Amsterdam food – My Whisk and I

Dutch Crumb Pie/Kruimelvlaai

May 11, 2022April 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Although a kruimelvlaai is often made with a sweet pie crust the traditional version calls for a yeasted pastry and it is soooo worth it! This is a delicious tart – a creamy, smooth custard filling in a slightly chewy pastry with a crunchy streusel on top!!

Pie Crust:
150ml milk, tepid
50g butter
250g flour
10g dry yeast
35g sugar
a pinch of salt
5ml vanilla

Filling:
1l milk
80g cornstarch
150g sugar
3 eggs
10ml vanilla

Streusel:
100g butter
175g flour
75g sugar
5ml vanilla
a pinch of salt

For the filling:
Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
Mix the cornstarch and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add the eggs and whisk well.
Take the milk from the heat and pour a third of it on the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
Now pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk while whisking away.
Turn the heat down to medium and keep whisking until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
Take the saucepan from the heat, add the vanilla and mix through.
Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl, place a layer of plastic wrap directly on to the surface and leave to cool completely.

For the pie crust:
Warm the milk until tepid and add the butter to melt.
Add the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and vanilla to a mixing bowl and make a well in the middle.
Pour the liquids into the well, mix with a fork to bring the pastry together and knead the dough by hand for 3 minutes, until smooth. You may add small amounts of flour to get the dough to the consistency where it can be kneaded.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for one hour.
Spray a 24cm tart tin with cooking spray.
Roll the dough into a circle of about 28cm in diameter and line the bottom and sides of the tart tin.
Place in a warm spot.

For the streusel:
Add the butter and flour to a mixing bowl and rub it together until it resembles course breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar, vanilla and salt and rub with your fingers to mix through.

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Pour the cold filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top.
Sprinkle the streusel over the filling in an even layer.
Bake the pie for 45 minutes.
Take the baked pie from the oven and allow it to cool.
Serve generous slices with a cup of coffee.

Dutch Beer Dip

May 9, 2022April 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

15ml butter
15ml flour
2,5ml mustard powder
125ml beer
125ml cream cheese
125ml grated Dutch cheese (or cheddar)

Add the butter to a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir until the butter has melted.
Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds while stirring.
Add the mustard powder and stir through.
Pour in the beer in a thin stream while whisking constantly.
Turn the heat to low, stir in the cream and add the cheese.
Stir until completely melted and incorporated as a sauce.
Serve the sauce as a dip with vegetable sticks, pretzels or bread sticks.

Potato Croquettes / Aardappel Kroketten

May 6, 2022April 2, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The word croquette is derived from the French word croquer which means “to crunch” and that is exactly what these potato bites are: a soft, cloudy potato with a heavenly crunch on the outside. Makes about 50 balls and is an excellent way of using leftover mashed potato.

4 x 250ml mashed potato
125ml Dutch smoked sausage or chorizo sausage, finely chopped
150g cheddar cheese, grated
45ml chives, chopped
5ml garlic powder
2 eggs
250ml panko breadcrumbs
vegetable oil for frying

Scoop the mashed potato into a mixing bowl.
Add the chopped sausage to a dry pan and cook until done and slightly crisp on the edges.
Add the sausage, cheese, chives and garlic powder to the mashed potato and mix through.
Scoop about 15ml of the mixture into your hand and shape into a firm ball. Place the balls on a baking tray. Keep going until there are no mix left.
Refrigerate the potato balls for at least one hour, it will be easier to work with.
Add the eggs to a shallow bowl and whisk to break it up.
Add the breadcrumbs to another shallow bowl.
Now dredge the balls through the egg and then the breadcrumbs to cover evenly and completely.
Warm the oil and fry the balls in small batches until beautifully golden and crisp.
Serve the croquettes with a good mayonnaise or mustard.

Boerenkool Stamppot

May 5, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Boerenkool Stamppot is probably the oldest and most authentic of Dutch dishes and could be considered the Netherland’s national dish. Comfort food for those cold evenings when you do not want to spend too much time in the kitchen but need something to feed your soul.

1,5kg potatoes, peeled and diced
2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
500g kale, trimmed and roughly chopped
500g rookworst (or any other smoked sausage)
125ml milk
45ml butter
salt and plenty of black pepper, to taste

Add the potatoes, onion, bay leaf, kale and a teaspoon salt to a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover the ingredients. Cover with a lid and simmer for 25 minutes.
Slice the sausage into thick slices and fry it off in a hot pan. You want the edges to caramelise and become crispy. Set aside.
Remove the bay leaf from the veggies in the saucepan and drain off the water.
Add the milk and butter to the saucepan and stir through.
Lightly mash the potato-kale mixture but be sure to keep some texture.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir in the fried sausage.
Serve the stamp pot with a traditional Dutch beer or a glass of wine.

Dutch Apple Tart/Appeltaart

May 4, 2022April 11, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Pie Crust:
375ml flour
125ml sugar
125g butter, cubed
1 egg

Filling:
4 large apples
83ml raisins
83ml brown sugar
2,5ml ground cinnamon
finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Eggwash:
1 egg and 15ml water whisked together

For the pie crust:
Combine the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl.
Add the cubed butter and rub in with your fingertips until it is clumps the size of peas.
Whisk the egg with a fork and add it to the mixture.
Mix the pastry with your hands and add a few drops of water if it is too dry to come together.
Shape the pastry into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

For the filling:
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 22cm pie dish with cooking spray.
Peel the apples, core them and cut into small chunks. Add them to a large mixing bowl.
Add the raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest and mix through.
Cut the pastry into 4 equal pieces and set one piece aside.
Press the rest of the pastry into the bottom and sides of the cake tin – you can roll it out and patch wherever it breaks.
Spoon the filling into the pie crust.
Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the remaining pastry.
Cut into strips and make a lattice pattern for the tart.
Brush the pastry with the egg wash.
Place the apple tart in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
Serve the tart with a dollop of cream.

Avocado Pear with Cheese and Pangrattato

May 2, 2022April 2, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Pangrattato:
15ml olive oil
15ml butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
125ml panko breadcrumbs
30ml thyme leaves
60ml cashew nuts, chopped

2 avocado pears
60ml cream cheese, room temperature
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, seeds scooped out and cut into small cubes
250ml grated cheddar cheese
balsamic vinegar reduction

foil nests to rest the halved avocado pears in while baking

For the pangrattato:
Add the oil and butter to a frying pan set over medium heat and allow the butter to melt.
Fry the garlic for 1 minute while stirring.
Add the breadcrumbs, thyme and nuts and stir around in the pan until toasted and golden.
Take the mixture off the heat, spoon it into a bowl and allow to cool.

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Prepare foil baking nests for the avocado pear by scrunching strips of aluminium foil into circular shapes where the avocado can rest without tilting. Be careful not to cut your hands!!!
Place the nests on a baking tray.
Cut the avocado pears in half and remove the stone.
Place each half on an aluminium nest and spoon 15ml cream cheese into the hollow.
Mix the chopped onion, tomato and cheddar cheese and divide the mixture in four equal portions. Pile the mixture onto the avocado halves.
Place the baking tray in the oven for 10 minutes or until the avocado is warmed throughout and the cheese has melted.
Spoon a generous amount of pangrattato onto each avocado portion.
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar reduction and serve slightly warm.

Beer and Cheese Pies

April 29, 2022April 2, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

If you have ever been to Oktoberfest, this is the taste version!!

1 packet phyllo pastry
125g butter, melted
190ml cream cheese, room temperature
83ml beer
30ml granulated mustard
2,5ml garlic powder
190 ml grated Boerenkaas (or Gouda)
190ml grated Cheddar cheese
1 egg

Preheat your oven to 220℃ and brush a 12-hole muffin tin with the melted butter.
Lay the phyllo sheets flat on a large chopping board and cut it into six squares – all the sheets at once.
Brush the top sheet with melted butter.
Lay a phyllo square into a muffin hole and pat it down.
Lay another square at an odd angle onto the first and pat it down. Finish the phyllo cup with a third layer of pastry.
Fill all 12 muffin holes in the same way and set aside.
Add the cream cheese and half the beer to a small saucepan set over medium heat.
Stir the mixture until the cheese has melted.
Add the rest of the beer, stir and lower the heat.
Add the mustard and garlic powder.
Add a small amount of the grated boerenkaas and cheddar and wait for it to incorporate and melt into the mixture.
Keep adding small amounts of cheese and stirring until all cheese are incorporated.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk until completely smooth. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Add the egg to the mixture and whisk to incorporate.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared phyllo cups and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. The tops should be slightly burnt.
Serve the tarts warm or at room temperature with an ice cold beer.

Apple Almond Pudding

April 18, 2022March 25, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

5 eggs, separated
135g sugar
4 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and grated
80g almond meal
80ml flaked almonds
icing sugar to dust

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spay a 22cm ovenproof dish with cooking spray.
Add the egg yolks and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together until light in colour.
Scoop the apple into a clean tea towel and squeeze the juice from it.
Add the apple to the creamed mixture and mix through.
Add the almond meal and mix on medium speed until incorporated into the batter. Set aside.
Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.
Fold the egg whites into the batter.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the flaked almonds over.
Place the pudding in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Dust the apple pudding with icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.