Whilst I'm on the subject …

of tartelettes and croques we might as well carry on with tartines. A tartine is a French open sandwich – especially one with a rich or elaborate topping. My tartine isn't elaborate but it could probably be described as rich.

The following recipe is French and Italian fusion, a tartine drizzled with an Italian sauce – here we have :

Champignon au tartines

Serves 6 as a starter

For the mushrooms

4 tbsp rapeseed oil or similar

500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves of garlic or tsps of paste

salt and black pepper

glug of dry sherry

Heat a large frying pan and add the rapeseed oil. Fry the mushrooms, garlic and salt and pepper on a medium heat and stir. Add a glug of dry sherry and continue frying the mushrooms until they begin to brown. At this point you can set aside until you're ready to serve.

For the sauce

Alfredo

1 tbsp unsalted butter

200ml double cream

50g freshly grated Parmesan

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Gently heat the butter and cream together, stirring, until the butter has melted then add the Parmesan. Slowly bring to a gentle boil, turn down the heat and simmer, stirring for a minute or so until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.

This element of the dish can be made ahead, cooled, covered and then fridged until you're ready to serve.

For the garnish

2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

When you're ready to serve, warm the mushrooms through, add 2 tablespoons of Alfredo to the mushrooms, mix well.

Toast bread of your choice – I used my faithful friend, soda bread. Add a generous spoonful and garnish with the parsley.

Of course if you want to be really lazy you could decant the mushrooms and sauce into a small bowl – make yourself toasted soldiers and dip!

P.s. Why the sherry? A glug of dry sherry (or red wine if you prefer) enhances the flavour of the mushrooms - either is good.

Here's the sandwich - the “Croque” …

… to go with the fried potatoes.

I'm sure you've heard of a Croque Monsieur – it's a baked, or more popularly, fried sandwich which forms a crispy crust but an oozing filling in the middle. Croque literally means “crunch” from the verb “croquer” - “to bite”.

Croque, sandwich, tartine, brushetta, crostini, whatever is your favourite they should all be treated with respect. My personal favourite is a toasted version so, for a decadent treat, here's my latest :

Croque Marianne

for 4 sandwiches

8 slices of medium wholemeal bread

4 tsps Dijon mustard

75g each of Gruyere and mature cheddar cheese, grated

1 medium onion, preferably sweet or mild flavour,

finely sliced and left raw

60g unsalted butter

Spread ½ tsp of mustard over each slice of bread. Spread the cheese onto 4 slices of bread followed by the onions. Sandwich together with the other 4 slices of bread.

Heat half the butter in a frying pan until foaming – you'll get two sandwiches in your frying pan – fry for 1-2 minutes on each side and then pop the croques onto a baking sheet and into the oven whilst you repeat using the remaining butter and two sandwiches.

You may think the onion would be harsh to the palate but I assure you it isn't, provided you use either a sweet or mild variety. The sharpness of the onion cuts through the richness of the cheese.

Serve with your fried potatoes and a salsa or beetroot chutney or even small chunk Branston.

Any leftovers wrap in foil and fridge. Pop into a pre-heated oven 200c/180fan/Gas 6 with your leftover potatoes for 10 minutes. As with the potatoes, some may say even better the next day – I can absolutely confirm you'll still get oozy delicious Croque Marianne!

We all get fed up thinking about food

... in all its forms – the ideas, the lists, the shopping, the cooking, the serving, the moaning – shall I go on!

There's pressure too these days – it has to be this, that and the other – hey all these cookery books look lovely as do many of the recipes – what they don't mention is that if we use every utensil known to man we have to clear up the debris not having the benefit of a fleet of porters to do it for us. I feel so much better for that!

We all deserve a time out – and yah-boo sucks to anyone who thinks differently.

Hands up those who'd agree that there's nothing quite like a well-made sandwich – count me in and, I'm flinching as I type but I'm going to say it, I like mine with chips or fries or whatever you want to call them. I can hear you saying “she has only just been bleating on about utensils and debris – just how much work is this going to involve?!”

Actually, very little.

I like my sandwich toasted and I like it with fried potatoes – it's a chip of sorts – and if I'm feeling particularly healthy then even a salad on the side. I like to call it my slob out supper – “SOS” – it's a treat.

My fried potatoes are so easy. For those who've followed my multitasking weeks on the blog you'll know that if my oven is on I will bake jacket potatoes, ready to use as the mood takes.

Here comes the mood!

I used 3 large jackets potatoes and would serve 4 as a generous side.

Peel the cooked jackets – or not if you prefer – cut into a large dice.

Pre-heat a large frying pan (preferably one that can be transferred to the oven). Add a glug of rapeseed oil on a medium heat. Add your potatoes and season with salt and black pepper – leave them to cook and brown slightly for 2 minutes and then turn and repeat. At this stage you can either turn down the heat and turn every two minutes on the hob or transfer to a pre-heated oven whilst you get on with your piece de résistance – your sandwich or croque! On the hob the potatoes will take around 10/12 minutes depending on what sort of colour you prefer.

If you'd prefer to use the oven, then pre-heat 200c/180fan/Gas 6 – check after 10 minutes.

Any leftovers – very funny – wrap and box – they are delicious – some might say even better, hot or cold, the next day.

Plan B!

You don't have to fill the cases with the cheese and onion mixture – it's just my favourite so all roads lead to cheese and onion, if you know what I mean – instead of Rome!

Here's an alternative - make a tuna and parsley version – like the mixture that we've used in a puff pastry sheet. It has to be said that the wholemeal pastry recipe is great and one that I use regularly – not at all heavy and certainly healthier than puff pastry.

If you've frozen cases take them out of the freezer on the day you intend to use them and transfer to the fridge - it wouldn't be the end of the world if it were the day after.

Here's the recipe for the filling :

Tuna and Parsley filling

for tartelettes

200g tin of tuna in sunflower oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

100g cheddar cheese, grated plus additional

to sprinkle over the filled tarts

2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped or

1 tbsp dried parsley

salt and black pepper

1 tsp of wholegrain or Dijon mustard

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6

Drain the tuna reserving 1 tbsp of the oil. Cook the onion in the oil for 3-4 minutes until softened. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl mix the tuna, cheese, parsley, seasoning and mustard. Cool, cover and fridge until ready for use.

Here it is :

Place your cases back into the bun tin and, using the ice cream scoop, add the filling and then garnish with a sprinkle of grated cheese. The same principles apply as with the cheese and onion tartelettes – check after 20/25 minutes until you have the colour of choice. Serve warm.

Bon appétit!

You know that ...

… I never waste time - or ingredients for that matter - if I can help it.

In this instance it's not wasting time. If you intend to make the tarts or a large version, in anticipation of visitors or just because you want to save yourself a job - make your pastry case(s) ahead – i.e. make the pastry, rest it, then roll it out as required and freeze.

To illustrate, here are a couple of photos – what they show is that it's worthwhile investing in a good quality bun tin and that after chilling the cases they will lift out of the tin and stand well on their own so you could bag or box them and freeze.

What you see are uncooked cases – straight from the fridge, eased gently from the tin – ready for freezing and to use whenever the mood takes!

One final note to self – can I suggest if you're freezing a large pastry case then keep it in its tin to prevent it getting bumped and bashed when you are rummaging through your freezer looking for something vital that has vanished without trace!

The secret … is in the chilling – in case you hadn't noticed!

There are three stages – blitzing and chilling the pastry – prepping the filling and chilling – rolling cutting out and chilling.

It doesn't matter how long you leave your pastry cases once you've cut them out – so long as they are fridged. I can assure you of one thing – you will not suffer from soggy bottoms!

Have a look at the photo of the filling – the cheese is a mixture of finely grated and ordinary – why fine? – because it combines better and gives you a more compact filling, not bursting out all over the place.

When you're ready to fill your cases use a traditional ice cream scoop – like this one :

You'll achieve a neat finish :

Here they are ready to eat. It's a matter of personal taste how golden you like the tarts. I like a squidgy filling in a crisp pastry case and a toasted cheese topping. If you prefer a lighter colour and less crisp then check your oven after 25 minutes.

I'm so sorry you can't smell them!

Two holidays in May!

I thought I'd get ahead of the game and give you some ideas since for the two long weekends coming up in May. For the recipe that follows you could make one large tart. If you'd prefer this route then grease and line a 22cm flan dish or spring clip tin.

Tartelettes

(in this version cheese and onion)

For the cases

225g wholemeal plain flour

110g unsalted butter, cubed

pinch of baking powder

ice cold water to bind

For the filling

2 medium onions, chopped finely

knob of butter and drop of rapeseed oil

12 grated cheese – mature cheddar, Red Leicester

and Gruyere

1 egg beaten, to bind

black pepper

1 tsp mustard – Dijon or wholegrain – optional

You'll need muffin or deep bun tins – if they are non stick then there's no need to grease and a straight sided cutter measuring 8cms x 3cms approx.

For the tartelettes use a food processor – add the flour, baking powder and butter and blitz until resembling breadcrumbs. Add a drop of ice cold water and blitz until the pastry comes together (do not over blitz). Tip the pastry onto a sheet of cling film – using the film gather the pastry together into a ball and fridge for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile soften the onions in the butter and rapeseed oil. Set aside to cool.

Mix the cheese, onions, black pepper and beaten egg together – set aside and chill in the fridge until you're ready to use.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board and cut out your tartelette cases, place gently into your bun tin, chill in the fridge until you're ready to use.

Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

When you are ready to bake put the chilled filling into the chilled cases and bake for 30 minutes – turn the tin after 15 – cook until they are golden brown.

Read on for the hints and tips and photos too!