weekendfood – My Whisk and I

Gnocchi Pomodoro

August 15, 2022August 10, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Pomodoro is a simple tomato sauce that is smooth, thick and concentrated. Cook it in a wide sauté pan as it will help the moisture from the tomato to evaporate. Pomodoro can be served with pasta and chicken and may be kept in the refrigerator for one week.

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 x 400g cans chopped tomato
30ml sugar
2 x 500g packs of gnocchi
a handful of basil
parmesan cheese

Set a large, wide sauté pan over medium-low heat and add 45ml of vegetable oil to it.
Add the onion and garlic to the saucepan and gently cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Add the tomato to a liquidiser and blitz until smooth.
Pour the tomato into the saucepan and add the sugar. Stir through.
Simmer the sauce on a medium-low heat for 10 minutes. You want the liquid from the sauce to evaporate so that you are left with a thick, concentrated tomato sauce.
Cook the gnocchi according to the packet instructions. Drain and add it to the sauce.
Tear up the basil leaves, stir it through and remove the saucepan from the heat.
Serve the gnocchi with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

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Greek Meat Pie/Kreatopita

July 20, 2022June 18, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

45ml olive oil
1kg ground beef/mutton
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
30ml tomato paste
2 tomatoes, chopped
5ml origanum
10ml salt
200ml white wine
62ml basmati rice
a handful of parsley
500g puff pastry, store bought
100g feta cheese, crumbled
1 eg + 15ml water, whisked together

Add the olive oil to a saucepan set over medium-high heat.
Fry the meat in batches until well browned. Set aside.
Lower the heat, add the onion and cook until soft.
Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the chopped tomato, origanum and salt and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Pour in the wine and simmer until it has reduced by half.
Add 200ml water and cook the meat on a low simmer for 40 minutes.
Take the saucepan from the heat, stir in the rice and parsley and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with cooking spray.
Roll the pastry thinner and line the bottom and sides of the baking tin.
Spoon the cooled meat into the pastry shell.
Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the filling.
Cut a pastry round to fit the top of the pie, brush the edges with water and place on top of the filling to form a lid.
Seal the pastry around the edges by scrunching it together and brush all over with the egg wash.
Make a cross slit in the centre of the pastry lid and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
Stand the pie for 15 minutes before slicing to serve.

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Roosterkoek

October 8, 2021October 7, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Roosterkoek is a traditional South African bread roll that is cooked on an open fire. It is smoky, slightly charred and heaven-in-a-bite when eaten slightly warm with butter. This recipe makes about 10 – 12 roosterkoeke.

1kg bread flour
15g instant yeast
15ml salt
about 700ml lukewarm water

Add the flour, yeast and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Turn the mixer on to a low speed and add just enough water to make a stiff dough.
Knead on medium speed for 5 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth.
Lightly oil a clean mixing bowl, place the dough in it and cover with a clean tea towel.
Proof the dough for 90 minutes.
Knock the dough back and roll it to a 2cm thickness on an oiled work surface.
Cut the rolled dough into roughly 10 – 12 equal sized pieces. Place the pieces of dough about 5cm apart on an oiled baking sheet. Cover with a tea towel and set aside to rise while you get your break/outdoor fire ready.

Brush the griddle with a thin layer of vegetable oil and wait for any flair-ups/flames to die away.
Cook the Roosterkoek on a medium-warm fire for 10 minutes before turning them over for another 10 minutes cooking time.
Serve slightly warm with butter and your choice of filling.