Editor's July Pick #2: The Cornish pasty – pastry photo guide

Editor's note: Next up we have the accompanying photo guide. Sometimes the photos are just what I need to make me try a recipe - sometimes it's a "Here's what you could have won" moment but that's user error on my part! The photo guides are an invaluable resource for forever-beginners like myself, a reassuring look over the shoulder of someone who knows what they're doing!

The Cornish pasty – pastry photo guide

I've been careful to photograph each step for this iconic delicacy and rather than bombard you with heaps of photos at the end I'm giving you them in stages, which I think you'll find more helpful and less likely to make you want to throw in the towel and give up!

Hang in there, it's worth it.

your veggie alternative to lard

ready to rub in

it looks very strange!

now it looks like dough

ready to wrap

safely gathered in

the clean bowl speaks for itself

Now for the filling!

Editor's July Pick #1: The Cornish pasty

Editor's note: After last week's selections mentioning pastry, I had it on the brain so off I went in search of a full how to, and as usual the archives deliver - in spades! So this week is a pastry special, and what better way to get to grips with it than with Cornish pasties! First up, pasty pastry done right:

The Cornish pasty – the recipes

Here's the basic pastry recipe :

Pasty pastry

This recipe will give you four eight inch (21cms) pasties

450g/1lb strong white bread flour

large pinch of salt

100g/4oz of margarine

100g/4oz lard

175ml/3^rd pint water

cling film

Place the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add 25g/1oz of lard and rub into the flour. Grate or slice the rest of the fats into the bowl and stir, using a round bladed knife. Pour all the water into the bowl and mix together with the knife. Keep the dough in the bowl and using your hand bring the dough together and knead using the heel of your hand. Tip the dough onto a sheet of cling film and use the film to bring the dough together in a fat circle. Wrap the dough twice in cling film, bag and fridge. Chill it for at least 30 minutes.

Before we go any further I can hear you exclaiming – LARD! - what is she thinking. You don't have to use lard, for me and other vegetarians out there, use either Trex or Cookeen – panic over! The lard is part of the original recipe. I used unsalted butter instead of the margarine.

For those who are used to making pastry, no matter how basic, this will seem an odd method. I promise you it works. Not only does it work I'd say it's the best result I've ever had.

For example, it doesn't matter if you fridge it to chill for 30 minutes and, surprise surprise, you get distracted and remember two hours later. It does not affect the end result.

A tip – as you can see the recipe gives you four pasties from the batch of pastry. When you're ready to roll (sorry!) cut the pastry into four equal portions. At this stage you can please yourself – make two pasties and then wrap the remaining two separately in cling film, bag and freeze for another day.

Take the frozen pastry out of the freezer the night before you want it and fridge it.

It behaves impeccably – just as if freshly made.

Next up, a pastry photo guide so far.

Editor's June Pick #8: The lattice pastry photo guide

Editor's note: The first bite is with the eyes as they say -  I didn't pay much attention at the time - I now realise that it is most assuredly true! Spending a few minutes getting to grips with the lattice is something that is worth doing, not just for the brownie points but for you as the chef - it's that sense of achievement! Read on for how it's done...

The lattice pastry photo guide

If you're a novice then the best way of mastering the technique is to practice and use leftover puff pastry and follow the guide below – you're not under any pressure and it's not as difficult as you might think :

Flour your surface and roll out the pastry – you want at least 10 x 1cm strips for the practice run – you can continue and make it larger if you wish.

Place a strip of baking parchment on your surface. Glue the parchment in place with small pieces of pastry in each corner – it will stop the parchment sliding.

Lay six strips vertically then fold

back alternate strips – lay another strip horizontally

and replace the folded back strips

fold back the opposite three vertical strips

and repeat – lay another strip horizontally and

replace the folded back strips

keep folding back and alternating the strips

until you've created what looks to me like a portcullis!

It might sound complicated but I assure you it isn't and it's much easier to have a go when you don't need to produce an end result. All you're using is leftover pastry and it doesn't take a lot. I scaled it down in the photographs deliberately – it's easier to control.

When you decide to create it for real use a beaten egg to glue your strips as you are building your lattice – obviously it'll be on top of your filling anyway but it'll help keep the shape. Don't forget to measure the length of your strips – adding 10cms to whatever size pie dish you're using – for example, 23cms + 10cms – 33cms to give you overlap of 5cms each side of the dish to trim and tuck down into the pie. Finally egg wash and bake!

Here's my version:

shallots, finely diced sweated

with the garlic and sweet paprika

add the cheese, potato and parsley

with the lattice top and egg washed

baked and ready to inhale!

Coming up – here we go again folks!

Editor's June Pick #7: Cheesy Lattice Pie – my version

Editor's note: This recipe is one that I think will be perfect for a (not too warm) summer's evening. The paprika and the cheese together to me really sells it. This is a more adventurous version of a quiche - only in so much as it doesn't skimp on the cheese and instead puts it front and centre! 

Cheesy Lattice Pie – my version

I used shallots because I had them and they needed to be used. You can use whatever you fancy and what you might have to hand. Sweet paprika is a delicious spice originating from the Szeged region of Hungary. It's versatile – useful in curries, casseroles, soups and in any dish where you want colour and a little sweetness. Comté (aka Gruyere de Comté) is a wonderful cheese that melts easily and so perfect in any dish that requires “ooze”! It has a buttery, roasted nut and slightly sweet flavour. I had both ingredients in my cupboard and my fridge. Finally I've reduced the size of the pie to 23cm x 23cm and the pastry accordingly. A tip - Asda sell their own brand of puff pastry sheets, larger than the 320g norm – 375g.

You'll need a non stick wok – 28cms/11” - it makes life so much easier!

400g shallots, finely diced

a knob of unsalted butter and a glug of rapeseed oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed or roasted

1 tsp sweet paprika

200ml milk

1 heaped tsp of plain flour

celery salt and black pepper

600g Charlotte potatoes, cooked and finely diced

250g of grated cheese – I used Comté and Mature Cheddar

generous sprinkle of dried parsley

375g of puff pastry – a ready to use sheet

will be perfect

beaten egg for egg wash

Sweat the shallots gently for 5 minutes – technical term “sweat” i.e. the shallots shouldn't have colour, add the garlic and sweet paprika, celery salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle the flour over the shallots and combine. Gradually add a glug of milk and mix, creating a roux sauce. Repeat and cook out until all the milk is absorbed into the roux. Add the cheese, potatoes and parsley and cook gently for 5 minutes.

Grease a pie dish or a foil tray 23cms x 23cms and transfer the filling, set aside to cool.

Lightly flour a surface and roll the pastry – you're aiming for 33cms - or large enough to cover your pie dish – 23cms dish size plus 10cms overlap – 5cms either side. Cut your pastry into 12 2cm strips – you'll need six vertical and six horizontal. Thread the pastry onto your pie dish to make a lattice effect keeping the joins nice and tight. Seal the edges of the pie by pressing down on the pastry with a fork. Brush the top of the pie with your egg wash and bake for 25/30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6. Your ingredients are cooked – you're cooking the lattice pastry and re-heating the base – check after 25 minutes – may need another 5.

For those who'd like to know how to create the lattice pastry, there's a photo guide up next.

Editor's June Pick #6: Method – The Jam Jar salad

Editor's note: To continue where we left off, we have the how and the where of the Jam Jar Salad. Now as with all recipes this isn't set in stone, you could use the Asian Spiced Salmon recipe from the blog as I bet that would fit perfectly, or perhaps the roasted chickpeas - the world is your lobster. Pickled onions are in this editor's opinion, an absolute must though!

Method – The Jam Jar salad

Method

smoked gammon joint

Using a drop of rapeseed oil, seal your joint on all sides and slow cook in vegetable stock for 2.5/3 hours on low. I use the Knorr Stock Pots.

Once your gammon is cooked remove from the stock and take off any excess fat and rind and allow to cool. Shred the gammon – your aim is to create bite size pieces - approximately 2cms in length. You don't have to be meticulously precise - it should be easy to pick up with a small fork or spoon. Box and fridge until required. The gammon can be slow cooked ahead.

Potatoes

Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until a paring knife passes through easily. Cool the potatoes. If they have skins you may prefer to remove them. Halve the potatoes or quarter depending on the size of the potatoes. As mentioned above the aim is easy to eat with a small fork. I used 5 potatoes per person and chose the smallest and most uniform. The potatoes can be cooked and prepped ahead.

Sweetcorn salsa

340g tin of sweetcorn – drained and rinsed

half a small red onion, finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

juice of 1-2 limes

salt and black pepper

Tip the corn into a large mixing bowl and break up with a masher or a pestle. Add the remaining ingredients. Box and fridge until required. I used 2 heaped dessert spoons of salsa per jar. If you don't want to use fresh limes, 2 tbsps of juice is equal to one fresh lime.

Here's what it should look like :

silverskin onions

The onions are small to begin with but should still be finely chopped. I used 5 per jam jar – it's personal preference.

piccalilli sauce for drizzling

For those who would like to make their own sauce, there are recipes out there – for those who'd like a short cut – try this on for size. Bartons Smooth & Tangy Piccalilli Sauce.

All the elements for the salad can be prepped when it suits and non are time consuming.

Assembly next!

Lip-smacking Leftovers

I cooked all the potatoes at the same time which meant I had leftovers – I made the fastest potato salad ever. A touch of seasoning, a heaped teaspoon of curry powder – strength to suit your taste. A blob of mayo and a blob of sour cream, mix well.

You'll find that you have salsa leftovers too – as an alternative why not combine the potatoes and the salsa. Add extra seasoning of your choice – salt and black pepper – a touch of sumac to add a lemony hit with the lime in the salsa.

You'll find that you have leftover gammon – slice and serve as part of your alfresco “table”. If not required then I'd freeze it (in a lump if possible – it doesn't dry out) and use later as part of a pie filling. It may not qualify as lip-smacking – I just hate waste!

Assembly – The Jam Jar salad

This is the fun bit but before we begin a couple of tips :

• for your piccalilli drizzle, trim a disposable piping bag – approximately 20cms – it should be small so that you can control it. You don't need a nozzle, just snip off the end of the bag – the tiniest of snips - and you're ready to go.

• Recently I bought a pair of small tongs – the type you would use in sugarcraft – now is the time they come into their own – you can spoon ingredients like the potato and the salsa but you might like to control the gammon and the tongs will help you achieve this so you can garnish your jam jar salad without scattering it all over the kitchen!

You are layering your prepared ingredients in the jar as follows :

Baby new potatoes

a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of piccalilli sauce

Sweetcorn salsa

Shredded gammon and a drizzle of piccalilli sauce

Finely chopped silverskin onions

It will look as if you'll never pack all the layers into the jar – yes you will! As you add your salsa layer press down, gently but firmly, repeat with each layer.

It does occur that not everyone likes the idea of piccalilli sauce. If you really don't want to step outside your taste box, you could substitute it with a honey and mustard dressing or another of your choice – plain mayonnaise if you prefer or check out Farringtons Mellow Yellow garlic mayonnaise – made with cold pressed rapeseed oil.

Ta-dah!

Editor's June Pick #5: Jam Jar Salad

Editor's note: For this week's selection I've gone with a couple of interesting ideas for summer meals. One for when it's super hot - as it currently is in some parts of the UK, and one for when it's not so warm and you can stand to be in the kitchen for a bit longer! First up is the Jam Jar Salad - a fantastic idea for grabbing and eating in the garden whenever the mood takes! Ingredients and kit first, as MiamMiam says, jam jars for when you're eating them yourself, Kilner for if you're entertaining!

Jam Jar Salad

Since we are approaching all things summer – alfresco dining, bbq'ing et al, here's an idea that can be adapted to suit your own taste.

You will need jam jars – preferably those with twist off lids - you can buy the lids separately if you need to.

If you want a posher more up-market version, use a kilner jar – see photo below. If you want to do fancy the jar would be nice to serve as part of a lunch or supper party and you can of course re-use it afterwards.

I used the Bonne Maman conserve jars – posh jam really – I love these jars, they have the pretty lids. As an aside - the conserve may be expensive (keep your eyes open for offers) but the way I look at it is that I get an excellent store cupboard product and a useful, attractive jar that can be used again. I get the feeling that Bonne Maman know that their jars will be re-used – the labels on the jars are really easy to remove in hot soapy water - then you can sterilise them in the dishwasher.

The jam jar salad

Serves 4

You'll need four jars – capacity 370g

1 x 750g smoked gammon joint

(£2.68 from Tesco)

Silverskin onions, finely chopped

Piccalilli sauce for drizzling

(Bartons Piccalilli Sauce)

750g baby new potatoes

Sweetcorn salsa

Method and assembly next!

More picnic pastries!

 

Pastizzi

The dainty has reminded me of many holidays in Malta and Gozo, many moons ago. Most of us who are interested in food in whatever form – cooking it or eating it – remember stand out delights and the nostalgia that goes with it.

Pastizzi are traditional small pies or more accurately pastries usually made with mushy peas or ricotta cheese, these delicious snacks are baked in a pastizzeria – small family businesses – and sold in bars, cafés and by street sellers – long before street food became fashionable. I loved them both so I thought I'd re-visit and share the results with you.

If you like the idea of miniature pies or pastries but don't have the time or the inclination to make pastry, then I may have the answer. Our old friend the puff pastry sheet - aka “PPS”.

This recipe is for a curried pastizzi and comes in two stages, soaking and cooking the peas and then adding the onion and spice mix.

Makes 20 pastizzi

2 x 320g Puff pastry sheets

2 eggs, beaten to seal the pastries and

egg wash

175g split peas

1 tbsp of rapeseed oil

1 small brown onion, finely diced

2 cloves of roasted garlic

3 tsps of curry powder – mild or medium

celery salt and black pepper

The mushy peas

You can buy quick soak dried peas, they only take two hours. Incidentally here's your source of fibre not to mention low fat and low sugar. You get two bicarb soaking tablets – why two - so that if you decide to soak half the quantity you have a tablet for each half. A whole packet of peas is 250g.

Soaking

Tip the peas into a medium/large mixing bowl, with the soaking tablets and pour 850ml/1½ pints of boiling water over the peas. Stir them and leave for two hours, drain and rinse.

Cooking on the stove

Place the peas in a medium/large saucepan and add 425ml/¾ pint of boiling water. Add a teaspoon of sugar and salt. Boil gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the water has been absorbed or the peas are tender. Transfer the peas to a container with a cover and when cooled fridge until ready for use. You may find it useful to cook the peas the day before you want to use them.

You don't have to add the onion and spice mix – it's entirely a matter of taste.

Coming next … the onion and spice mix and the method.

Pastizzi - onion and spice mix and the method

Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot. Cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the curry powder, celery salt and black pepper and fry for a further 30 seconds. Place in a container with a lid, cool and then fridge until ready for use.

The photos so far :

Take your pastry sheets out of the fridge and allow them to get to room temperature – you'll get a cracked and split sheet if you try to unroll straight away.

You will need two baking trays, floured and a round straight sided cutter 10cms/4” in diameter. Unroll the sheet – initially you should get six circles – gather the remnants and re-roll for a further four - a total of 10 pastizzi per PPS.

Place a level tablespoon of mixture in the middle of each circle. Brush half the circle with the beaten egg and fold up to seal. Edge the seal with a pastry fork and then egg wash. Do not overfill – use your pastry fork to flatten the filling, it will make it easier to fold and seal – follow the instructions and photos given in “The pastry fork and the dainty” and “The “dew” and the dainty bake” if you'd like to see a step by step photo guide.

The beauty of using a sheet is that it's already flat

– I'd give it a quick once over with a rolling pin just

for the fun of it

Ready for the oven!

Pre-heat your oven 200fan/220c/Gas 7.

Bake the pastizzi for 20 minutes.

Here they are, fresh out of the oven and then cut in half – let them cool!

Ta dah – curried pea pastizzi – sounds much

better than pea pie!

Bonus bits and the feedback coming up.

Pastizzi bonus bits and the feedback

Pastizzi freeze very well. If you'd prefer this method then place the uncooked pastizzi on a tray lined with baking paper. Freeze for 2/3 hours or until firm and then transfer into a strong freezer bag. They will keep for up to a month – if they last that long!

To cook from frozen, pre-heat your oven as mentioned previously. Flour the two baking trays and place the frozen pastizzi, bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

If you want to produce savoury morsels quickly, whether for entertaining at home with drinks or, as we've been talking about of late, for picnic or portable food but fast, then pastizzi definitely fits the bill. The joy of using a puff pastry sheet is the big fat tick it gets for those of us who have a limited amount of time or, more to the point, no time at all!

I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Don't like mushy peas – curried or otherwise?

Worry not, I have an alternative – cheese or rather three cheeses in a pastizzi. If like me you're a fan of cheese the ultimate combination has to be encased in puff pastry. A marriage made in heaven!

Lets not mess around, here's the recipe :

Three Cheese Pastizzi

for 20 pastries

2 x 320g puff pastry sheets – 10 per sheet

10cm/4” cutter

300g/12oz ricotta cheese

70g/2oz grated Mozzarella

40g/1oz Parmesan, finely grated

½ tsp of Dijon mustard

celery salt and black pepper

1 egg, beaten – half to add to the mixture

half to seal and egg wash

Mash the ricotta in a medium mixing bowl until it's smooth – use a fork. Season with the mustard, salt and black pepper, stir and add half the beaten egg – mix well. Cover and fridge until ready for use.

Take your sheets out of the fridge and allow them to warm up – you'll get a cracked and split sheet if you try to unroll straight away.

Roll out the sheet – initially you should get six circles – gather the remnants and re-roll for a further four.

Place a level tablespoon of mixture in the middle of each circle. Brush half the circle with the beaten egg and fold up to seal. Edge the seal with a pastry fork and then egg wash.

Pre-heat your oven 200fan/220c/Gas 7.

Bake the pastizzi for 20 minutes.

If you'd prefer to make ahead and freeze, place the uncooked pastizzi on a tray lined with baking paper. Freeze for 2/3 hours or until firm and then transfer to a strong freezer bag – store for up to a month.

To cook – Pre-heat your oven as above. Flour two baking trays and place the frozen pastizzi, egg wash and then bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

The method of assembly is exactly as for the pea pastizzi so I'm not going to repeat it. Photos of the mixture et al that you haven't seen are up next.

Here they are :

A perfect pillow of cheese and puff pastry

Two bites – gone!

Yum!