Ricotta & Tomato Tarts

I thought I'd bake something savoury for a change. These would be nice picnic food....if we get some nice weather....

The recipe:

375g puff pastry (ready rolled/ready made)

250g ricotta

100g grated Gruyere

2 egg yolks

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

slices of baby plum tomatoes

olive oil to drizzle

fresh thyme leaves

1. Heat oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6. Roll the pastry out. Cut out 10cm diameter circles and place into a greased muffin tray. Make sure the pastry doesn't overlap and there are no holes in the base.

2. Mix the ricotta, Gruyere, egg yolks and mustard together. Season and spoon into the cases. Finish each tart with 2 slices of tomato and a sprinkling of thyme leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes until pastry is brown and filling is set.

Lemon Polenta Cake

I have to say the thought of baking this afternoon and heating up an already overheated flat further with the oven didn't really appeal. However 75 degrees + or not I made the pact to bake something every weekend I was at home. So it got me to thinking that I wanted to bake something that smells of summer - or should I say an Italian summer. This cake, even in its raw mixture form, evokes freshly picked Sicilian lemons. I think it originated at The River Cafe but this recipe is a variation that I found in a weekend supplement. Anyway I soon found this afternoon that with a glass of something cold and white in hand and some chill out tunes on, sunny baking can be lovely....

The Recipe:

175g unsalted butter, softened (another bonus of baking on a hot day - butter softens v quickly....)

225g caster sugar

200g ground almonds

3 eggs

zest of 4 unwaxed lemons and juice of 1 of these

115g polenta

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 160c/gas mark 3.

2. Line a 20cm tin with baking parchment.

3. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and whizz to a smooth batter.

4. Spoon into the lined tin and bake for 45-50 mins. Cool in the tin.

Tarte aux Pommes

I was in France this weekend so didn't actually do any baking myself. However our lovely friends did make a very French, very delicious Tarte aux Pommes. I asked them for the recipe and here is what I got.

Recipe:

1. Peel, core and slice 3 apples (eating). Then fry the slices in butter with a couple of teaspoons of sugar until slightly soft (do this slowly and gently so they don't burn).

2. Roll out the pastry and put in a tart tin. (They used ready made sweet dessert pastry.)

3. Drain the apple slices and then lay them on the pastry so they overlap.

4. Bake for about half an hour at approx 200c.

5. Before serving brush with apricot jelly to glaze.

Picture on its way.....

I'm having camera problems and the pic won't load.....

Oatmeal & Raisin Cookies

I worship at the altar of Bill Granger and this is one of his recipes. His recipes always work!


The recipe can be found in his wonderful Bill Granger Everyday cookbook.