I hope you will enjoy preparing these recipes.
This is a lovely aromatic apple pie.
This is an interesting summer tart, if you like peppers.
This is a lovely dessert, with a crispy crust, a custard prepared with cherry juice and sweet white wine, covered with poached cherries.
My friend Nora Widmer gave me this recipe. It has changed over the years mainly by using Greek cheeses.
Ages ago, when I was newly married, I had read this recipe in Vogue magazine. I promptly prepared it and to my great joy, my husband, my parents and our friends found the crust exceptionally crisp and the custard creamy and luscious.
This is a delectable savoury tart.
APPLE PIE
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| A Luscious Apple Pie |
This is a lovely aromatic apple pie.
Pastry:
120 g (4 oz) butter
150 g (5 oz) brown sugar
1 egg
150 g (5 oz) powdered almonds
150 g (5 oz) self-raising flour
1 liqueur glass water
1 liqueur glass brandy
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 pinch of salt
Egg-wash for brushing over the crust
1 tbsp brown sugar for sprinkling over
Filling:
1½ kg (3 lb) apples, pared, finely sliced and sprinkled with lemon juice
2 heaped tbsp cornflour
3 tbsp sugar
½ tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp grated nutmeg
Cream butter and sugar, then add all the other ingredients for the pastry and mix all together until a soft dough is obtained. Cover it with cling film and refrigerate for about an hour.
Mix the cornflour with the sugar and spices, sift over the sliced apples and mix gently until all the apples are well coated with the mixture.
Roll out the dough into 2 circles (0.5 cm thick), one slightly larger than the other. Place the larger circle in a deep, buttered tart-dish then spoon the filling in and even the surface. Cover with the second pastry and join the two together, crimping them into a pretty shape. Make two slashes on the surface of the pie, brush it with egg wash sprinkle with brown sugar and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for about an hour.
MULTICOLOURED PEPPER TART
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| My Grandchildren Love this Tart |
This is an interesting summer tart, if you like peppers.
Pastry:
250 g (½ lb) plain flour
1 tsp salt
125 g (¼ lb) iced butter, diced
1 large egg, beaten
1-2 tsp iced water
A knob of butter for the baking dish
1½ cups coarsely grated bland kasseri or Cheddar
Filling:
500 kg (1 lb) multicoloured peppers + 2 Florina peppers
1 tbsp olive
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup finely grated Parmesan
250 ml (1 cup) milk at room temperature
250 ml (1 cup) thick cream, at room temperature
3 medium eggs
Salt, pepper to taste
For the pastry, mix flour and salt and rub in butter, until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the egg and mix the dough until it gathers together. If it crumbles, add a little iced water. Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it out, wrap with cling film and refrigerate for half an hour, at least.
Thinly roll out the dough, between two pieces of baking parchment, to form a circle. Line a 30 cm (12 inches) buttered tart dish with the pastry, gently pressing it into the bottom and around the sides of the dish. Trim off the excess and cover and chill for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Remove the tart from the fridge and prick it all over with a fork. Cover the bottom of the pastry with tin foil and press it gently into the edges to prevent the sides from collapsing and bake for 12 minutes. Discard the foil and bake for 6 minutes more. Remove from the oven to cool.
Meanwhile, slice the peppers and halve or quarter each slice. Sauté the peppers in very little olive oil until limp, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on kitchen paper to drain and cool.
Sprinkle the tart shell evenly with 1½ cup grated kasseri or cheddar and arrange the peppers on top. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Whip the eggs with the milk and cream and pour over the peppers. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until evenly puffed and golden. Serve hot or warm, with a salad of your choice.
CHERRY TART
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This is a lovely dessert, with a crispy crust, a custard prepared with cherry juice and sweet white wine, covered with poached cherries.
Pastry:
260 g (2 cups) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
6 tbsp sugar
½ tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp finely ground semolina
180 g (6 oz) butter
2 medium-sized eggs, whipped
1 kg (2 lb) sweet black cherries, pitted, juice and pits reserved (see below)
225 (¾ cup) sugar
Custard:
125 ml (½ cup) cherry juice
250 ml (1 cup) Samos Nektar or any other sweet white wine
3 heaped tbsp cornflour diluted in
4 tbsp water
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp grated nutmeg
3 medium-sized eggs, lightly whipped with
A pinch of salt
Light cherry syrup (please see below)
250 ml (1 cup) or less thick cream
Prepare the pastry by mixing all the ingredients together into a soft, pliable dough. With the palm of your hands press the dough, evenly, and line 30 cm (12 inch) tart dish. Prick the dough all over, cover with baking parchment and beans, and bake blind for 15 minutes covered, and about 15 minutes more uncovered or until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool.
Place the cherries with the sugar in a saucepan and simmer gently for about 10 minutes and remove from the fire. Stir several times to allow the fruit to absorb part of the syrup. After 15 minutes strain the cherries and place on kitchen paper to dry, reserving the remaining light cherry syrup.
For the custard, first add the sweet wine into the cherry juice and pits, stir well and strain. There should be about 375 ml (1½ cups) liquid. Mix all the ingredients for the custard, except the cream, together in a bowl and cook gently over simmering water, stirring constantly until the custard thickens. Add ½ the cream, stir to combine and remove from the fire to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming. Taste and add a little more sugar, if necessary. When it is cold it should keep its shape in a spoon. Add more cream if the custard is too thick.
Spoon the custard over the tart, cover lavishly with the poached cherries and chill. One hour before needed, remove from the fridge and serve with a glass of the same sweet wine that you used in the custard.
A COURGETTE AND CHEESE TART
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| A Wonderful Snack |
My friend Nora Widmer gave me this recipe. It has changed over the years mainly by using Greek cheeses.
For the pastry:
100 g (3.3 oz) butter, at room temperature,
50 g (1.6 oz) Feta cheese, crumbled,
50 g (l.6oz) San Michalis or Parmesan Cheese, grated,
180 g (6 oz ) self-raising flour,
A knob of butter for the pie dish.
For the filling:
100 g (3.3oz) bland kasseri or Emmenthal cheese, grated,
100 g (3.3 oz) Graviera from Naxos or Gruyere grated,
2 slices ham, chopped,
2 medium courgettes, grated,
1 - 2 spring onions, finely sliced,
1 tbsp finely chopped dill,
4 eggs, separated,
250 ml (1 cup) light cream,
freshly ground black pepper.
Start with the pastry. Place all the ingredients into a mixer and blend until the dough forms a ball around the pastry hook. Line a buttered pie dish with dough, prick it with a fork, cover with baking parchment and beans and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C( 350 F) for about 12 minutes. Take out from the oven, remove the parchment and beans and let it cool.
Meanwhile, mix the cheeses and the chopped ham and place them into the pastry case and scatter the courgettes, spring onions and the dill evenly over.
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt, until stiff. Mix the egg yolks with the cream until they are well combined, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Then stir the whipped egg whites into the yolk mixture and pour evenly over the cheeses, not the pastry!
Bake for 35-40 minutes in a moderate oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) until the filling is puffed and golden brown.
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QUICHE LORRAINE
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| The First Quiche I Made |
Ages ago, when I was newly married, I had read this recipe in Vogue magazine. I promptly prepared it and to my great joy, my husband, my parents and our friends found the crust exceptionally crisp and the custard creamy and luscious.
Pastry:
240 g (6 oz) plain flour
1 tsp salt
120 g (3 oz) iced butter, cubed
1 egg
2 tsp iced water
Filling:
8 rashers smoked bacon, cut in pieces, sautéed and drained on kitchen paper
90 g (3 oz) grated Gruyere or bland Cheddar
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
275 ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp) double cream
Salt and white pepper to taste
A little iced butter for the top
Mix the flour with salt and rub with butter until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and mix well together. If the dough crumbles, add very little iced water until it comes together. Shape it into a ball, flatten it out, then cover with cling film and refrigerate.
Roll out the dough, between two pieces of baking parchment, to form a circle. Line a buttered 20 cm (8 inch) flan tin with the pastry, gently press it into the bottom and the sides of the tin, and prick all over with a fork. Chill for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Cover the pastry with crumbled foil, to prevent the sides from collapsing and bake for 15 minutes in the centre of the oven. Discard the tin foil, bake for 10 minutes more and remove from the oven to cool.
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the cold pastry shell and cover with bacon. Beat the whole eggs, egg yolks, cream and the seasoning and pour over the bacon and cheese. Dot the tart with butter and bake in the top of the oven for 20 minutes until puffed and golden. Serve hot or warm.
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COURGETTE QUICHE
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| The Filling |
This is a delectable savoury tart.
Pastry:
195 g (1½ cup) self raising flour mixed with
½ tsp salt
½ cup soft butter
1 egg yolk
About 4 tbsp yogurt or more
1½ tbsp fine dried breadcrumbs and
2 tbsp grated cheese for the dish
Filling:
1 tbsp olive oil
600 g (1 lb 3 oz) courgettes, thickly grated
3 medium carrots, grated
1 medium onion, grated
2 spring onions trimmed and finely sliced
2 tender celery stalks, trimmed and finely sliced
500 ml (2 cups) cream, 15% fat
For the top
90 g (3 oz) bland kasseri or Emmenthal, grated
90 g (3 oz) Naxos graviera or Gouda , grated
90 g (3 oz) Parmesan grated
Freshly grated white pepper
For the pastry rub the butter into the flour until it looks like fine bread crumbs. Add the egg and enough yogurt to obtain a soft dough. Wrap in cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Sauté the vegetables in olive oil, add salt and pepper, lower the heat and let them sweat gently until they resemble a puree. Add the cream and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are thoroughly cooked. Cool.
Preheat the oven to180 C (350 F). Roll out the dough between two pieces of baking parchment and line a 25 cm /10-inch round ovenproof dish. Prick the pastry all over with a fork and sprinkle with bread crumbs and ¼ of the grated cheese (please see below). Carefully spoon in the filling, and level the surface. Mix the cheeses with the freshly ground white pepper and sprinkle evenly on top. Pinch the dough around the edge into a pretty shape and bake for about 40 minutes.
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