Classic Lemon Tart

Its half-term week and its so nice not to have to rush around everyday doing school runs and today has been extra special as I have spent the whole day at home alone with Luca. I love spending individual time with each one of my Children, you get to learn whats going on in their lives and to see there individual personalities shine.

I have had all my usual boring jobs to do, cleaning, washing, etc, but we have made this delicious lemon tart and we found time to make pancakes for lunch. So all good.

I even made the pastry myself, not today I must add, but when I made my chocolate tart the other day I made enough pastry to divide into three portions. One I used for the chocolate tart and the other two I put in the freezer.

I must admit it froze rather well, Rosie and Luca made Jam Tarts on Monday with one portion and I've used the last one up today. Such a time saving idea.

I love having the Children at home and can't wait until the Easter Holidays, lots of baking opportunities.

Buon appetito

Ingredients

For the lemon tart

• 5 free-range eggs
• 190g/6¾oz caster sugar
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream
• 4 lemons, juice and zest
• butter, for greasing
• flour, for dusting
• 225g/8oz ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry
• icing sugar, for dusting

For the goats' cheese cream

• 110g/4oz mild goats cheese
• 50ml/2fl oz double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. For the lemon tart, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk gently to break up the yolks. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the cream and the lemon juice and stir. Pass the mixture through a sieve, then add the lemon zest and set aside.
3. Grease a 20cm/8in flan ring with butter. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to make a circle large enough to fit over the flan ring. Using the rolling pin, carefully lift the pastry over the ring and gently press into the ring. Allow the pastry to overhang the edges of the ring slightly. Line with a circle of greaseproof paper and fill with rice or baking beans.
4. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the beans and greaseproof paper, then return to the oven for five minutes, or until the tart case is lightly browned.
5. Turn the oven down to 150C/300F/Gas 2 and pour the lemon mixture into the tart case. Bake in the oven for about an hour, or until the filling is just set and the pastry is golden-brown.
6. Remove the tart from the oven and trim off the edges of the pastry. Leave to cool completely, then place in the fridge to chill for about two hours.
7. Preheat the grill to medium.
8. Dust the top of the tart generously with icing sugar then place under the grill until caramelised.
9. For the goats' cheese cream, place the goats' cheese into a bowl with the cream and icing sugar and mix well.
10. To serve, cut the tart into wedges and serve with a spoonful of the goats' cheese cream.

Cavolo Nero & Pancetta Tart

I am blogging away like a trooper today, and no that doesn't mean that I have some sort of wind problem from eating the cavolo nero last night, it just means that due to circumstances changing today and plans being altered, I now find myself with a far more relaxing day than expected and I actually have time to post this weeks dinners so far. So all good.

Again I have surprised myself with this tart, for some reason I thought tarts would be tricky, but its all so easy, who knew! Also the kids loved this one, a success after the Shallot Tarte Tatin. I personally preferred the Shallot Tarte Tatin, but hey, what do I know !

http://dianastaveley.blogspot.com/2011/02/shallot-tarte-tatin-with-goats-cheese.html

Buon appetito

500g pack all-butter shortcrust pastry

1 small head of Cavolo Nero, about 200g (Don't worry if you can not get hold of this, just use Curly Kale instead and I am pretty sure Savoy cabbage would work just as well)

70g pack sliced pancetta

200ml whole milk

150ml double cream

2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk

85g Parmesan, grated

Heat the oven to 200c, 180 fan, gas 6.

Roll out the pastry and use to line a deep 20 x 30cm loose-bottomed tart tin or 23cm round tin. Prick the base and line with greaseproof paper and baking beans. Sit the tin on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and parchment and return to the oven for a further 5 - 10 minutes until pale golden.

Lower the oven to 180c, 160 fan, gas 4.

Meanwhile, trim the cabbage and separate the leaves. Waitrose do a ready chopped and ready to go bag of Curly Kale which is what I used for this recipe. Cook in a pan of slightly salted boiling water for 4 - 5 minutes, until tender. Cool and drain well, then squeeze out any excess water. Pat dry with kitchen paper.

Arrange the cabbage leaves and pancetta slices in the tart case. Beat together the milk, cream and eggs until well blended. Stir in the Parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper, then pour into the tart case. Bake for 25 minutes until just set.

Leave to sit in the tin for 10 minutes then carefully lift out, cut into slices and serve while still warm.

Once again, I served mine with a side salad and fresh, homemade bread.

Shallot Tarte Tatin with Goats Cheese

I thought that making a tarte tatin would be tricky, I also thought that tackling it on a week night, when life is more manic than usual was slightly insane, but the whole thing was rather easy and turned out so well.

Its so exciting when you turn it out on the board and you realise that its all going to hold together and actually looks rather impressive.

I must say that the children were not overly impressed with the shallots, but Hubby & I loved it. Looking forward to enjoying it as a Saturday lunch in the garden, in the sun with a large glass of wine. Just need some sunshine now, so looking forward to Spring.

Rosie has requested a tomato version that she saw Lorraine Pascale make on her show, so thats next on my list to do.

Boun appetito

Serves 4 - 5

600g shallots

2 tablespoons olive oil

25g butter

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons demerara or soft light brown sugar

4 sprigs of thyme

375g sheet puff pastry

100g - 140g goat's cheese, slice into rounds (please do it more thinly that Hubby did, as you will see in the above photograph, they look like door steps!)

Heat oven to 200c, 180c fan, gas 6.

Put the shallots into a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Leave for 10 minutes, then drain and peel. This is such a great tip, I have spent far to many hours peeling these tricky little blighters, will be doing this from now on, it works a treat.

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan. Add the shallots and fry gently for 10 - 15 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Stir in the vinegar and sugar with leaves from 2 thyme sprigs for a few minutes until caramelised. Turn off the heat and season.

Tear remaining thyme sprigs into a few pieces and scatter over the base of a 22cm ovenproof shallow pan, cake or tart tin without a loose base. Tip in the shallots with all the sticky juices. Roll out the pastry until it's big enough to cut out a roughly 26cm circle. Lift the pastry circle onto the shallots, then tuck the edges down the inside of the pan. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until pastry is golden.

Leave tart for 5 minutes to settle, then turn out of the tin. Dot with rounds of goat's cheese and slice into wedges.

I served mine with a lovely side salad and fresh, warm, homemade bread. See recipes below for bread.

http://dianastaveley.blogspot.com/2011/02/chorizo-and-thyme-fougasse.html

http://dianastaveley.blogspot.com/2011/01/focaccia.html

Chorizo and Thyme Fougasse

Here is another quick and easy Lorraine Pascale recipe. I have found its actually easier to make bread every night for dinner, than it is to buy it, it is also very rewarding. Play around with this recipe and add what you want, pancetta cubes, olives, pumpkin seeds, sun dried tomatoes, what ever takes your fancy, but more than anything,enjoy !

Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

• 2 tsp salt

• 2 sachets fast-action dried yeast

• 250–300ml/9–11fl oz water

• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only

• 50g/2oz cooked chorizo, chopped finely

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for greaing

• 3 tbsp milk

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and dust a large baking tray with flour.

2. Mix the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and steadily pour in the water until the dough is loose and easy to knead, but not too sticky.

3. Knead the dough for 10 minutes on a lightly floured work surface, or for 5 minutes in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.

4. Add the thyme and knead for a further 30 seconds, or until it is well combined. Put half the chorizo in the middle of the dough and then fold the edges around it to cover and knead it for a further minute.

5. Place the dough mixture on a dusted work surface. Shape it into a ball, making sure the top is taught and smooth. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into a rough oval shape.

6. Cut slashes in the loaf to look like a fern leaf with a knife or razor blade, and then open the slashes apart with floured hands.

7. Push the remaining chorizo into the top of the dough, then cover loosely with oiled cling film (you may need several pieces). Leave to rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, approximately for one hour.

8. Once risen, remove the clingfilm, brush the dough with milk and place in the hot oven. Spray the oven with water before closing - this will prevent a crust from forming too quickly and will help to ensure a good rise. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the bread is well-risen and golden brown. It will come off the tray once fully cooked too.

9. To serve, either keep the bread whole or cut into chunks to eat before or with a main meal.

Or if its easier, watch the gorgeous Lorraine in action on the link below:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chorizo_and_thyme_65587

Greek Lamb Pies with Feta Mash Topping

Hubby is always nagging me to get off my backside and get round to subscribing to my three favourite magazines, Delicious, Olive and Good Food ! Like he has pointed out, I religiously buy them every month and have done for years, so why not subscribe, save some money and get them delivered to the door. Sounds perfect, but I just never ever got round to it. Last night, Hubby had enough and sat down and subscribed to the lot for me. So I can't wait to start receiving them.

Whilst on the subject of Hubby, which I usually am, as its one of my favourite subjects, I am hoping that he is rather proud of me today. He recently commented on the fact that the "Mains" drop down on my Blog recipe list was getting far to big and that some people may have trouble seeing everything. So today I have mustered up the courage, written some java script, I hope thats the right terminology, sorry Hubby if its not and have sorted it out.

We now have four "Mains" sections, Italian, Greek, Spanish and Other. The first three are self explanatory and "Other" for now covers everything else, English, French, Indian and so on.

I hope you enjoy the new lay out and find it easy to navigate.

Buon appeitto

Recipe makes 4 - 6 pies, I did one large one as it was easier.

It does take ages to cook, but it so worth it. I love lamb, but it can be a little fatty, the lemon in this dish just cuts through that and makes this such an amazing yummy dish, has to be one of my favourites.

1kg lamb shoulder, cut into 2.5cm cubes

2 heaped tablespoons plain flour

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Large handful of fresh oregano, roughly chopped or 2 teaspoons of dried

75g kalamata olives, which you guessed it, I left out as we HATE them with a passion

600ml red wine, and of course we drunk the leftovers

300ml beef stock

Grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

Large bunch of fresh mint, chopped

For the mash topping

1kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper - cubed

250ml whole milk, hot (I used semi skimmed)

50g butter, melted

180g feta, drained and crumbled

Preheat the oven to 160c/140c fan/gas 3.

Put the lamb cubes in a bowl and toss well in the flour. Season with ground black pepper and a good pinch of salt. I find it easier to put the flour into the bowl first, mix in the pepper & salt, then toss the meat in to the bowl.

Heat 2tbsp of oil in a large lidded flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. fry the lamb pieces in batches until just golden all over. remove the cooked lamb from the dish with a slotted spoon after each batch and set a side.

Heat the remaining oil, add the red onion, then cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic, oregano and olives if using, then toss together well. Increase the heat to high, add the red wine and bubble rapidly for 3 - 4 minutes. Reduce the heat, add the beef stock, return the lamb to the dish and season.

Cover the casserole and place in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours until the lamb is tender and the sauce is rich & thickened. Set aside to cool while you prepare the topping.

Boil the potatoes in a large pan of lightly salted water for 15 - 20 minutes until tender. Drain, then pass through a potato ricer or mash well until smooth. return to the pan and beat in the hot milk and butter. Stir in 120g feta and season well.

TIP : I always make my mash in my Artisan (Food Mixer) using the large beater, a little trick I learnt from Hubby. I also didn't bother returning the potatoes to the pan as above, I just left the Artisan running and slowly tipped in the milk & butter, perfect mash every time. I then just gently stirred the feta through so that it didn't get to mashed up.

Stir the lemon jest and juice into the lamb filling along with the fresh mint. Spoon into your individual bowls if using, or large dish if doing like I did and spoon the feta mash on top. Sprinkle with the remaining feta, then bake in a preheated oven at 200c, fan 180c, gas 6 for 30 - 35 minutes, until golden on top.

You can also make these pies, allow to cool completely, then wrap them well in cling film then foil and freeze until needed. The day before you want to eat them, remove from the freezer & defrost completely overnight in the fridge.

Chocolate Tart

I have worked it out that during the working week my Hubby spends on average, 60 hours away from the home and more importantly me! On average during the working week I get to see him for about 10 to 15 hours, most of this time he will be working!

My Hubby you see is dedicated to his job, he decided a very long time ago that having children was not for him and that his career and more importantly making money would be his baby.

So you see getting his attention can be tricky and any minute we do get together is very precious indeed. Week nights I do let it go, I know that he can't come home and just shut down, but I do insist that every third weekend the Children(mine, not his, LOL) go away and we spend quality time together and NO WORK!!!

I like to spoil him as much as I can, I understand that he is shattered and I love nothing more than to cook for him and this week I set myself the task of making pastry for the first time ever and making him a chocolate tart. It was tricky, a lot of hard work, but worth it. Just like working at our relationship, getting the balance right is also tricky, but also worth it.

Buon appettito

Serves 12 - This is a very rich, very grown up dessert, you only need a thin slice and I suggest you serve it with cream or ice cream and a strong espresso.

This recipes makes more pastry than you need, but you can freeze the rest.

20cm loosed-based fluted flan tin, no more than 2cm deep

For the Pastry:

450g plain flour, plus a little extra for rolling

185g caster sugar

225g butter

2 large egg yolks

1 large egg

salt

(Now this wasn't to difficult to make, but all the chilling does take time, brought pastry is just as lovely, so if you don't have the time, don't feel like you have cheated, who ever you are baking for will appreciate all your hard work.)

Put the flour and the sugar in a bowl with a pinch of salt and combine.

Cut the butter into small cubes and rub them into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the egg yolks and egg, and stir until the pastry starts to come together.

Finally, draw everything together using your hands. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour.

Please note all the above can be done in a food processor if you prefer!

Roll out one third of the pastry into a round on a lightly floured surface until it is about 2mm thick, wrap it round the rolling pin and carefully lift it into the tin. Unroll it and press it into the side and base carefully, with out stretching it. Little tip I recently learnt, is to use a small ball of the dough to push the pastry into the tin. Trim any excess. Don't panic if it breaks a little, simply press it back together. Prick the base with a fork, then chill for 30 minutes. I did warn you there was lots of chilling and waiting around. Freeze the other two portions.

Preheat the oven to 200c, 440f, gas 6.

Bake the pastry case for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove it and reduce the heat to 150c, 300f, gas 2.

For the filling:

2 x 100g luxury Belgian Continental dark chocolate, broken into pieces

142ml single cream

55ml whole milk

1 large egg, beaten

Put the chocolate pieces into a bowl.

Bring the cream & milk to the boil in a pan, then pour it over the broken chocolate and beat it until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is shiny and smooth.

Now add the beaten egg and mix well.

Now this is where the two meet:

Pour into the pastry case and bake for 15 - 18 minutes. The filling should be set, but not hard. If you see any small cracks appearing on the surface of the tart, take it out of the oven straight away.

Leave the tin to cool until it can be handled easily, then push the tart base gently up to remove the sides and carefully place the tart on a large plate or cake stand. Do not refrigerate the tart as it will dull the surface.