Open roast pumpkin & feta pies

INGREDIENTS
350g pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes
2 tsp olive oil
3 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 eggs
100ml light thickened cream
100g low-fat feta, crumbled

METHOD
Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease two 12-hole muffin pans. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. drizzle with oil and season. Roast for 20 minutes or until cooked.
Cut 20 rounds from the pastry sheets using a 6.5cm cutter. Press into muffin holes to cover base and a little of the sides. Whisk eggs and cream together. Divide pumpkin among rounds, top with 1 teaspoon of egg mixture, then sprinkle with feta. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool slightly, then turn out.

SERVINGS
20

COMMENTS
Use mini muffin trays to make bite-size versions

SOURCE
Taste.com.au

Spanakopita

INGREDIENTS
500g english spinach
350g feta cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
grated nutmeg
3 tbs grated parmesan cheese
375g filo pastry
180g butter, melted

METHOD
Blanch the spinach in boiling salted water for a few minutes and then drain well.
When it has cooled slightly, chop finely, squeezing out as much excess water as possible.
Combine the spinach and feta in a bowl and mash with a fork or wooden spoon.
Mix in the eggs, a little nutmeg and the parmesan.
Season with black pepper.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Lay out one sheet filo pastry on a work surface and brush with melted butter.
Put another sheet of filo to fit exactly over the first and brush this with butter also.
Keep the rest of the filo covered with a damp cloth so that it doesn't dry out.
Cut the filo into 10cm strips lengthwise.
Put 1 tbs of spinach filling in the bottom middle of each strip and fold the right corner over to the left side to make a triangle.
Fold the pastry upwards to create another triangle and continue until you have made a neat package.
Brush both sides with butter and arrange on a baking tray so they fit quite compactly.
Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden and crisp, and serve immediately.

COMMENTS
You can make smaller ones by cutting the pastry into thinner strips, and use less filling on each.

SERVINGS
18 medium sized or 30 smaller ones

SOURCE
Tessa Kiros Falling Cloudberries

Fried Haloumi Cheese

INGREDIENTS
20g butter
1/2 tbs olive oil
1 slice haloumi cheese (as thick as you like)
plain flour (for dusting)
2 tbs ouzo
half a lemon

METHOD
Heat butter and oil in small fry pan over medium heat.
Dust the haloumi with flour on both sides, shaking off the excess.
Add to the hot pan and fry until golden on both sides, taking care that the butter does not burn.
Then add the ouzo and carefully set it alight, standing back.
Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon.

COMMENTS
Quite spectacular, but don't go overboard with the ouzo, the kitchen may go up!!!
To serve more people, just multiply the amounts.

SERVINGS
1

SOURCE
Tessa Kiros Falling Cloudberries

Keftedes (Fried Greek Meatballs)

INGREDIENTS
500g lean beef or veal mince
1 onion, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 slices bread, crusts removed
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tbs parsley, minced
2 mint sprigs, chopped
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tbs dry red wine
2 tbs water (more if necessary)
salt and freshly ground pepper
plain flour (for dusting)
oil (for frying)

METHOD
Soak bread slices in water, then squeeze dry.
In a large bowl, combine mince with onion, garlic, bread, egg, parsley, mint, allspice, and wine and knead for 2 minutes. The mixture should be soft, add a few tablespoons of water if necessary.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then cover and refrigerate for at least an hour (overnight if possible).
Pinch off small pieces the size of walnuts or smaller and roll into balls between your palms, then dredge lightly in flour.
Heat the oil in a fry pan to the smoking point, slip in the keftedes and fry until crisp, turning constantly with tongs.
Remove with slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper.

SERVINGS
24

SOURCE
www.recipesource.com

Moroccan Sweet Potato, Carrot and Chickpea Soup

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large brown onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
600g orange sweet potato, peeled, diced
500g carrots, peeled, sliced
6 cups reduced-salt chicken stock
300g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1/2 small lemon, juiced
Turkish bread croutons (see note), to serve

METHOD
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Stir in coriander, cumin and chilli powder. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add sweet potato and carrot. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add stock. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
Add chickpeas to soup and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until chickpeas are tender.
Blend soup, in batches, until smooth. Return to saucepan over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Heat, stirring, until hot (do not boil).
Ladle into bowls. Top with croutons. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve.

COMMENTS
Cut Turkish bread loaf in half lengthways and chop into 2cm cubes. Spray lightly all over with olive oil cooking spray. Place on a tray and bake in a 200°C oven for 10 minutes or until golden.

SERVINGS
4

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
(per serve)
1407kJ
1.60g saturated fat

SOURCE
www.taste.com.au Super Food Ideas - August 2005 , Page 66

Steamed Dumplings

INGREDIENTS
300g pork mince
4 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup bamboo shoots, chopped
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3/4 teaspoon sesame oil
30 fresh wonton wrappers
1cm piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 teaspoons white sugar
1 tablespoon coriander leaves, chopped


METHOD
Combine mince, onion, garlic, bamboo shoot, rice wine, white pepper and oil in a bowl. Season with salt.
Place 1 teaspoon mixture into centre of 1 wonton wrapper. Brush edges with water. Fold wonton over to make a triangle. Bring base corners of triangle together. Press firmly to join.
Line base of a large steamer basket with baking paper. Place dumplings, in a single layer, in basket. Pour water into a wok until one-quarter full. Bring to the boil over high heat. Place steamer over wok, ensuring base doesn't touch water. Steam dumplings for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and cooked through.
Combine ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and coriander in a bowl. Stir until well combined. Serve with dumplings.


Variation: To deep-fry dumplings, pour oil into wok until one-third full. Heat until hot. Deep-fry dumplings, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden. Allow oil to reheat after cooking each batch.


SERVINGS
30

SOURCE
www.taste.com.au

Rice Paper Rolls

INGREDIENTS
12 large rice paper sheets (or 24 small)
400g pork mince
1 clove garlic
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp chilli sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 lime, juice of
100g rice stick noodles
½ carrot, julienne
2 spring onions, julienne
½ cucumber, julienne
12 large sized baby spinach or medium bok choy leaves, or 24 small
sprouts
coriander leaves
mint leaves

METHOD
Gently saute pork mince with garlic and ginger till cooked, drain off pork fat.
Add chilli, fish and soy sauces, sugar and squeezed lime to taste (you may want to add a pinch of salt), set aside.
Place noodles in bowl, pour over boiling water to cover, place plate on top to keep in steam and leave for 10 minutes, drain.
Soak a rice paper sheet in lukewarm water for 30 seconds or until soft.
Lay flat on tea towel.
Place a spinach leaf in the centre towards the bottom of the rice paper.
Place a dessertspoonful of mince mixture on leaf, top with several julienne of carrot, cucumber and spring onion, a few coriander and mint leaves, and several noodles.
Turn up bottom of rice paper to cover filling, bring in sides and roll up.
Repeat with remaining rice paper sheets.
Serve with a dipping sauce (fish sauce, chilli sauce, lime juice and brown sugar).

VARIATION
As a variation, replace pork mixture with shelled, cooked prawns and slices of mango and avocado.
The pork version can also be deep fried to make spring rolls using either rice paper or spring roll wrappers.

SERVINGS
12 large or 24 small

SOURCE
Jules

Quiche Lorraine

INGREDIENTS
Pastry
1 ¾ cups plain flour
155g butter
1 egg yolk
2 tsp lemon juice, approx.

Filling
1 onion, finely chopped
3 bacon rashers, chopped
3 eggs
300ml cream
½ cup milk
¾ cup grated tasty cheese

METHOD
Pastry
Sift flour into bowl, rub in butter.
Add egg yolk and enough lemon juice to make ingredients cling together.
Knead gently on lightly floured surface until smooth.
Cover, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll pastry between two sheets of baking paper, large enough to line a deep 23cm flan tin.
Lift pastry into flan tin, gently ease pastry into side of tin, trim edges of pastry neatly.
Cover pastry with baking paper, fill the cavity with dried beans or rice.
Bake in a moderately hot oven for 10 minutes.
Remove paper and beans/rice carefully.
Bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool to room temperature before filling.

Filling
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Cook onion and bacon in frying pan until onion is soft.
Drain away excess fat, cool before spreading into pastry case.
Beat eggs in a bowl with whisk.
Add cream, milk and cheese, and whisk until just combined.
Pour into pastry case.
Bake for about 35 minutes or until filling is set and brown.
Stand quiche 5 minutes before removing from tin.

SERVINGS
8

COMMENTS
Ready made shortcrust pastry can also be used.
Halve the recipe to make 24 mini quiches.

SOURCE
AWW

Filled Filo Squares

INGREDIENTS
100g cream cheese
130g goat’s cheese
1 tsp chopped dill
2 tsp chopped chives
2 tsp chopped parsley
10 sheets filo pastry
Olive oil
½ tsp sesame seeds

METHOD
Preheat oven to 160°C.
Combine cream cheese, goat’s cheese and herbs.
Trim filo pastry sheets to 30cm x 20cm.
Brush 5 pastry sheets with oil, stack on top of each other and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.
Spread cheese mixture over pastry stack.
Brush remaining 5 filo sheets with oil, stack and place on top of cheese layer.
Score pastry into 60 small squares.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.

SERVINGS
60 small squares

SOURCE
Marie Claire Food and Drink

Stuffed Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS
18 button mushrooms
1 clove of garlic, crushed
¼ cup ricotta cheese
½ tsp finely chopped fresh marjoram
¼ tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 slices proscuitto, finely sliced
2 tsp olive oil
Mozzarella, grated

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and trim their rounded tops with a sharp knife so as to give them a flat base when placed upside down.
Finely chop stems and trimmed tops, then sauté with garlic until soft, cool.
Place ricotta, herbs, proscuitto and oil in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Add sautéed mushrooms.
Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Spoon the ricotta filling into the centre of the mushrooms and place them on a baking tray.
Lightly season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with grated mozzarella and bake for 12-15 minutes.

SERVINGS
18

SOURCE
Adapted from Marie Claire Food and Drink

Tomato and Bocconcini Bites

INGREDIENTS
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
12 small bocconcini, halved
24 basil leaves
24 toothpicks
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

METHOD
Using a toothpick, secure a basil leaf between a cherry tomato half and a bocconcini half.
Repeat with remaining halves.
Drizzle with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

SERVINGS
24

SOURCE
Adapted from Donna Hay Modern Classics 1

Naan Bread

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup warm water
1 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp ghee, melted (alternatively, use olive oil)
2 tbsp yoghurt
2 tsp kalonji (black onion seeds)

METHOD
Whisk water, yeast and sugar in bowl until yeast is dissolved.
Cover and stand in warm place for 10 minutes.
Sift flour and salt into a large bowl, add yeast mixture, yoghurt and half the ghee.
Mix to a soft dough then knead, on floured surface, about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.
Place dough in large greased bowl, cover and stand in warm place for about 1½ hours, or until dough has doubled in size.
Once proved, punch dough, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes.
Divide dough into 6 pieces and roll each piece into a 20cm round naan.
Cook each naan separately on an oven tray covered with foil, under the grill for approximately two minutes each.
Brush naan with remaining ghee and sprinkle with kalonji and cook a further 30 seconds.
Alternatively, cook each naan in a well greased (but not oily) fry pan until puffed and just brown.

SERVINGS
Makes 6

COMMENTS
Party favourite, although takes ages to prepare, especially if you fry it

SOURCE
AWW Indian

The Best Pizza Toppings

INGREDIENTS
Gourmet Vegetarian: Pesto, Pumpkin, Spinach and Feta
tub of Pesto
1/4 pumpkin, sliced thinly and roasted
spinach leaves
feta, crumbled
pine nuts
mozzarella, grated

Supreme: Salami, Olives, Mushrooms and Capsicum
tomato pasta sauce
salami, sliced
olives, pitted and halved
champignons or button mushrooms, halved
capsicum, sliced
mozzarella, grated

Satay Chicken
tomato paste
1 quantity of satay chicken
spanish onion, sliced thinly
mozzarella, grated
coriander

METHOD
Prepare pizza bases with fresh pizza dough, or slice turkish bread in half lengthways.
For each different topping:
Spread pizza base with sauce.
Add toppings.
Sprinkle with mozzarella.
Bake at 250C for 7 - 10 minutes until golden and crispy.

SERVINGS
10

SOURCE
Vikki

Basic Pizza Dough

INGREDIENTS
800g strong white bread flour
200g fine ground semolina flour or strong white bread flour
1 level tablespoon fine sea salt
2x7g sachets dried yeast
1 tbs golden caster sugar
650mL lukewarm water

METHOD
Add the yeast and sugar to the tepid water.
Mix with a fork and leave for a few minutes.
Pile the flours and salt on to a clean surface and make an 18cm well in the centre.
Pour yeast mixture into well.
Using a fork and a circular movement, slowly bring in the flour from the inner edge of the well and mix into the water- it will look like stodgy porridge.
Continue to mix, bringing in all the flour.
When the dough comes together and becomes too hard to mix with the fork, flour your hands and begin to pat it into a ball.
Knead the dough by rolling it backwards and forwards, using your left hand to stretch the dough towards you and your right hand to push the dough away from you at the same time.
Repeat this for 10 minutes until you have a smooth springy soft dough.
Flour the top of the dough.
Cover with clingfilm and let rest for at least 15 minutes at room temperature - this will make it easier to roll it thinly.
Divide the dough into as many balls as you want to make pizzas - small or large - 6 is a good quantity for this amount of dough.
Roll pizzas out 15 to 30 minutes before you start to cook them. If you want to work more in advance, keep the dough in clingfilm in the fridge.
Take a piece of the dough.
Dust your surface and the dough with a little flour, and roll it out into a rough circle about 0.5cm thick.
Tear off an appropriately sized piece of tinfoil, rub it with olive oil, dust it well with flour and place pizza base on top.
Continue doing the same with other pieces and then, if you dust them with a little flour, you can pile them up into a stack, cover them with clingfilm and put in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 250C.
Apply toppings.
Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the pizzas are golden and crispy.

SERVINGS
6 - 8 medium sized pizza bases

SOURCE
Jamie's Italy

Dutch Croquettes

INGREDIENTS
500g gravy beefstock from meat
1-2 cups flour
salt and pepper
2-3 tbs margarine
breadcrumbs

METHOD
Cube meat and cook in pressure cooker for ½ hr or 2-3 hr on stove.
Strain meat from stock and put stock aside.
Put meat in blender and whizz.
Melt margarine and add flour.
Slowly add stock to make sauce.
Drop in meat, taste and season.
When cool put in fridge, covered.
Roll into balls.
Roll in breadcrumbs.
Refrigerate until firm.
Freeze extras for later.
Deep fry in dripping rather than oil.
Cook till a deep brown colour and cooked through.

SOURCE
Dad, Oma

Crunchy Thai Chicken Rounds

INGREDIENTS
250g minced chicken
2 tbsp coconut milk
1 1/2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 tsp finely chopped fresh lemon grass
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 large green cucumbers (800g)

METHOD
Cook chicken in heated medium non-stick frying pan, stirring until browned lightly.
Cool 5 minutes then process chicken until finely chopped.
Combine chicken with coconut milk, sauce, lemongrass, juice, coriander and garlic in medium bowl.
Cover, refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Cut cucumbers diagonally into 1cm slices.
Divide chicken mixture among slices, top with coriander leaves if desired.

SERVINGS
25

SOURCE
AWW Bites

Boxing Day Garlic Prawns

INGREDIENTS
1.5 kg fresh uncooked prawns
8 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Parsley and lime cheeks, to serve

METHOD
Shell prawns, leaving tails intact.
Butterfly, de-vein and wash.
Pat dry.
Marinate in garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper for 1 hour.
BBQ or grill until pink.
Serve with lime cheeks and sprinkled with parsley.

SERVINGS
8

SOURCE
Jules

Mozzarella and Sun-dried Tomato Risotto Balls

INGREDIENTS
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup water
1 tbs olive oil
1 small brown onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic
¾ cup Arborio rice
1 tbs finely chopped fresh basil
1 tbs finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbs finely chopped semi-dried tomatoes
60g mozzarella, diced into 1cm cubes
¼ cup packaged breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for deep frying

METHOD
Place stock and water in medium saucepan and bring to boil.
Reduce heat, simmer, covered.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in medium saucepan.
Cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion softens.
Add rice and stir to coat in onion mixture.
Stir in ½ cup of the simmering stock mixture, in ½ cup batches, stirring, until liquid is absorbed after each addition.
Total cooking time should be about 35 minutes or until rice is just tender.
Stir in herbs and tomato.
Cover and cool for 30 minutes.
Roll heaped teaspoons of the risotto mixture into balls.
Press a piece of cheese into centre of each ball, roll to enclose.
Coat risotto balls in breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in wok.
Deep fry risotto balls, in batches, until browned lightly and heated through.

SERVINGS
30

SOURCE
AWW Party Food and Drink

Satay Chicken Skewers

INGREDIENTS
1 tbs soy sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbs sweet chilli sauce
100mL coconut milk
1 stem lemongrass, finely chopped
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbs grated fresh ginger
400g chicken fillet

METHOD
Place all ingredients except the chicken in a food processor.
Add 6 tablespoons (120mL) hot water.
Process until smooth.
Chop the chicken into bite size pieces.
Toss in the mixture.
Refrigerate for 1 hour to marinate.
Preheat grill or bbq to high heat.
Thread the chicken onto skewers.
Grill or bbq chicken until cooked through and slightly charred.
Serve as is or with satay sauce.

SERVINGS
25

SOURCE
Delicious Let's Entertain

Satay Sauce

INGREDIENTS
2cm piece ginger, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp turmeric
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ cup crunchy peanut butter
1 red chilli, pounded
2 tsp palm sugar
1 cup coconut milk

METHOD
Process together the ginger, onion and garlic until mushy.
In a small saucepan on low heat, gently sauté the onion mixture in oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.
Combine spices in mortar and pestle and crush.
Add spices to onion mixture in saucepan and cook for one minute.
Add soy sauce, peanut butter, sugar and chilli, stir.
Add coconut milk to peanut sauce and stir thoroughly until the sauce is smooth.
Cook on low heat for a further two minutes.

COMMENTS
This sauce is very adaptable as well as delicious. After cooking, it can be added to a stirfry, with veges, meat and noodles or rice. Alternatively, it is a fantastic crowd pleaser when placed in the middle of the table with lots of chicken sticks for dipping.

SOURCE
Jules