyster mushrooms (or whatever other mushrooms you want)
  • 1/4 cup chopped rosemary
  • Blue cheese (I used blue brie)
  • Salt and pepper

Saute onions in balsamic in one pan, while you saute the mushrooms in a bit of olive oil, the rosemary, salt and pepper in another.  Once they’re about ready to go, add the peaches for 2-3 minutes.

In an oven-proof skillet, coated in olive oil, lay the pizza dough in, spread about 1 cm thick.  Layer on the cooked mushrooms, then the onions with thickened balsamic, then the peaches, and top with blue cheese.  Pop in the oven for about 15-20 minutes at 200C / 375F, until the top is golden.

Beef and Black Bean Empanadas I saw these tasty looking photos of empanadas and decided to give it a shot with the leftover slow cooked beef roast.  Really, it could be ground beef, or any roast, it’s pretty easy to turn it into an empanada! Ingredients (dough, from Stonesoup): 3 cups plain flour (or substitute in some wheat) 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt A little over 3/4 cup water 1 teaspoon white vinegar 1 egg 60g (2oz) butter, coarsely grated or finely chopped Combine all ingredients and then turn onto a lightly floured bench top. Knead for 3-5 minutes until the dough looks like a nice smooth ball.  Cover tightly with cling wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for a couple hours. Ingredients (filling): About 700g leftover beef roast, chopped with juice, or about 700g ground beef with 1/2 cup red wine 1 can of diced tomatoes 1 onion, diced 1 can black beans, drained 1 tsp chili powder 2 tsp sweet paprika 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon 2 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste If using ground beef, start by browning the meat and onions with olive oil.  If not, brown just the onions.  Add the rest of the ingredients and reduce until the sauce is no longer too runny, about 10 minutes. Roll out the dough into 6 large circles (about 7 inches) and add filling.  Seal with milk, brush milk on top, and place on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper and dusted with flour.  Bake on 230C / 475F for 20 minutes, until golden. High-res

Beef and Black Bean Empanadas

I saw these tasty looking photos of empanadas and decided to give it a shot with the leftover slow cooked beef roast.  Really, it could be ground beef, or any roast, it’s pretty easy to turn it into an empanada!

Ingredients (dough, from Stonesoup):

  • 3 cups plain flour (or substitute in some wheat)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • A little over 3/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1 egg
  • 60g (2oz) butter, coarsely grated or finely chopped

Combine all ingredients and then turn onto a lightly floured bench top. Knead for 3-5 minutes until the dough looks like a nice smooth ball.  Cover tightly with cling wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for a couple hours.

Ingredients (filling):

  • About 700g leftover beef roast, chopped with juice, or about 700g ground beef with 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

If using ground beef, start by browning the meat and onions with olive oil.  If not, brown just the onions.  Add the rest of the ingredients and reduce until the sauce is no longer too runny, about 10 minutes.

Roll out the dough into 6 large circles (about 7 inches) and add filling.  Seal with milk, brush milk on top, and place on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper and dusted with flour.  Bake on 230C / 475F for 20 minutes, until golden.

Eggplant and Parmesan Focaccia For this, I took a third of the dough from my previous recipe, split it in half, and spread into 2 pizza shapes.  I brushed the dough with the topping from the same recipe, and then layered with slices of eggplant and a bit of zucchini, brushed it with more of the topping and then finished it with some grated parmesan.  Feel free to also use asparagus, artichoke, spinach, mushrooms… whatever you have on hand.  Bake for about 15 minutes on 220C / 400F until the edges are golden and the cheese has started to get a bit crispy.  Really good either hot out of the oven or cold the next day. High-res

Eggplant and Parmesan Focaccia

For this, I took a third of the dough from my previous recipe, split it in half, and spread into 2 pizza shapes.  I brushed the dough with the topping from the same recipe, and then layered with slices of eggplant and a bit of zucchini, brushed it with more of the topping and then finished it with some grated parmesan.  Feel free to also use asparagus, artichoke, spinach, mushrooms… whatever you have on hand.  Bake for about 15 minutes on 220C / 400F until the edges are golden and the cheese has started to get a bit crispy.  Really good either hot out of the oven or cold the next day.

Black Bean and Egg Empanada I woke up at 5am this morning (screw you, jet-lag) and despite my attempts, couldn’t fall back asleep.  Instead, I took my first stab at an empanada… it tasted ok, I was mostly just happy to have daylight to photograph the food in.  I used frozen pastry instead of making the proper dough, and cooked up some black beans and eggs to fill with a bit of cheese.  I’d absolutely add some tomatoes and cilantro next time as a starting point to make them a bit more juicy, but perhaps my next attempt will be when I try making carnitas, either the right way or the way that won’t give you a heart attack. On the subject of Mexican food, I had some of the most delicious tacos in San Francisco on my way home, at a place called Tacolicious in the Marina.  Besides trying to recreate their carnitas, I’m going to try to make their guajillo braised beef short rib tacos, and see how I go.  That may need to wait until I use up the 10 kilos of meat I’m picking up tomorrow.  Suggestions welcome. High-res

Black Bean and Egg Empanada

I woke up at 5am this morning (screw you, jet-lag) and despite my attempts, couldn’t fall back asleep.  Instead, I took my first stab at an empanada… it tasted ok, I was mostly just happy to have daylight to photograph the food in.  I used frozen pastry instead of making the proper dough, and cooked up some black beans and eggs to fill with a bit of cheese.  I’d absolutely add some tomatoes and cilantro next time as a starting point to make them a bit more juicy, but perhaps my next attempt will be when I try making carnitas, either the right way or the way that won’t give you a heart attack.

On the subject of Mexican food, I had some of the most delicious tacos in San Francisco on my way home, at a place called Tacolicious in the Marina.  Besides trying to recreate their carnitas, I’m going to try to make their guajillo braised beef short rib tacos, and see how I go.  That may need to wait until I use up the 10 kilos of meat I’m picking up tomorrow.  Suggestions welcome.

Prawn and Gruyere Pizza First, I made a half recipe of this pizza crust. I had frozen prawns and gruyere, so that seemed like a good start to make something up. Quick tomato sauce: Saute chopped garlic in olive oil, with some basil, salt and pepper When it browns, add either a couple chopped up tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes and cook down slightly (optional: puree it when it’s done… I used cherry tomatoes so there was an excessive amount on skin) Toppings: Sauteed mushrooms and spinach… squeeze the spinach out so your pizza doesn’t get soggy! If your prawns are thawed, pop them on the top and cover in grated cheese… cooking them first will dry them out, but make sure the pizza is in the oven long enough to cook them through I had some kalamata olives, so I threw them on top, but not after slicing my finger on the new knives… ouch Cook on 200C / 375F for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is golden… and then eat the shit out of it. High-res

Prawn and Gruyere Pizza

First, I made a half recipe of this pizza crust.

I had frozen prawns and gruyere, so that seemed like a good start to make something up.

Quick tomato sauce:

  • Saute chopped garlic in olive oil, with some basil, salt and pepper
  • When it browns, add either a couple chopped up tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes and cook down slightly (optional: puree it when it’s done… I used cherry tomatoes so there was an excessive amount on skin)

Toppings:

  • Sauteed mushrooms and spinach… squeeze the spinach out so your pizza doesn’t get soggy!
  • If your prawns are thawed, pop them on the top and cover in grated cheese… cooking them first will dry them out, but make sure the pizza is in the oven long enough to cook them through
  • I had some kalamata olives, so I threw them on top, but not after slicing my finger on the new knives… ouch
  • Cook on 200C / 375F for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is golden… and then eat the shit out of it.