Garlic & Coriander Naan

Ingredients:

• 1 packet Dry Yeast
• 4 tbsp. Sugar
• 1 cup Warm Water
• 1 beaten Egg
• 3 tbsp. Milk
• 4-5 cups Flour
• 2 tsp. Garlic
• Handful of Fresh Coriander
• 1/4 cup Butter

Method:

1. In a bowl mix the Yeast and water until it gets frothy.
2. Then add the Milk, Egg, Salt & Flour.
3. Knead for around 6-8 minutes and leave to rise in a warm place for an hour.
4. Chop the Garlic and Coriander finely and mix to the dough.
5. Roll out 12 small balls and leave to rise for another 15 minutes.
6. Heat up a pan with a drop of oil.
7. Roll out the balls into odd shapes and place in the hot pan for 2-3 minutes on each side. 
8. Once you have cooked all the naan, melt the butter and apply some to each naan with the help of a brush or spoon.
9. The naan is ready to be served!

Brown Velvet Muffins

Ingredients:

• 60gr. unsalted Butter
• 150gr. Caster Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 2 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
• 20ml Red Colouring
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Essence
• 120ml Buttermilk
• 150gr. Plain Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1 1.2 tsp. Vinegar

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius.
2. In a bowl mix the butter & sugar and finally add the egg.
3. In a separate bowl mix the Cocoa powder, Vanilla essence & Red Colouring.
4. Mix the two mixtures together and add half the buttermilk and flour. 
5. Add the other half of buttermilk and flour and finally add the Salt, Bicarbonate of Soda and lastly the Vinegar. 
6. Fill in the cupcake tin, filling them in with a bit more than half the size of the cup. 
7. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

• 300gr. Icing Sugar
• 50gr. Unsalted Butter
• 125gr. Cream Cheese

Method:

1. Beat the icing sugar and the Butter, until it becomes creamy.
2. Finish it off by adding the Cream Cheese.

Voila! That easy, decorate as you wish, I put some stars and yellow decor on top of mine!

Dedicated to Beppe Sammut.

Bread Making inspired by Grandma Molly

Plaited bread with sesame seeds


Ingredients:

• 500gr Flour
• 310 ml water
• 1 1/2 packets of dried yeast
• 1 Tbsp. Sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. Salt

     Topping

• Egg Yolk
• 1Tbsp. water
• Sesame seeds

Method:

1. Place the Flour in a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
2. Pour in the water and empty the Yeast packets, Sugar and Salt and mix the ingredients in the well.
3. Mix the flour in until a dough is formed.
4. Dust your surface with some Flour and knead the dough for around 5 - 10 minutes.
5. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover in cling film and a piece of cloth.
6. Leave the dough to rise in a warm place, with no draft for around 15-30 minutes- this will help the dough to rise quicker.  
7. Once the dough has double in size, knead it again for around 5 minutes.
8. Then cut the dough in 3 parts and start rolling the pastry with your hands to have 3 thick strands to make the plait.
9. Once the three strands are ready attach one end of the plait and start braiding it and connect the three strands at the end.
10. Place the braid in an oiled and floured dish and cover with a dish cloth and let to rise in a warm place for around for 15-20 minutes.
11. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius.
12. Prepare the egg wash by separating the Egg yolk and mix with a tablespoon of Water.
13. Brush the top of the bread with the Egg wash and sprinkle the Sesame seeds on top.
14. Bake the plait for 15-20 min at 220 degrees celsius then lower the temperature to 190 degree celsius and cook for a further 15-30 minutes.

Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato & Ginger Soup

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1/3 Butternut squash
• 1/2 Sweet Potato
• 1/2 clove Garlic
• 1 Spring Onion
• 1 Tbsp. grated Ginger
• 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 cup fresh Orange Juice
• Salt & Pepper
• 5 cups Hot water 

Method:

1. Chop the Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato, Garlic, Spring Onion and Ginger.
2. Pour the oil, Salt & Pepper and chopped ingredients in a pan.
3. Mix all the ingredients for around 5 minutes.
4. Add the orange juice.
5. Add the water and bring to the boil. Once it starts boiling lower down and simmer for around 15/20 minutes.
6. After the 20 minutes pour the mixture in a blender until the texture is soft and creamy.

Serve with Crostini (Thin slices of toasted bread),  dash of fresh cream or simply eat it as is.


Ginger facts:

• It's an anti-inflammatory
• Decongestant
• Anti-histamine
• Helps digest fatty foods & proteins
• Reduces flatulence
• Stimulates blood circulation

      

Coconut, Cranberry & Currant Biscuits

This is a recipe I used to make biscuits for Patches 'the special market' last Sunday 25.07.2010. Some Pictures here:

This recipe is a variation of the anzac biscuit. 

Ingredients:

• Handful Chopped Dried Cranberry
• 3/4 cup Shredded Coconut
• Handful Black Currants
• 3/4 cup Flour
• Baking Powder
• 8 tbsp. Butter
• 1 tbsp. Honey
• 1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 cup Vanilla Sugar
• 3 tbsp. Water (Boiling)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius
2. In a bowl, mix ythe Flour, Sugar & Coconut.
3. Mix in the Baking Powder & Boiling water in a separate bowl to dissolve.
4. Melt the Butter in a pan and mix with the Honey, then combine with the Water and Baking Soda mixture.
5. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients.
6. Add the Chopped Cranberries and the Black Currants, and work the ingredients into a dough.
7. If the mixture is to dry add a little water and if its too wet you can add a bit of flour.
8. Wrap in Cling film, and leave to rest for around 30min.
9. Once the 30min. have passed, roll out the pastry on a floured surface and cut the biscuits with a 2" cutter.
10. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until they are nice and golden.
11. Let them cool on a tray and once cool Eat them!

Torta Ricotta e Spinaci

Ingredients:


Filling:

• Bag of Fresh Spinach
• 250gr. Ricotta
• 3 eggs
• Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

                            

               

1. Start by blanching the spinach for 5-10min.
2. In the meantime start mixing the Ricotta, Eggs, Grated Parmesan, Nutmeg Salt & Pepper in a bowl.
3. Once the Spinach is ready and cool, chop it up and mix it with the other ingredients.
4. The filling is now ready, set to a side or alternatively in the fridge if it's a hot summer day.

Let's move onto the delicious Pastry:


Ingredients:

• 400gr. Flour
• 200gr. Butter
• Salt
• Glass of Water

1. Place the Flour in a large bowl.
2. Cut the butter up in small pieces, to make it easier to blend into the pastry. Work the butter in the pastry and slowly add the water until the pastry starts sticking together. We don't want sticky pastry and if that happens you can add some more flour. If you have too little water just add a little more.
3. Let the pastry to set in the fridge for around an hour.
4. Once the hour has passed, divide the pastry in 3/4 for the base and the other 1/4 for the top. Roll out the pastry in a round oiled and floured dish to avoid the pastry from sticking.
5. Pour in the filling and seal with the top layer of the pastry.
6. Pierce the top of the pastry with a fork to avoid a soggy pastry and pinch the sides together with your hands or fork.
7. Cook in a preheated oven of 175 degrees celsius for around 45min or till brown on the top and bottom.

Tempura Mix

Info.: Lightly battered vegetables or seafood usually served with a dipping sauce. The term 
            'Tempura'  comes from tempero which means seasoning in Portguese.            
           
Origin: Portuguese and a popular Japanese dish.
            
Ideal as a starter or for parties.


Ingredients:

• 4 cups Flour
• 2 cups cold Water
• 4 tbsps. Sesame seeds
• 2 tsps. Curry powder
• Salt
• Ground Pepper

Method:

1. Place the flour in a bowl.
2. Make a well and pour the water in the middle.
3. Add the Sesame seeds, Curry powder, Salt and Pepper.
4. Once mixed dip the boiled sliced vegetables in hot cooking oil.
5. Let them fry until it get's some colour.
6. Dipping Sauce: Dark Soy Sauce.

Modifications:
If you'd like to change the tempura from savoury to sweet, you can add cinnamon instead of the curry powder and finish it off with a drizzle of honey. Filling options include; boiled apple/pear or banana.


Enjoy them!

Mentha/Mint, from Greek "μίνθα" - mintha

Kingdom: Plantae

Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: Mentha

Info.: Mint is a refreshing herb which has been used both for culinary and medicinal purposes. It's name derives from the nymph Menthe who was turned into a plant by the goddess Persephone when she found out that Pluto was in love with her.

Fun fact: Mint is a vermin deterrent; it's disliked by mice and rats.

Food ideas:


Mint Sauce: is used in a variety of cuisines including Middle Eastern, British and American.


Ingredients: Handful of fresh Mint, 1/2 a cup of Vinegar and a tbsp. of Sugar.
   
Method: Wash the mint under running water and remove the leaves from the stem. Mix the three
ingredients in a blender and serve with roasted Lamb.
   
Troubleshoot: If the blender isn't working you'd just need to add a bit more Vinegar. Whilst if the vinegar is too empowering for your liking, just add a bit more sugar.

Hobz biz-zejt: Meaning 'Bread with Oil' in English, is a traditional Maltese snack, which is both tasty and filling for a lunch break.


Ingredients: Traditional Maltese bread (Sour dough bread), Kunserva (concentrated Tomato paste), Tuna (canned), Mint leaves, Fresh Olive oil and Rock Salt.


Method: Cut two slices of bread or divide the Ftira in two. Spread the concentrated Tomato paste on both sides of the bread. Place the Tuna on top and place the washed Mint leaves. Add a pinch of Rock Salt and some freshly ground Pepper corns and drizzle with Olive oil. Enjoy!

Aunty Anna's Cake

Cooking time: 40min
Oven Temperature: 180-200 degrees celsius


Ingredients:
300gr Flour
300gr Sugar
3 Eggs
1 cup Oil
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Water
1 grated Lemon Rind
1 tsp. Vanilla Essence
3 tsp. Baking Powder

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180-200 degrees celsius.
2. Beat the eggs and sugar.
3. Add Oil, Water, Milk, Vanilla Essence and grated Lemon rind.
4. Finally mix in the Flour and Baking Powder.
5. Butter/Oil an oven tin of approximately 20-30cm and sprinkle with flour.
6. Pour the mix into the tin and bake in the preheated oven.

Modifications:

• Marbling: Save 1/3 of the mixture before pouring it into the tin and mix it with 2-3tbsp. Cocoa powder. Pour it over the plain mixture and with the help of a knife twist and twirl the chocolate to create a marbled effect once it's ready,cut and served.
• Chocolate cake: Melt a bar of chocolate on a baine marie let it cool down slightly and add it to the rest of the cake mixture.
• Merry Berry Cake: Dice some lovely dried red/blueberries, cherries, black currants or whatever tickles your fancy and throw them in the mixture for some colour contrast!

Topping:

• Leave it plain, it tastes great anyhow.
• Melt some chocolate and pour it on top.
• Whipped fresh cream beaten with a mixer.
• Freshly chopped fruit, but make sure to apply a base of jam or chocolate on the top of the cake to prevent it from getting soggy.

Healthier options:

•  You can reduce the amount of sugar to 100gr.