The South African cook and food blogger, Elmarie Berry has recently launched her recipe book Kosbaar. This is my interpretation of her delicious French Onion Tart.
1 batch Caramelised Onions, search the recipe on this blog 250g puff pastry, store bought 250ml sour cream 2 eggs 30ml thyme leaves parmesan cheese, to grate on top
Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray a 20cm loose bottom tart tin with cooking spray. Line the tart tin with the puff pastry. Spoon the cooled Caramelised Onions into the unbaked tart shell and spread it out evenly. Whisk the sour cream, eggs and thyme together and pour over the onions. Grate a good amount of Parmesan cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Cool the tart on a cooling rack before taking it out of the tart tin. Serve at room temperature.
When onion is caramelised to perfection it has a rich flavour and makes a great accompaniment to cold meats, patés, terrines and even a base for savoury tarts. This recipe yields about 500ml of caramelised onions that will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
30ml butter 15ml vegetable oil 5 large onions, sliced a pinch of salt 30ml brown sugar 45ml balsamic vinegar
Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the sliced onions and a generous pinch of salt and cook for 20 minutes. Stir the onions once or twice to prevent them from catching but not too often as it will prevent the caramelisation process. Add the sugar and balsamic once the onions are soft and golden in colour. Cook over a low heat for another 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally until the onions are sticky and caramelised.
This is such an easy filled bread to make and is guaranteed to transport you straight back to that Greek Taverna on the beach and all its wonderful aromas and tastes!! It is crispy, subtly flavoured and makes a great addition to mezze. Yields four flatbreads.
1 egg 200ml water a pinch of salt 450g flour 400g feta cheese, crumbed 60ml thyme leaves 60ml chives, chopped 50ml olive oil plus extra for brushing the breads
Add the egg, water and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low speed for a minute or so. Add the flour a few tablespoons at a time with the engine running. Mix/knead the dough until it comes together and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. About 2-3 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Flour a work surface and roll a piece of dough out as thin as you can, aiming to end up with a rough square of 25cm x 25cm. Brush the square with some olive oil. Sprinkle a little less than a quarter of the crumbed feta onto the top half of the square. Now sprinkle some thyme and chives over the feta. Fold the bottom half of the dough over the half with the cheese and lightly press it down with the palms of your hands. Brush the folded half of dough with olive oil and sprinkle the rest of the quarter of feta over one half. Repeat with some herbs. Fold the one half over the other and lightly press together. You will now have a 4-layer piece of dough with filling. Repeat the process with the rest of the pieces of dough and filling. Heat 50ml olive oil in a large frying pan set over medium-low heat. Fry the breads for 3 minutes on each side, lowering/regulating the heat if you see them catching. Serve warm with other mezze.
This is a traditional South African food that is popular as a quick meal and often eaten as is, filled with minced meat or with cheese and syrup. Vetkoek literally means “fat cakes” as it is basically a deep-fried bread. Magwinya is simply shaped differently, smaller than tennis balls and often found in Townships or sold as a on-the-go breakfast at taxi ranks.
10g dried yeast 900g cake flour 10ml salt 10ml sugar vegetable oil for frying
Pour 250ml of warm water (tepid) into a mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir to dissolve the yeast and set aside. Add the flour, salt and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Run the mixer on low speed and add the yeast mixture. Now add some more lukewarm water (about 400ml) until the mixture comes together in a soft dough. Knead on medium speed for 6 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled mixing bowl, cover with a tea towel and set aside for 90 minutes. Knock back the dough by kneading it by hand for 1 minute. Pour about 2 litres of vegetable oil into a saucepan over medium-high heat. If you are making Magwinya, pinch off some dough and shape it into a ball, about the size of a golf ball. If you are making vetkoek, pinch off twice the amount of dough, roll into a ball and then press it flat between your hands. Place the shaped dough on an oiled tray until you have shaped all the dough and the oil is warm. Test the oil with a small piece of dough: if the dough starts bubbling and rises when dropped into the oil, it is hot enough. Deep-fry the magwinya/vetkoek in the oil, turning them often for about 3 minutes or until they are a deep golden brown. Scoop out and drain on kitchen paper. Serve warm with mince/ragou or grated cheddar cheese and golden syrup.
750g cooked and mashed sweet potato (about 4 medium sweet potatoes) 125ml self-raising flour 1 X 375ml can of Corn kernels, drained (you may substitute with cooked corn) 125ml pumpkin seeds 1 egg 2,5ml salt 2,5ml cinnamon 63ml brown sugar vegetable oil to fry
Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix through. Place a heavy bottom pan onto medium-high heat and cover the bottom with vegetable oil to heat up. Scoop a tablespoonful of the mixture into the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes before flipping and frying the other side for another 2-3 minutes. Do not overfill your pan as you want the sweet potato to caramelise and fry to a golden, crisp outside. Keep going until all the mixture is used. Serve the cakes with a dollop of yoghurt and honey.
For the pasta: Cook the pasta, drain and return to the saucepan in which it was cooked. Crumble the feta over the pasta and mix together. Add the egg whites and mix through. Set aside.
For the meat sauce: Place a heavy bottom saucepan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil and onion. Fry for 2-3 minutes and then add the garlic, tomato paste and minced beef. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up the beef while browning it. Add the red wine, tomatoes, sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is thick. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon quill and take the mixture from the heat. Allow to cool slightly.
For the Béchamel Sauce: Place a saucepan on medium heat and add the butter to melt. Add the flour and stir the paste around for 2 minutes while cooking. Add the milk and whisk until the sauce has no lumps and has thickened. Remove from the heat and add the nutmeg, salt and half the cheese. Whisk until smooth. Cool the sauce for 5 minutes and then whisk in the egg yolks.
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray an oven dish of 23cm X 26cm with cooking spray. Spoon the pasta into the dish and spread it into an even layer. Spoon the meat sauce on top and then top it with the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top in an even layer. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. The Pastitsio can be served at room temperature.
For the potato crust: Preheat your oven to 180℃ and grease a loose-bottomed cake tin. Spread a clean tea towel onto a work surface and grate the potato directly onto it, with the skin on. Fold the towel over the potato, gathering all ends together and twist and squeeze the potato over your kitchen sink until all the excess moisture has been removed. Put the potato into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the garlic salt and flour over the grated potato and mix through with your hands in order to distribute all ingredients as evenly as possible. Now add the egg and mix in the same way. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and press it tightly into the base and sides of the tin with the back of a spoon. Place the cake tin on a flat baking sheet and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
For the filling: Put a frying pan on to medium heat and add some oil to it. Slice the onions and fry them until soft and translucent. Spoon the onion into a large mixing bowl. Turn the heat up to high, slice the mushrooms and add them to the hot pan. Cook until caramelised. Spoon into the bowl with the onion. Grate the zucchini and cheese directly into the mixing bowl with the onion and mushroom. Mix together. Spoon the vegetable-cheese mixture in to the potato crust. Set aside. Add the eggs, cream, salt and mustard to a mixing bowl and whisk together. Gently pour over the vegetable mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, until golden and set. Remove from the oven and stand in the baking tin for 30 minutes. Slice and serve warm.
This is a savoury dish that will get conversations (and your tastebuds) going….. Serves 6 people.
500ml bread flour 190ml cocoa powder 5 eggs 2,5ml salt
For the filling: 250ml ricotta cheese 80g dark/bitter chocolate, finely chopped a pinch of salt
100g butter 20 sage leaves
Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt together onto a clean work surface. Make a well in the centre and put in the eggs. Mix the eggs with your fingers and gradually draw in the flour and cocoa mixture to form a soft, but not sticky, dough. Add more flour or egg, if needed, to get the right consistency. Knead for 10 minutes until you have a smooth and elastic dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge to chill for one hour.
Mix the ricotta, chopped chocolate and a pinch of salt with a wooden spoon until smooth. Roll the pasta through a pasta machine. Lay one sheet of pasta flat and form walnut-sized balls with the ricotta mixture. Place the ricotta balls onto the sheet of pasta. Wet the area around the ricotta-balls with water and lay a second sheet of pasta on top. Press down and around the ricotta balls so that the top sheet of pasta sticks. Cut individual ravioli shapes with a round cutter and cook them for three minutes in simmering water. Keep warm while making the sage-butter.
Add the butter to a small saucepan and place it on a high heat. Allow the butter to melt and then to caramelise – regulate the heat: you want the butter to turn brown and become nutty without burning. Add the sage leaves once the butter has browned and immediately turn off the heat. Be careful the butter will spatter as you add the sage.
Arrange the cooked ravioli on plates and spoon the butter and sage over. Serve with a crusty bread.
An easy, one-pan dish with delicious caramelised apple and onions, served on buttery mashed potato.
8 pork bangers 62ml balsamic vinegar 62ml honey 45ml olive oil 15ml thyme, chopped 3 large onions 3 Granny Smith apples
Preheat your oven to 200℃. Peel and quarter the onions. Peel, core and quarter the apples. Slice each quarter into half. Add the sausages, balsamic vinegar, honey, oil, thyme, onion and apple slices to an oven dish and toss together to coat the onion, apple and sausages. Place the roasting dish into the oven and roast for 30 minutes, shaking the dish every 10 minutes or so , so that the sausages brown evenly. Remove from the oven and serve on buttery mashed potato.
My Whisk and I 