Cheesy Tuna Tarts

Cheesy Tuna Tart

Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
Serves: 12


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
250g Cottage Cheese
120g butter, melted
1/2 grated tasty cheese
baby rocket leaves

Filling:
185g tuna in brine, drained
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped char-grilled capsicum
2 green onion, sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to hot, 220 degrees centigrade. Lightly grease pie tarts, 6 x 10cm.

2. Combine flour, cottage cheese and butter in a bowl. Mix to a soft dough. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 15 minutes.

3. Filling: In a bowl, combine tuna, eggs, milk, capsicum, onions, and juice. Season to taste and set aside.

4. Press dough into prepared pans. Prick pastry in in several places. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce oven to medium, 180 degrees centigrade.

5. Spoon filling into each cases. Sprinkle each with grated cheese.

6. Bake 20-25 minutes until firm and golden.

7. Top with baby rockets before serving.


Note:

Alexander and Taylor had always been fans for Baked Tuna. Lately, Alexander had discovered his tastebuds on tarts. He was never been fond of anything made of pastry. However, after the experience and learned about making homemade pasta from our latest trip, he discovered the other side of his tastebuds.

I baked this Cheesy Tuna Tarts this evening for dinner, and the two boys kept on coming out to the kitchen checking it out. Once it's done, I hadn't had time to take fotos because the two boys had feasted on it!

Luigi's Peach Tart

Serves: 6 servings

1. Make crust Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

1 1/4 cups (179 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons (28 grams) sour cream

Place the flour, butter, and sour cream in a food processor and pulse to combine.

When the dough has formed a ball, pat with lightly floured hands into the bottom and sides of an ungreased10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and 1/2-inch sides, or a round au gratin dish.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Let cool while preparing the filling. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

2. Make filling

About 6 medium peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced If using fresh peaches, peel and thickly slice the peaches. Arrange the fresh peach slices in overlapping circles on top of the crust, until it's completely covered. Overfill the crust, as peaches will shrink during cooking.

3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup (168 grams) sour cream

3/4 cup (149 grams) sugar

1/4 cup (37 grams) all-purpose flour

Combine the egg yolks, sour cream, sugar, and flour and beat until smooth. Pour the mixture over the peaches.

Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for about1 hour, until the custard sets and is pale golden in color. Cover with an aluminum foil tent if the crust gets too dark.

Transfer the tart pan to a wire rack to cool.

When cool, remove the side wall of the pan.

3. Make glaze

1/2 cup peach preserves or jelly

1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate

Combine the preserves or jelly and orange juice.

Spread with a pastry brush over the top of the warm tart. Serve the tart warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

mint Garnish with fresh mint.

Luigi's Buttermilk Pancake

"Instant" Pancake Mix

Makes 3 batches of pancakes

1. Prepare mix

6 cups (852 grams or 30 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (check expiration date first)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
Combine all of the ingredients in a lidded container.

Shake to mix.


2. Label container

Attach label with expiration date as 3 months after today.



“Instant” Pancakes
Yield: 12 pancakes

1. Prepare equipment

Heat an electric griddle or frying pan to 350 degrees F.

If pancakes will not be served immediately,

Prepare a towel-lined pan.

Heat oven to 200 degrees F.

2. Prepare ingredients

2 large eggs
Separate whites from yolks.

4 tablespoons butter
Cut cold butter into 3 equal pieces.

Place butter in a small bowl.

Melt in the microwave oven for 30 seconds.

3. Prepare liquid ingredients

egg whites
2 cups buttermilk
Whisk together the egg whites and the buttermilk in a small bowl.


egg yolks
melted butter
In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the melted butter.


Combine the buttermilk mixture with the egg yolk mixture in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk together until thoroughly combined.

4. Combine

2 cups "Instant" Pancake Mix, recipe above

Pour the liquid ingredients on top of the pancake mix.

Using a whisk, mix the batter just enough to bring it together (about 10 strokes). Don't try to work all the lumps out.

5. Season griddle or pan

1 stick butter, for greasing the pan

Check to see that the griddle or pan is hot by placing a few drops of water onto to the griddle. The griddle is ready if the water dances across the surface.

Lightly butter the griddle or pan. Wipe off thoroughly with a paper towel. (No butter should be visible.)

6. Cook

2 cups fresh fruit such as blueberries, if desired
Gently ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle or pan.

Sprinkle on fruit if desired.

When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the cooked-side of the cake is golden, gently flip the pancake.

Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is set.

7. Serve or store
Serve immediately.

If not serving immediately, remove to a towel-lined baking sheet and cover with a towel.

Hold in a warm oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

Fluffy Pancake with Lemon Twist

Makes: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 cup of self-raising flour
1 cup of soy milk delite
1 tsp rind of lemom
2 eggs, separated
1 tbsp caster sugar
pinch of salt
butter for cooking
Garnishing: banana, strawberries,
berries, cream or ice cream
Maple syrup


Method:


1. In a bowl, beat together flour, milk, rind of lemon, 2 egg yolks, caster sugar, and pinch of salt, until bubbles appear.

2. Whisk 2 egg whites until stiff and white peaks form.

3. Fold in egg whites with batter until mix.

4. Cook pancake in low to half-medium heat. Flip over once edges look dry and top stops bubbling.

Garnish berries, banana, cream or vanilla ice cream and maple syrup. Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Paua Butty or Abalone

Paua Butty

 

Ingredients olive oil or butter onions, thinly sliced garlic, minced fresh chilli, thinly sliced abalone/paua sliced as thin as possible lemon juice rocket leaves buttered white bread

Method Heat up a cast iron skillet or saute pan to medium heat. Add some olive oil, butter or both. Toss in onions, garlic and chilli. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions begin to turn golden. Remove from pan and place in a dish. Wipe pan with paper towel, then place back on heat to get the pan really hot. Toss paua through oil, then put in hot pan. Let it sear for 30 seconds then stir round the pan for about a minute.   Season with salt and lemon juice. Stir the cooked onions back in.   Make up the butty/sandwich with rocket leaves and paua mix. Eat while hot.

Sicilian Groper in Foil

Sicilian Groper in Foil

 

 

Ingredients 1 groper fillet about 300g butter bunch of dill lemon slices cherry tomato, diced capers Kalamata olives. Squeeze out the pips and tear the olives with your hands eschallots, thinly sliced basil, hand torn foil citrus oil black pepper

Method As this is going directly onto hot coals you will want to double the foil so as to not get any tears.   Lay out the foil big enough to wrap the fish in. Smear butter onto the foil then lay out 4 – 6 slices of lemon and then a big bunch of dill on top of the lemon.   Now lay the groper fillet on top of the dill. Scatter over the fillet the eschallots, diced tomato, capers, torn olives and torn basil leaves.   Drizzle some citrus oil over everything and finally a few turns of freshly ground black pepper. Wrap the foil bringing each side up and twisting together to create a neat tightly sealed parcel. The fish will steam as well as roast in this package. Place on hot coals and cook for about ten minutes. Carefully open the foil and check for doneness by how the fish flakes. If not cooked wrap up and cook a little longer. If cooked eat directly out of the foil package savoring all of the lovely juice created by the fish, butter, lemon and veggies!

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Rich Fudge Sauce

Flourless chocolate cake

Prep Time	Cook Time	Serves
20 mins for cake + 5 minutes for sauce	50 mins for cake + 5 minutes for sauce	6

Ingredients

• 250g dark chocolate, chopped
• 100g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1/2 cup strong black coffee
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 200g ground almonds
• Extra 1 tbsp caster sugar
• Sifted cocoa, for dusting

This chocolate almond cake with rich fudge sauce is flourless. Great served warm with a scoop of ice-cream or a spoonful of softly whipped cream. The fudge sauce can be poured over hot, or wait till it cools then spoon over a generous dollop.

Here's how

1.  Preheat oven to moderate 180C. Brush a deep 20cm-round cake tin with melted butter and line the base and sides with baking paper. Place chocolate, butter, coffee and vanilla into a heavy-based pan and stir over a low heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and cool until lukewarm.

2. Place egg yolks and sugar into the small bowl of an electric mixer and beat until the mixture is light and creamy. Gradually add the chocolate mixture and beat on low until just combined. Transfer to a large bowl. Add almond meal and mix well. Wash and dry the beaters.

3. Place eggwhites in the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high until soft peaks form. Add the extra sugar and beat for 1 minute longer. Add eggwhites to the chocolate and fold through using a large metal spoon.

4.  Pour mixture into prepared tin. Gently shake tin to settle the mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a skewer inserted in the centre. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with sifted cocoa powder, if desired. Serve with rich fudge sauce.

Rich fudge sauce

• 300ml thickened cream
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 100g marshmallows, chopped
• 1/4 cup Kahlua or Tia Maria

Put cream, chocolate and marshmallows in a heavy-based pan. Stir over a low heat until smooth and melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the Kahlua or Tia Maria. The sauce will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.