Roasted cherry tomatoes, basil and cheese pie.

I love Thursday evenings. Who doesn't? More when they are accompanied by a good bruschetta, some cheese to nibble on and a glass of wine. Ripe tomatoes on bread that has been rubbed with cloves of garlic (I adore garlic) and lots of fresh basil.  Mature and pungent cheddar and fruity parmesan on my platter.

But there are times when I want a little more than just a bruschetta but with the same flavours and ofcourse when I have a little more time on hand. And that is when I make this pie. 

The pie crust is lovely. Buttery, firm yet flaky and the trio of cheese, basil and paprika join the butter to make the crust truly sublime. The classic combination of tomatoes, basil and garlic works beautifully with the mustard and cheese in the filling. Also go ahead and add some ham, if you'd like. I like it just the way it is, though.

I hope you have fun trying this recipe and you get as much joy as my family & friends get by biting into it.

Roasted cherry tomatoes, basil and cheese pie (Makes one seven inch pie)

Ingredients
For the pie crust
200 grams of all purpose flour, sifted
100 grams of cold butter, cut into cubes
25 grams of grated cheddar cheese
25 grams of grated parmesan cheese
¼ tsp of dry basil
¼ tsp of paprika
Salt to taste
¼ to ½ cup ice cold water

For the filling
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup of olive oil
2 whole cloves of garlic, with their peel on
1/8 tsp of dry basil
25 grams of grated cheddar cheese
25 grams of grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp good mustard
¼ tsp basil
1/8  tsp of paprika

Instructions:

To make the pie crust:
1.Rub the cold diced butter into the flour till it gets all crumbly and the crumbs are pea-sized. Next add the grated parmesan and cheddar, dry basil, paprika and salt.
2.Add the ice cold water, just enough to bring it all together into a dough.
3.Wrap the dough into a cling film and leave it to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
4.Roll out the dough and line a 9 inch pie tin with it. Cover it with baking paper and fill it with red kidney beans and blind bake it for 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 150 degrees Celsius.
5.Remove the paper and the beans and bake for another 10 minutes.

To make the filling:
1.Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Take the tomato halves and give it a good mix with the olive oil, whole cloves of garlic, dry basil and a pinch of salt.
2.Transfer into a baking tray and bake it for 10 minutes. Cool. Remember to remove the garlic cloves.
3.Combine the grated cheddar, parmesan, egg and mustard and fill the pie crust with it.
4.Put the cooled tomatoes on top of the cheesy mix and sprinkle it generously with fresh basil leaves and some paprika for colour.
5.Bake for about 20-25 minutes.
6.Serve warm. Enjoy.

Leftover potato, blue cheese and onion pizza

I remember when we were kids each week one day for dinner my mother would take out what she called her "buffet dabba". Now that yellow coloured dabba had many partitions in it and its where she would store leftovers that were so little that they didn't deserve a dabba of their own. Mom being mom would sell it to us by saying,"see this is like a buffet we each get five things to eat :) Very creative, mum. Leftovers suddenly didn't look so bad (Though there were times when extra portions of a recipe were made just because they tasted better as leftovers)

The other day I had some leftover boiled potato from a potato mash I had done, some pita bread from a middle eastern dinner we hosted (More about it in the coming week), some blue cheese from yet another batch of my oh-so-favorite blue cheese savoury muffins I had made for a friend and plus at 42 degrees at the end of working day I didn't want to spend more than 5 minutes in the kitchen and still wanted to put something decent on the table.

That's when I remembered a man who I love, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. And his book, River Cottage Veg Everyday. I often get emails or comments that I don't write about vegetarian food on the blog. And this book here has beautiful, very doable and quick vegetarian recipes. Must have, really.

The one that I am posting here is not even a recipe actually. Because I just put three things together and we had a lovely dinner. DH who was really nervous about eating a potato pizza gave the sublime combination a thumbs up and Sara polished off all the blue cheese and potato on hers (she very generously passed on all the onions to me and then proceeded to eat the bread). We had some fresh green salad and super big glasses of orange tang with a splash of grenadine.

I used leftover pita bread here but I love his recipe for the magic dough which I've made often and will share with you soon.

Leftover potato,blue cheese and onion pizza
Serves a hungry family of two adults and a toddler

Ingredients
pita breads if you have leftovers or make your pizza base or buy a pizza base if you are feeling lazy like me. I used three.

For the topping
3 tablespoon olive oil, plus a little extra to trickle
2 onions quartered and sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary ( I used dried and half the quantity)

200 gms cold, cooked potatoes cut into thin slices

75 gms blue cheese ( The recipe asked for 150 gms but i didn't have that; actually 75 gms worked just fine)

salt and freshly grounded black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Heat the oil in frying pan over medium heat and add the onions. Once sizzling, lower the heat and cook gently, stirring from time to time,until they are soft and golden,about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the garlic,rosemary and salt and pepper.

2. Spread a third of the onion mixture evenly over the pita bread, then a third of the potato slices, then a third of the cheese. 

3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Repeat for the other two pita breads.

5. Trickle with a little more oil and bake for 8-10 minutes until the base is crisp and the top bubbling.

Enjoy. And the next time try a beetroot and cheddar one :) 

Recipe : Adapted from the book River Cottage Veg Everyday

Images: Personal Album
While you enjoy reading this post with visuals.Please do not use them without asking. 
They belong to Orange Kitchens unless otherwise stated.

Blue cheese,ham & celery muffins

 A savoury muffin?? Life is full of enough disappointments, Gary! 

A savoury muffin?! I don't know you anymore.

Miranda Hart

But trust me once you've tried this you will be addicted and will be wanting more.  

Blue cheese,ham & celery,bacon with sweet corn,onion with brie and figs (my favorite),peanut butter and salted peanuts (sara's favorite),smoked ham and leek, coriander and carrot...there are endless possibilities...

Muffins lend themselves to savoury ingredients beautifully so its fun experimenting with different combinations. And not only are they great for a breakfast/brunch but you can make a complete meal out of these babies by simply adding a soup and a salad. Beetroot soup is what I like with these.

Blue cheese,ham and celery mini muffins

Makes 24 mini muffins

Ingredients

225 gms self raising flour

1  tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp dry mustard powder

A pinch of salt

50 gms ham, chopped

75 gms blue cheese crumbled

2 medium eggs at room temperature

6 tbsp milk

50 gms butter, melted & cooled

2 celery stalk, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Sparsely oil a 24 hole silicon mini muffin tray (I have the one with 12 and made it in two batches) or line a regular mini muffin tray with mini paper cases

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, mustard and salt into a bowl and stir in the ham and half of blue cheese. 

3. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and pour into the flour mixture along with the melted butter, then fold in the chopped celery.

4. Spoon into the muffin cases and then top each one with the remaining blue cheese.

5. Bake for 15-20 mins until well risen & golden. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve.

It tastes amazingly good with cold meats and salad. Don't forget that tabasco:)

Image : Personal Album 

Recipe: Cupcakes & Muffins by Ann Nicol 
While you enjoy reading this post with visuals.Please do not use them without asking. They belong to Orange Kitchens unless otherwise stated.