Rhubarb Meringue Pie

This is delicious and looks gorgeous on a table.

Ingredients:

1 portion sweet shortcrust pastry (see previous recipes)

2 portions rhubarb curd (see previous recipes)

1 portion meringue (see previous recipes)

Instructions:

1. Roll out the dough and place it in a pie dish. Pre-bake for 5-10 minutes at 190 C.

2. Pour the curd on top of the pastry. Bake for 20-30 minutes until set.

3. Spoon the meringue on top (into any pattern or style you want). Bake for 10-12 minutes.

4. Let cool, then serve.

Vegan Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

We’ve been experimenting a lot with shortcrust pastries that don’t use butter. This is a good sweet dough. You can easily vary it by adding ground almonds or flavourings.

Ingredients:

200 g flour

110 g Cookeen

2 tbsp sugar

2-4 tbsp cold water

Instructions:

1. Mix the flour and Cookeen until the mixture is like breadcrumbs.

2. Add in the sugar and mix again. Slowly add the water and mix well.

3. Chill, covered, for 20-30 minutes, then roll out and use as needed.

Pizza Dough 2

With M not being able to eat dairy, one thing we have missed is pizza. So we decided to make a nice vegan pizza one relaxing weekend. Here is our pizza dough recipe.

Ingredients:

350 g bread flour (we used 250 g white and 150 g brown, for a nice flavour)

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp fast-action dried yeast

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp olive oil

200 ml lukewarm water (about 1 cup)

cornmeal/polenta, optional

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together well.

2. Place in a warm spot to rise for about 1-2 hours.

3. Knead on an oiled surface and shape into a pizza.

4. Sprinkle with cornmeal for a little extra crunch (or roll out the dough on top of the cornmeal). Then top and bake as desired.

Vegan Shortcrust Pastry

Ingredients:

360 g flour

about 200 g Cookeen

1 pinch salt

4-6 tbsp cold water

Instructions:

1. Mix the flour, spread, and salt together until it comes together like breadcrumbs.

2. Add the water as needed. Chill the dough, covered, in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

3. Roll out and use as needed.

Lemony Pie Crust

This is a simple pie crust, which you can use underneath any savoury pie. I like it under a spinach quiche. You can replace the butter with oil if you want to go vegan. If you also add sugar, you can make this appropriate for a sweet pie.

Ingredients:
150 g butter
1¼ cups flour
1/8 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:
1. Soften and cube the butter, then mix it with the flour, water, and lemon juice.
2. Put in the refrigerator for 20 or so minutes, then roll out and put in a pie dish.

Aubergine Quiche

I like to play around with different quiches/pies/tarts. I like how you make one large one and then have enough food for several days. Since I first wrote this recipe, we’ve stopped using dairy at home because it seems that M feels better without it. So we’ve been trying out various soy “cheeses”. I’m not keen on them all, but many work pretty well in dishes such as quiches or omelettes. Do experiment and see what you like.

Ingredients:
1 portion cornmeal pastry (see previous recipe)
1 aubergine
1 handful cherry tomatoes
50 g spinach
1 tsp parsley
oil
1 tbsp honey
100 g cheese (you can use any type – I used up leftover blue cheese and cheddar)
3 eggs
200 ml milk or cream
pepper

Instructions:
1. Roll out the dough into an oven-safe dish.
2. Wash and dice the aubergine. Wash and halve the tomatoes. Fry the aubergine, tomatoes, spinach, and parsley in oil. After a few minutes, add the honey. Fry another 10 or so minutes.
3. Crumble or chop the cheese. Mix it with the eggs and milk or cream and season with pepper.
4. Put the vegetables on the pastry. Top with the egg mixture.
5. Bake at 180 C for 30-40 minutes.

Cornmeal Pastry

When making a pie/tart/quiche, you can change the flavour of the pastry by adding cornmeal (also known as polenta). This gives it a richer taste and grainier consistency.

Ingredients:
150 g butter
¾ cup flour
½ cup cornmeal
3 tbsp water

Instructions:
1. Cube the butter and blend it with the flour and cornmeal either by hand or in a food processor. Add the water.
2. Either put the pastry in the pan/dish and then in the refrigerator or else just wrap it in cling film and then put it in the fridge. Let rest for 20 or so minutes.

Quiche with Feta, Artichokes, and Spring Greens

Quiche is heavy due to the eggs, cheese, and cream in it, but I try to lighten it up a bit with plenty of vegetables and fresh herbs. It’s not the healthiest of dishes, but it’s a nice treat once in awhile.

Ingredients:
pastry (500 g) (short crust or puff)
oil
1 onion
1-3 garlic cloves (depending on taste)
1 tsp herbs (I used mint this time, for variety)
1 tbsp mustard powder
300 g spring greens or spinach
200 g artichokes
50 g tomatoes (sun-dried or fresh, optional)
50 g mozzarella
50 g cheddar cheese
50 g feta cheese
300 ml milk or cream (single or double)
4 eggs
black pepper

Instructions:
1. Roll out the pastry.
2. Light grease an oven-safe pie dish or casserole dish. Place the pastry in it and use a fork to make a few indentations in the pastry.
3. Pre-bake the pastry for about 5 minutes at 190 C.
4. Meanwhile, dice the onion and garlic. Fry them lightly in oil with the herbs and other mustard.
5. Wash and chop the greens and add them to the pot with the onion. Wilt for about 10 minutes over low heat.
6. Dice the artichokes and tomatoes (if using) and add them. Do the same with the cheese.
7. Beat the milk or cream with the eggs.
8. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables.
9. Pour everything into the pastry.
10. Bake for about 45 minutes at 170 C.

Leek, Cheddar, and Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche

This is a very rich dish, so I wouldn’t make it too often. It’s loaded with eggs, cheese, and cream, which is what makes it tasty, but I can envision arteries getting clogged with each bite.

Yes, of course you can make your own pastry, but I bought it this time. Sometimes it’s just simpler to purchase the pastry. Shortcrust works better, I think, but I had puff pastry on hand and that was fine. In fact, M said she liked that it was a bit different.

Ingredients:
pastry (500 g) (short crust or puff)
oil
1 leek
2 tsp parsley
1 tsp lime leaves or basil or other herb
6 eggs
1 tbsp mustard powder
300 ml cream (single or double)
100 g sun-dried tomatoes
50 g mozzarella
100 g cheddar cheese
other vegetables (I had asparagus that I threw in, but next time I might use red pepper or spinach)
black pepper

Instructions:
1. Roll out the pastry.
2. Light grease an oven-safe pie dish or casserole dish. Place the pastry in it and use a fork to make a few indentations in the pastry.
3. Pre-bake the pastry for about 5 minutes at 190 C.
4. Meanwhile, dice the leek. Fry it lightly in oil with the parsley and other herbs.
5. Beat the eggs with the mustard powder and cream.
6. Chop the tomatoes, cheese, and any other vegetables. Mix them into the eggs, add the leek, and season with black pepper.
7. Pour the egg mixture over the pastry.
8. Bake for about 45 minutes at 170 C.

Sweet Pastry Dough

It’s healthier to make your own dough rather than to buy pre-made dough at the store, and it’s not that difficult or time-consuming either. You can play around with flavourings; instead of the vanilla here, for example, you could use mint extract or orange peel or mint or any of a number of other things.

Ingredients:
2½ cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
225 g butter
1 egg
¼ cup ice water

Instructions:
1. Mix the flour, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
2. Cube the butter and add it. Mix until crumbly.
3. Add the egg and water. Blend well.
4. Let rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before you use it.

Tomato Tart

This is a very easy and tasty tart. I made it twice in one weekend! The flavours all work together very well.

Ingredients:
1 portion pastry (see previous recipes)
3 onions
oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 portion olive tapenade (see previous recipe)
400 g cherry tomatoes
black pepper
sea salt
olive oil
70 g pine nuts

Instructions:
1. Place the pastry in a casserole dish.
2. Dice the onions and fry in oil. Add sugar and caramelise.
3. Blind-bake the pastry for 5 minutes at 180 C.
4. Spread a layer of olive tapenade on the pastry. Top with the onions.
5. Wash and halve the tomatoes. Place on top of the onions.
6. Sprinkle with black pepper, salt, and olive oil.
7. Bake at 200 C for 15 minutes.
8. Sprinkle the pine nuts on top. Bake for another 5-8 minutes.

Simple Gluten-free Pastry

I made two tarts one recent weekend. They were identical except for the pastry. One was gluten-free. M said the gluten-free one tasted slightly sweeter. I thought it was a bit grainier. They both worked well in the dish, so I was very pleased.

Ingredients:
1 cup gluten-free flour
125 g butter
1 egg

Instructions:
1. Mix the flour and butter until it looks like breadcrumbs, but still has some lumps in it.
2. Add in the egg and beat again.
3. Wrap in cling film and chill for about 30 minutes before using it.

Simple Pastry

Simple Pastry

This is a good basis for any savoury tart or pie or even for some sweet ones. You can even add shredded cheese to the mixture, which turns crispy when baked.

Ingredients:
¾ cup flour
100 g butter
1 egg

Instructions:
1. Mix the flour and butter until it looks like breadcrumbs, but still has some lumps in it.
2. Add in the egg and beat again.
3. Wrap in cling film and chill for about 30 minutes before using it.

Shortcrust Pastry

When it’s so easy to make your own shortcrust pastry, why buy the ready-made stuff from the grocery store? The pre-packaged pastry tends to have chemicals and flavourings added, so I think it’s better to make your own, because then you know exactly what’s in there.

M thought I should roll it out, but that seemed like too much effort for me, so I just pressed it into the dish I was using. M said it gave the dish a more rustic look and we think that’s fine, but if you really want a fancier style, roll it out.

Ingredients:
½ cup flour
75 g butter
a little cold water

Instructions:
1. Mix the flour and butter together, either by hand or in a mixer.
2. Add water as needed, not more than 2 tbsp.
3. Chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, then use as desired.