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!

Chicken Vegie Wellington

This one is super easy!
Serves 2 -4

Ingredients
Chicken Tenderloins (500g)
One red capsicum (sliced into strips)
1 packet Tasmanian Feta (cubed)
I bunch English Spinach (washed and remove stalks)
200g Swiss Brown mushrooms (optional - chopped into quarters)
1 packet puff pastry - 2 sheets

Method
* Lightly fry the tenderloins till browned, but not cooked through. Fry in butter.
* Set chicken aside to cool.
* Line puff pastry with Spinach, leaving a 1-2cm border.
* Layer on the chicken, feta, capsicum and/or mushroom.
* grab 2 opposite sides of the pastry and fold up and press together. Then fold it over so you have a roll with a line down the middle.
* press each end together with its partner using a fork, then fold it again and fork it again : )
* Brush with egg yolk and place in pre-heated oven (180 deg C/ 160 deg C fan forced).
* Cook for 1/2 hour.
* Cut in half to Serve.

NB: It is probably best if you also make a sage crepes to line the base of the roll, as that will absorb the excess moisture and keep the pastry crispy. Just use any crepe recipe and add shredded fresh sage (not too much!).