Archive for the ‘Mozzarella’ Category

Hot Artichoke Dip

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

Fresh Spinach Leaves
This recipe is adapted from one of my favourite American cookbooks: generations eats by Amy Rosen.

1 pack fresh spinach (or chard)
1 jar artichoke hearts
1 cup grated mozzarella
2 minced garlic cloves
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp salt
some grinds of black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180c.  Drain all but 1 tbsp of the oil from the artichokes (if you are using tinned artichokes in water, once you have drained them, add a tbsp olive oil or mayonnaise to this recipe).  Wash and dry the spinach (or chard) and remove the tough stalks.

Roughly chop the spinach and artichokes and mix with the rest of the ingredients and bake for around 40 mins until browned on top.  Serve while warm with melba toast, toasted bagels, pitta or baguette.  Soooo nice.

You can mix it up in advance, then bake later, so great for parties.

It can also be made with defrosted frozen spinach, just squeeze out the excess water before chopping.

Posted in Artichoke, Chard, Dip, Garlic, Lemon, Mozzarella, Recipe, Spinach, Vegetarian | No Comments »

Welsh Pizza

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

Freshly Leek

Rich Shortcrust pastry:
8 oz flour
5 oz butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
3 tbsp iced water

Topping:
4 oz grated Cheddar
4 oz grated Mozzarella
2 tsps crushed dried green peppercorns
2 small leeks
3 oz pancetta or smoked streaky bacon
1 tsp thyme

I have adapted this recipe for Leek & Green Peppercorn tart from the lovely book ‘Cool green leaves & red hot peppers’ by Christine McFadden and Michael Michaud.  It is a favourite for us and known in the family as Welsh pizza.

Make the pastry by combining the dried ingredients and then working in half the butter until you have a breadcrumb texture.  Work in the rest of the butter quickly, leaving it uneven for a crisp texture.  Wrap in clingfilm and chill for an hour.  Grate the cheeses, crush the peppercorns and halve the leeks, then thinly slice.  Used diced pancetta or cut across the bacon rashers to create small ribbons.

Preheat oven to 240c or Gas 9.  Carefully roll out the pastry to 1/4 cm thick and place on a greased baking sheet.  Scatter on the cheeses, peppercorns, leeks, pancetta then thyme in that order.  Bake for 20 mins until the pastry is golden and the leeks look charred.  This is good hot or warmed up for lunch.  I serve it with a peppery salad (the hackney salad is ideal), or a green salad with a punchy dressing (add a tsp of grainy mustard).

Posted in Cheese, Green peppercorns, Leek, Mozzarella, Organic Box, Pancetta, Pastry, Recipe, Toddler | 1 Comment »