Pumpkin and feta tarts

PUMPKIN AND FETA TARTS

Ingredients
1 tbsp Olive Oil (if roasting pumpkin)
500g small cubed pumpkin - I prefer Kent variety (you can roast or boil*)
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, dewooded and chopped fine
200g Feta, crumbled (I use a creamy feta from Tasmania)
1/3 cup Finely Grated Parmesan
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
6 Sheets Filo Pastry
80 g Butter, melted
2 tsp Poppy Seeds

Salt and Pepper to taste

nb: * if you boil the pumpkin, when you mash it down you will need to add 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs to soak up some of the moisture.

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Lightly grease a 23cm (base measurement), loose-bottom fluted flan tin.
2. Place pumpkin (small cubes if roasted, mashed if boiled), rosemary, parmesan and feta into a bowl and mix well. Add in lightly beaten eggs. Season to taste.
3. Lay out filo on the workbench and cover with a clean, dry tea towel, then a clean damp tea towel. Take 1 sheet of the filo, keeping the others covered, and brush with melted butter. Repeat with another sheet and lay on top of the first sheet at right angles. Repeat with another sheet, laying it diagonally across the second sheet. Repeat with another, laying it at right angles to the third sheet. Brush the 2 remaining sheets with butter, and lay on top, again at right angles. NB: Do not do this stage too early or your filo will dry out!
5. Lift pastry stack onto the flan tin making sure it is centred. Gently press into the tin, leaving excess pastry overhanging. Spoon filling into pastry and gently smooth the surface. Fold overhanging pastry to cover the pie. 6. Brush with butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake for 20-25 mins, or until crisp and golden brown.

I ended up making 4 small filo tarts. I had heaps of filling left over and no more filo, so I then made a big pie with puff pastry, as well as a pumpkin and feta sausage roll.

Spinach Torte

SPINACH TORTE

Ingredients
1 tbsp Olive Oil
4 Spring Onions, sliced
400g Baby Spinach Leaves
300g Fresh Ricotta

150g Feta, crumbled
1/3 cup Finely Grated Parmesan
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
6 Sheets Filo Pastry
80 g Butter, melted
2 tsp Sesame Seeds

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Lightly grease a 23cm (base measurement), loose-bottom fluted flan tin. 

2. Heat olive oil in a large, deep frying pan and add spring onions. Cook over medium heat for 2 mins, or until soft. Add half the spinach leaves and cook, stirring, until wilted. Add remaining leaves and cook until wilted.
3. Transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool. Take handfuls of mixture and squeeze out excess liquid over the sink or another bowl. Tease out the mixture with your fingers to loosen and mix in ricotta, parmesan, eggs and feta.
4. Lay out filo on the workbench and cover with a clean, dry tea towel, then a clean damp tea towel. Take 1 sheet of the filo, keeping the others covered, and brush with melted butter. Repeat with another sheet and lay on top of the first sheet at right angles. Repeat with another sheet, laying it diagonally across the second sheet. Repeat with another, laying it at right angles to the third sheet. Brush the 2 remaining sheets with butter, and lay on top, again at right angles. NB: Do not do this stage too early or your filo will dry out!
5. Lift pastry stack onto the flan tin making sure it is centred. Gently press into the tin, leaving excess pastry overhanging. Spoon filling into pastry and gently smooth the surface. Fold overhanging pastry to cover the pie. 6. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 20-25 mins, or until crisp and golden brown.

I am doing a savoury Pumpkin version of this tomorrow, and a sweet pumpkin version of this on the weekend, so stay tuned!

Bacon and Egg Toast cups

Bacon and Egg Toast Cups

Ingredients
Unsalted butter, room temperature
12 slices sandwich bread
6 whole rashers of bacon
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
12 small eggs
salt and pepper

Method
1) Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced).
2) In a large skillet or frying pan, cook bacon over medium heat. Under-cook slightly, the bacon will continue to cook once in the oven.
3) Trim the bread of all crusts and lightly butter one side.
4) Gently press into each muffin cup (12 cup tin). There will be pointing bits sticking up (see end product picture above).
5) Lay one bacon slice into each cup (on side around edge of circle) and sprinkle with a pinch of shredded cheese.
6) Crack one egg into each cup and season with salt and pepper, to taste, then bake until the egg whites are just set, about 15- 20 minutes.
7) Run a knife around cups to loosen and serve immediately.
Delicious and so easy to make!

Corn and bacon Muffins

Corn and Bacon Muffins

Ingredients:

6 rashers of bacon 

1 large brown onion

120 ml milk

2 large eggs

60g melted butter

1 can corn kernels (410g)

300g Self Rising flour, sifted

1cup Grated Cheddar Cheese 

1 tsp of paprika powder

Salt to taste

Method:

Preheat oven at 200C. (180C fan forced)

Grease muffin pan.

Fry bacon and onion till lightly browned. Toss in drained can of corn, stir on heat for a minute then set aside to cool.

Whisk milk, eggs, and melted butter till well combined

Add bacon mixture and most of the cheese, mix well.

Add in flour and mix till just combined (do not over mix, batter should be lumpy)

Spoon into muffin pan.

Bake for 20mins.

Stand for 5mins before serving.