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A dill and chilli-flavoured spinach and feta filling, wrapped in filo pastry and cooked to delicious, golden-brown crunchiness - fresh, spicy, wholesome, and utterly satisfying. PHOTO RECIPE     TEXT-ONLY RECIPE   Feeding our passion for filo pastry, feta cheese, and spinach, see also SPINACH & FETA FILO PIE , this Borek , spiced with dill and chilli, drizzled with lemon juice, and accompanied by fresh yogurt, takes our favourite trio to a new level. Borek (also known as  Börek , and Burek, amongst other names) is a family of pastries made with thin, flaky sheets of dough, that are filled with spiced ground meat, or cheese, spinach, or potatoes. Originating from the former Ottoman Empire, Borek is made with Yufka or Brik pastry, created from unleavened dough that is rolled and stretched until very thin, similar to filo pastry but a bit thicker and softer. These delicate dough sheets are filled with spiced ground meats, or spinach, vegetables, or potatoes, and are baked, deep-fried, or pan-cooked. Borek comes in a variety of shapes and sizes: as pie, round, rolled into spirals, as well as in small, individual forms like triangles, squares, or 'cigars'. Borek can be served as a light meal, a dinner party starter, as part of a brunch, or party appetizer. It can be prepared in advance and baked later, or baked and frozen for future use. The dish is easy and fast to make: the ingredients are chopped and combined into a filling. The dough and filling are layered in a frying pan and then cooked on the stovetop until the filling is cooked, and the pastry is crunchy and golden-brown. The original dish uses Yufka dough, which is briefly immersed in a mixture of milk and oil before being placed in the pan. I cannot get hold of Yufka , but the recipe works perfectly well with filo pastry; however, instead of immersing the sheets in the milky oil, which makes filo soggy and difficult to handle, it's best to use a pastry brush to apply the milk and oil mixture once the sheets are in the pan. REFERENCES: Wikipedia: BÖREK How to prepare: SPINACH & FETA BOREK A dill and chilli-flavoured spinach and feta filling, wrapped in filo pastry and cooked to delicious, golden-brown crunchiness - fresh, spicy, wholesome, and utterly satisfying. Jump to TEXT-ONLY RECIPE Recipe based on:  'Turkish Borek', from 'Turkish Delights with Allegra McEvedy' INGREDIENTS:  Serves 2 as a small main course, or 6 as an appetizer 125g filo pastry (fresh, or frozen and completely defrosted) 100g fresh baby spinach 1 spring onion Handful of dill 1 big green (mild) chilli 100g Feta cheese Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Optional: lemon slices and Greek yogurt to serve Also: a medium-sized non-stick frying pan DIRECTIONS:  Gather all the ingredients: If using frozen filo pastry, allow it to defrost completely inside the sealed package before use. Note : Filo pastry is very thin and dries out rapidly. After removing it from the package, keep the sheets between damp kitchen towels to prevent them from drying. During assembly of the Borek, remove one sheet at a time as needed, keeping the remaining sheets covered. Make the filling: Wash and thoroughly dry 100g of spinach leaves using a salad spinner or by gently patting them dry with paper towels. Roughly chop the dried leaves and add them to a large bowl. Add 1 spring onion, sliced into rings, including the dark green part. Add a handful of chopped dill. Slice 1 mild green chilli in half lengthwise, remove and discard the seeds (or leave them in if you like it very spicy). Cut the chilli halves into thin strips, then dice them finely and add them to the bowl. Crumble 100g of feta cheese into the bowl. Season the filling with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt (careful, the feta is already salty). Mix well. Prepare the milky oil: combine 1 tablespoon of oil with 4 tablespoons of milk in a small bowl and whisk together. Assemble the Borek: Create the first layer of dough: Coat the bottom and sides of the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place 2 sheets of filo pastry in the pan, overlapping them slightly lengthwise and letting them hang over the edges. Brush the pastry inside the pan with the milky oil (avoid coating the overhanging dough sheets as they will soften and disintegrate). Cut a pastry sheet in half, lay one half inside the pan and brush it with the milky oil. Lay the other half on top and brush again. Add half of the filling: Add half of the filling to the pan, and distribute it evenly, then flatten and gently press it, ensuring it reaches the edges of the pan, then smooth the surface. Add a second layer of dough: Cover the filling with 4 more filo sheet halves, brushing each with the milky oil. Add the rest of the filling: Evenly distribute the remaining filling and smooth the surface. Add additional layers of dough: Add additional layers of filo pastry sheets, cut in half, over the filling, brushing each layer with the milky oil. Close the Borek: Fold the overhanging filo sheets over the top, brushing each piece with the milky oil after folding it over, and smoothing it out. Brush the finished top layer with the remaining milky oil to create a smooth finish. Round the edges: Use a large knife, palette knife, or the back of a large spoon to draw in the edges to create a neatly rounded finish. Cook the Borek: Cook the Borek on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until it is nicely browned on the bottom, then flip it over. To do this: use oven gloves to avoid burns, place a large flat plate on the pan, hold it securely, then carefully but quickly flip the pan together with the plate. Slide the Borek back into the pan and cook it for another 5-7 minutes until browned on the other side. It can be a bit tricky to determine when the Borek is nicely browned, so if uncertain, flip it a few times to check its doneness. The first flip is difficult because the Borek is still rather soft, but as it begins to fry and set, it becomes firmer and easier to flip. Make sure the heat is low enough so that the cheese melts and the spinach cooks before the outside browns too much. Serve: Cut the Borek into wedges and serve it with a couple of lemon slices and plain yogurt on the side. TEXT-ONLY RECIPE SPINACH, FETA & DILL BOREK A dill and chilli-flavoured spinach and feta filling, wrapped in filo pastry and cooked to delicious, golden-brown crunchiness - fresh, spicy, wholesome, and utterly satisfying. Jump to PHOTO RECIPE    Recipe based on:  'Turkish Borek', from 'Turkish Delights with Allegra McEvedy' INGREDIENTS:  Serves 2 as a small main course, or 6 as an appetizer 125g filo pastry (fresh, or frozen and completely defrosted) 100g fresh baby spinach 1 spring onion Handful of dill 1 big green (mild) chilli 100g Feta cheese Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Optional: lemon slices and Greek yogurt to serve Also: a medium-sized non-stick frying pan DIRECTIONS:  Gather all the ingredients : If using frozen filo pastry, allow it to defrost completely inside the sealed package before use. Note : Filo pastry is very thin and dries out rapidly. After removing it from the package, keep the sheets between damp kitchen towels to prevent them from drying. During assembly of the Borek, remove one sheet at a time as needed, keeping the remaining sheets covered. Make the filling: Wash and thoroughly dry 100g of spinach leaves using a salad spinner or by gently patting them dry with paper towels. Roughly chop the dried leaves and add them to a large bowl. Add 1 spring onion, sliced into rings, including the dark green part. Add a handful of chopped dill. Slice 1 mild green chilli in half lengthwise, remove and discard the seeds (or leave them in if you like it very spicy). Cut the chilli halves into thin strips, then dice them finely and add them to the bowl. Crumble 100g of feta cheese into the bowl.Season the filling with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt (careful, the feta is already salty). Mix well. Prepare the milky oil: combine 1 tablespoon of oil with 4 tablespoons of milk in a small bowl and whisk together. Assemble the Borek:   Create the first layer of dough: Coat the bottom and sides of the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place 2 sheets of filo pastry in the pan, overlapping them slightly lengthwise and letting them hang over the edges. Brush the pastry inside the pan with the milky oil (avoid coating the overhanging dough sheets as they will soften and disintegrate). Cut a pastry sheet in half, lay one half inside the pan and brush it with the milky oil. Lay the other half on top and brush again. Add half of the filling: Add half of the filling to the pan, and distribute it evenly, then flatten and gently press it, ensuring it reaches the edges of the pan, then smooth the surface. Add a second layer of dough: Cover the filling with 4 more filo sheet halves, brushing each with the milky oil. Add the rest of the filling: Evenly distribute the remaining filling and smooth the surface. Add additional layers of dough: Add additional layers of filo pastry sheets, cut in half, over the filling, brushing each layer with the milky oil. Close the Borek: Fold the overhanging filo sheets over the top, brushing each piece with the milky oil after folding it over, and smoothing it out. Brush the finished top layer with the remaining milky oil to create a smooth finish. Round the edges: Use a large knife, palette knife, or the back of a large spoon to draw in the edges to create a neatly rounded finish. Cook the Borek: Cook the Borek on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until it is nicely browned on the bottom, then flip it over. To do this: use oven gloves to avoid burns, place a large flat plate on the pan, hold it securely, then carefully but quickly flip the pan together with the plate. Slide the Borek back into the pan and cook it for another 5-7 minutes until browned on the other side. It can be a bit tricky to determine when the Borek is nicely browned, so if uncertain, flip it a few times to check its doneness. The first flip is difficult because the Borek is still rather soft, but as it begins to fry and set, it becomes firmer and easier to flip. Make sure the heat is low enough so that the cheese melts and the spinach cooks before the outside browns too much. Serve: Cut the Borek into wedges and serve it with a couple of lemon slices and plain yogurt on the side.

Rich in flavour and texture, earthy and wholesome, Struncatura  is a beautiful example of how dishes born out of necessity or scarcity, using simple and accessible ingredients, can evolve into traditional dishes that become part of contemporary cuisine. PHOTO RECIPE  TEXT-ONLY RECIPE La Stroncatura, or O Struncatura  in local Calabrian dialect, is a traditional Calabrian first course made with its namesake pasta, Struncatura , a linguine-style pasta, but thicker and more robust. Made with a blend of whole-wheat flours, it has a dark and coarse texture, ideal for holding sauces. Struncatura  is a pasta with a history. Once a peasant dish, banned and traded underhand, it has evolved into a traditional Calabrian dish, found on most Calabrian menus and served in the finest restaurants. The first Struncatura was produced from milling residues. Leftover bran was swept up from the floor and given to peasants, meant as feed for their livestock. The hungry peasants made pasta with it instead. Because of its unhygienic nature, the pasta was banned for human consumption, during which time it was sold underhand, almost like contraband. Today, Struncatura , now of course complying with food standards, is produced by only a handful of mills in Calabria in the region of Reggio Calabria, and mainly around Gioia Tauro, the recognized birthplace of the pasta, where it also enjoys its greatest popularity. Nowadays, the distinct whole-wheat, dark, and coarse pasta can be found on the menus of most restaurants across Calabria. Struncatura as a dish does not seem to follow a particular recipe. The original pasta was quite acidic and had an intense flavor, so to mask both the taste and acidity, it was paired with locally available strong-flavored ingredients, such as anchovies, sardines, chili, olives, garlic, and olive oil, as well as stale bread. The dish was finished with a sprinkle of garlic-infused breadcrumbs - the so-called poor man's parmesan . I'm in the process of learning how to cook Calabrian dishes. Without a Calabrian Nonna to ask, I spend hours going through cookbooks and searching the internet, learning about local ingredients and traditional dishes. My Stroncatura recipe may not be traditional, but it comes close, following the same principle of adding strong flavours: I used olive oil, garlic, anchovies, dried small chilli, green olives, and also added brined caper berries, the fruit of the caper bush. They are about the size of olives, taste similar to capers, but are milder and usually full of small pink crispy seeds, and add a lovely crunch to the pasta. For my bread crumbs, I used stale durum wheat bread. Stroncatura is easy and fast to make, and can be prepared while the pasta cooks. It is rich in flavor and texture, earthy, and wholesome. The anchovies add a beautiful flavor and umami taste. The pan grattato , or breadcrumbs, provide volume, bulk, and texture. Together with the pasta cooking water, they become thick and creamy. The olives add a grassy tanginess, the chili a pleasant background spice. Brined caper berries add acidity and a delightful crunch. The toasted, garlic-infused breadcrumbs, or poor man's parmesan, brings a lovely crunch with every bite. A sprinkle of chopped parsley adds color and freshness. Sources and interesting reads: My Calabria , by Rosetta Costantino Calabria in Cucina - The Flavours or Calabria , by Valentina Oliveri Wikipedia: Stroncatura The Eternal Table: Pasta and Perseverance Part iii: Struncatura Fondazione Slow Foo: Gioia Tauro Plain Struncatura Pasta Il calice die ebe: Struncatura calabrese la pasta degli scarti How to prepare: STRUNCATURA Rich in flavour and texture, earthy and wholesome, Struncatura  is a beautiful example of how dishes born out of necessity or scarcity, using simple and accessible ingredients, can evolve into traditional dishes that become part of contemporary cuisine. TEXT-ONLY RECIPE   Recipe based on traditional Struncatura INGREDIENTS:  Makes 4 Portions 500g Struncatura/Stroncatura pasta (or the roughest wholewheat linguine you can find) 8 anchovy fillets in olive oil 8 large caper berries 8 green olives 130g bread crumbs made from stale Durum Wheat Bread (or other) 2 large garlic cloves 2 small dried chilli 4-5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil chopped parsley for serving DIRECTIONS:  Gather all the ingredients. Prepare the ingredients:  Remove 8 anchovies from the jar, leaving the oil behind. Peel and thinly slice 1 garlic clove, lightly crush the second garlic clove with the back of the knife, then cut it into quarters. Quarter the olives lengthwise, and slice the capers. Put the stale bread into a food processor and blend into fine breadcrumbs. Boil the pasta:  Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add salt. Drop the pasta into the water and cook according to packet instructions until al dente, in my case 12 minutes. Check the pasta a couple of minutes before the timer ends to make sure it is not overcooking. Meanwhile, prepare the bread crumb topping (poor man's parmesan):  while the pasta is boiling, heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the quartered garlic, followed by half of the bread crumbs, and toast until they become golden-brown, crunchy, and fragrant, stirring occasionally and making sure not to brown them too much. Once toasted, turn the heat to its lowest setting and keep them warm. Prepare the sauce:  While the breadcrumbs are toasting, prepare the sauce: heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 large sliced garlic, and 2 dried chilies. Sauté the garlic on medium-low heat until lightly browned (do not let the garlic turn too dark, as it will get bitter), meanwhile infusing the oil with the chilies - about 3-4 minutes. Add the anchovies and allow them to melt into the oil. Once the anchovies are dissolved, add the olives, capers, and remaining bread crumbs and a splash of pasta cooking water. Stir until the bread crumbs melt into a thick sauce. Add more cooking water as needed to achieve a thick and creamy sauce consistency. Drain the pasta and mix it with the sauce:  Drain the pasta, reserving a small cup of the cooking water. Add the drained pasta to the pan and mix it thoroughly with the sauce, adding more pasta cooking liquid to make a creamy sauce. Make sure to incorporate all the bread and ingredients that tend to accumulate at the bottom of the pan. Serve:  Serve the Struncatura  immediately and hot in warmed bowls or pasta plates, garnished with the toasted breadcrumbs and chopped parsley. Serve the remaining bread crumbs in a bowl. TEXT-ONLY RECIPE STRUNCATURA Rich in flavor and texture, earthy and wholesome, Struncatura is a beautiful example of how dishes born out of necessity or scarcity, using simple and accessible ingredients, can evolve into traditional dishes that become integral to contemporary cuisine. PHOTOT RECIPE    Recipe based on traditional Calabrian Struncatura INGREDIENTS:  Makes 4 Portions 500g Struncatura/Stroncatura pasta (or the roughest wholewheat linguine you can find) 8 anchovy fillets in olive oil 8 large caper berries 8 green olives 130g bread crumbs made from stale Durum Wheat Bread (or other) 2 large garlic cloves 2 small dried chilli 4-5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil chopped parsley for serving DIRECTIONS:  Gather all the ingredients. Prepare the ingredients: Remove 8 anchovies from the jar, leaving the oil behind. Peel and thinly slice 1 garlic clove, lightly crush the second garlic clove with the back of the knife, then cut it into quarters. Quarter the olives lengthwise, and slice the capers. Put the stale bread into a food processor and blend into fine breadcrumbs. Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add salt. Drop the pasta into the water and cook according to packet instructions until al dente, in my case 12 minutes. Check the pasta a couple of minutes before the timer ends to make sure it is not overcooking. Meanwhile, prepare the bread crumb topping (poor man's parmesan): while the pasta is boiling, heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the quartered garlic, followed by half of the bread crumbs, and toast until they become golden-brown, crunchy, and fragrant, stirring occasionally and making sure not to brown them too much. Once toasted, turn the heat to its lowest setting and keep them warm. Prepare the sauce: While the breadcrumbs are toasting, prepare the sauce: heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 large sliced garlic, and 2 dried chilies. Sauté the garlic on medium-low heat until lightly browned (do not let the garlic turn too dark, as it will get bitter), meanwhile infusing the oil with the chilies - about 3-4 minutes. Add the anchovies and allow them to melt into the oil. Once the anchovies are dissolved, add the olives, capers, and remaining bread crumbs and a splash of pasta cooking water. Stir until the bread crumbs melt into a thick sauce. Add more cooking water as needed to achieve a thick and creamy sauce consistency. Drain the pasta and mix it with the sauce:  Drain the pasta, reserving a small cup of the cooking water. Add the drained pasta to the pan and mix it thoroughly with the sauce, adding more pasta cooking liquid to make a creamy sauce. Make sure to incorporate all the bread and ingredients that tend to accumulate at the bottom of the pan. Serve: Serve the Struncatura immediately and hot in warmed bowls or pasta plates, garnished with toasted breadcrumbs and chopped parsley.

A rich and creamy blend of spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in layers of filo pastry sheets, baked to delicious golden-brown and flaky crispiness - Greek summer on a plate. PHOTO RECIPE     TEXT-ONLY RECIPE   Nothing says summer like spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in crispy, flaky filo pastry. The creamy cheese with its mild saltiness and tang, paired with the earthy, wilted spinach leaves, perfectly complements the buttery, crispy pastry. Since discovering this recipe many years ago, it has become one of our favorite dishes and a summer staple. Accompanied by a simple tomato salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, it's an ideal family meal for a hot summer's day, but also makes an excellent first course for a dinner party, or an appetizer for a large gathering. The recipe can be easily scaled up or down. The pie can be cut into any size pieces and number of portions, even small, and they hold their shape very well. The dish is easy to make: the onions are fried, the spinach wilted, and then combined with the remaining ingredients into a filling that is encased and topped with butter-brushed sheets of filo pastry. Once baked, the filo sheets transform into layers of golden-brown, buttery, crispy, and flaky gorgeousness, creating the perfect topping for the scrumptious, tender, and moist feta and spinach filling. Tips: Score the top layers of the pie in a way that you plan to cut and serve it later, allowing you to slice along the pre-scored lines after baking, without damaging the crispy pastry layers. If you prefer, cut the pie into equal-squares or rectangles, and into a multiple of the number of guestrsyou are serving. If using frozen filo pastry, make sure to completely defrost it before use, as it will easily break if too cold. Keep the pastry covered at all times under a kitchen towel while not using, to prevent it from drying out. The original recipe included roasted pine nuts and raisins, but I've always left them out, as I prefer the dish without the sweet note. If you like, you can include them; see details below. If you like this recipe, you may also like SPINACH & FETA BOREK . How to prepare: SPINACH AND FETA FILO PIE A rich and creamy blend of spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in layers of filo pastry sheets, baked to delicious golden-brown and crispy flakiness - Greek summer on a plate. TEXT-ONLY RECIPE   Recipe based on: ' Spinach and Feta Filo Pie' by Lesley Waters, Good Food Channel INGREDIENTS:  Makes approximately 8 portions: Note: Depending on the size of spinach bags you find, you can use more spinach and also more feta cheese - might as well use them up. approximatel600g fresh spinach leaves approximately 225g Feta cheese 225g filo (phyllo) pastry 3 eggs 1 large red onion Extra Virgin Olive Oil Small knob of butter, plus butter for greasing the pastry Freshly grated nutmeg Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper (Optional: 85g toasted pine nuts, 55g raisins) Also : A shallow baking dish, approximately 20x30cm DIRECTIONS:  Gather and prepare all the ingredients: In case of using frozen filo pastry, make sure to allow it to defrost completely before using. Wash the spinach leaves and dry them with a salad spinner. Peel and finely dice 1 large onion. Cut 225g feta cheese into small cubes. Melt the butter used for brushing the pastry. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lightly butter the baking dish. Sauté the onion: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan and sauté 1 large diced red onion with a pinch of salt over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Transfer the onion to a large bowl and leave to cool. Meanwhile, wilt the spinach: Heat a small knob of butter in a large saucepan, add the spinach, and cook it on medium heat for a couple of minutes until the leaves are wilted. If the spinach does not fit inside the pot, fill the pot to the brim with leaves, wait until they start to wilt, then add the rest. You want to set the heat high enough, so that most of the spinach water evaporates as the spinach cooks. When the spinach is wilted, transfer it to a sieve and squeeze out any excess liquid with a large spoon, then roughly chop it and transfer it to the bowl. Add the spices: Season the spinach and onions with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, stir well, then leave them to cool. Add feta and eggs: Add the cubed feta together with the eggs to the cooled spinach and onion and stir well. Place 4 layers of pastry into the baking dish: Put a filo sheet in the buttered dish, allowing it to drape over the edges, and brush it with melted butter. Repeat this process with 3 more layers of buttered pastry. Important: Keep the filo pastry sheets covered at all times under a damp kitchen towel until using, to prevent them from drying out. Add the filling: Distribute the spinach-feta mixture evenly on top, and smooth the surface. Fold the dough inward, add 4-5 additional layers of pastry: start by folding the overhanging pastry sheets inward, then place another 4 to 5 layers of butter-brushed pastry on top, matching the size of the dish. Depending on the dimensions of your dish and filo pastry, you may need to cut the sheets in half to fit the size of your dish. Alternatively , you can fold them, but then make sure to brush butter between the layers. Score the top: Brush the top sheet with melted butter, then score it with the tip of a very sharp knife but without cutting into the filling. Tip: Score the top layers of the pie in a way that you intend to cut and serve it later, allowing you to slice along these lines once the pie is baked, without damaging the crispy pastry layers. So instead of cutting it into a diamond shape pattern, cut it into equal size squares, or rectangles if you prefer, a multiple of the number of guests you are serving, and in a way that lets you cut nice equal size pieces later. Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Serve: Serve hot or warm with a simple tomato salad, flavoured with thinly sliced red onion, salt, balsamic vinegar, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. TEXT-ONLY RECIPE SPINACH AND FETA FILO PIE A rich and creamy blend of spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in layers of filo pastry sheets, baked to delicious golden-brown and crispy flakiness - Greek summer on a plate. PHOTO RECIPE     Recipe based on:  ' Spinach and Feta Filo Pie' by Lesley Waters, Good Food Channel INGREDIENTS:  Makes approximately 8 portions: Note: Depending on the size of spinach bags you find, you can use more spinach and also more feta cheese - might as well use them up. approximately 600g fresh spinach leaves approximately 225g Feta cheese 225g filo (phyllo) pastry 3 eggs 1 large red onion Extra Virgin Olive Oil Small knob of butter, plus butter for greasing the pastry Freshly grated nutmeg Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper (Optional: 85g toasted pine nuts, 55g raisins) Also : A shallow baking dish, approximately 20x30cm DIRECTIONS:  Gather and prepare all the ingredients: Wash the spinach leaves and dry them with a salad spinner. Peel and finely dice 1 large onion. Cut 225g feta cheese into small cubes. Melt the butter. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lightly butter the baking dish. Make the Filling: Sauté the onion : Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan and sauté 1 large diced red onion with a pinch of salt over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Transfer the onion to a large bowl and leave to cool. Meanwhile, wilt the spinach: Heat a small knob of butter in a large saucepan, add the spinach, and cook it on medium heat for a couple of minutes until the leaves are wilted. If the spinach does not fit inside the pot, fill the pot to the brim with leaves, wait until they start to wilt, then add the rest. You want to set the heat high enough, so that most of the spinach water evaporates as the spinach cooks. When the spinach is wilted, transfer it to a sieve and squeeze out any excess liquid with a large spoon, then roughly chop it and transfer it to the bowl. Add the spices : Season the spinach and onions with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, stir well, then leave them to cool. Add feta and eggs: Add the cubed feta together with the eggs to the cooled spinach and onion and stir well. Layer the Pie: Place 4 layers of pastry into the baking dish: Put a filo sheet in the buttered dish, allowing it to drape over the edges, and brush it with melted butter. Repeat this process with 3 more layers of buttered pastry. Important: Keep the filo pastry sheets covered at all times under a damp kitchen towel until using, to prevent them from drying out. Add the filling: Distribute the spinach-feta mixture evenly on top, and smooth the surface. Fold the dough inward and add 4-5 additional layers of pastry: start by folding the overhanging pastry sheets inward, then place another 4 to 5 layers of butter-brushed pastry on top, matching the size of the dish. Depending on the dimensions of your dish and filo pastry, you may need to cut the sheets in half to fit the size of your dish. Alternatively , you can fold them, but then make sure to brush butter between the layers. Score the top: Brush the top sheet with melted butter, then score the top carefully with the tip of a very sharp knife in a cross-hatch/diamond shape or square/rectangle pattern but without cutting all the way into the filling. Tip: Score the top layers of the pie in a way that you intend to cut and serve the pie later, allowing you to slice along these lines once the pie is baked, without damaging the crispy pastry layers. So instead of cutting it into a diamond shape pattern, cut it into equal size squares, or rectangles if you prefer, and a multiple of the number of guests you are serving. Bake: Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Serve: Serve hot or warm with a simple tomato salad, flavoured with thinly sliced red onion, salt, balsamic vinegar, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Pesto requires no introduction! Everyone knows it, and you're well aware of its deliciousness! However, if you haven't tried homemade Basil Pesto yet, you're certainly in for a wonderful treat. Jump to RECIPE Vibrant, fresh, and nutty, with a beautiful scent, flavour and aroma of basil, cheese, pine nuts, garlic, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Basil Pesto is the perfect example of Italian culinary art of transforming a handful of quality ingredients into a truly delicious dish. Pesto is a perfect sauce for HOMEMADE POTATO GNOCCHI , Linguine , Trofie , Spaghetti , and a flavourful addition to Minestrone and Caprese . It can also be used to enhance the flavour of sandwiches and other dishes. The word Pesto comes from the Italian word pestare,  meaning to crush or beat. Traditionally, Pesto is prepared by crushing and grinding the ingredients in a (marble) mortar with a (wooden) pestle. This method helps release the essential oils and flavours. Because it is a raw sauce, all the natural flavours of its ingredients are preserved. The process is simple: Garlic and pine nuts are ground with a pinch of salt into a paste, then basil leaves, and oil are added gradually, and crushed and ground with more salt into a vibrant green cream, before the cheeses are added and mixed in, to finish the Pesto. Traditional Pesto Genovese originates from Genoa, the capital of Liguria, a region in northwestern Italy. According to Wikipedia, the ancient Romans made a similar sauce called Moretum  (derived from Mortarium  meaning grinding bowl), thta was made from cheese, garlic and herbs. Basil was added later when it arrived in Italy from India. Although traditionally made in a mortar & pestle, Pesto but can also be prepared using a food processor. I have tried both, and while the food processor is handy for quick preparation, I still prefer the pestle and mortar. This method preserves a coarser texture of the Pesto, allowing the ingredients to maintain their unique flavours. A food processor may heat the mixture too much, risking oxidation and discolouration of the final pesto. Nonetheless, I have provided both methods below. Whether using a mortar & pestle or a food processor, important are high quality ingredients: Use good quality, aged Pecorino Romano and  Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses, purchased in block form rather than pre-grated. The basil leaves should be fresh, plump and vibrant. The olive oil should be premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The pine nuts can be used natural, or toasted in a little olive oil beforehand to enhance their nutty flavour. TIPS FOR HOMEMADE PESTO: Storage:   Homemade Pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for four days. Ttransfer the pesto to an airtight jar or container, add a layer of olive oil on top to cover the whole surface, and seal with an air-tight lid. Tip for storing fresh basil leaves: To store fresh basil leaves before making Pesto, wrap the unwashed leaves loosely in kitchen paper and place them in a plastic bag or a plastic container. When stored in the vegetable drawer of the fridge, the leaves will stay fresh for several days. Alternatively, place them with their stems into a jar with water. Freezing:   Pesto can be frozen, but in this case omit the cheese.. Transfer the Pesto to an airtight container, cover it with a layer of olive oil, and freeze. Once thawed and ready to use, add the grated cheese and stir under. To portion and freeze pesto, spoon it into an ice cube tray. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to freezer bags and store them in the freezer. HOW TO MAKE GENOVESE-STYLE BASIL PESTO Vibrant, fresh, and nutty, with a beautiful scent, flavour and aroma of basil, cheese, pine nuts, garlic, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. See also:     TIPS FOR HOMEMADE PESTO INGREDIENTS:  50g basil leaves 100ml extra virgin olive oil 110g Cheese: half Pecorino Romano, half Parmigiano Reggiano 15g pine nuts 1-2 garlic cloves coarse sea salt Equipment needed: pestle & mortar, or food processor DIRECTIONS:  1) Gather  all the ingredients. 2) Prepare the ingredients:  Rinse the basil leaves under cold water and thoroughly dry them using paper towels, being careful not to bruise them to prevent discolouration. Grate the cheeses and chop the garlic into smaller pieces. 3) Make the pesto  using one of the two methods described below:  Using Pestle & Mortar:  Add the garlic and pine nuts with a pinch of salt to the pestle & mortar, then crush and grind them into a smooth paste.  Add a few basil leaves and 2-3 kernels of coarse sea salt. Crush the leaves into a paste using crushing, grinding and stirring movements. Gradually add all the basil and oil in small amounts, and continue grining, turning the mortar every so often 90 degrees against the grinding and stirring direction. Once all the basil and oil are incorporated and ground into a cream, and the basil releases bright green liquid, add the grated cheeses and olive oil, a little at a time, continuing to grind and stir until the cheeses are fully incorporated. Taste and add more salt if needed. Using a Food processor (better than a food blender):  To prevent the pesto from heating during processing, chill the food processor's bowl and blade for 1 to 1 ½ hours in the refrigerator before use. Use the blitz or on-and-off function to process the ingredients.  Add the basil, garlic and pine nuts to the bowl and blitz until roughly chopped. Gradually add the olive oil, blitzing after each addition until the pesto becomes a thick sauce. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and incorporate the grated cheese. 4) Using Pesto for Pasta:   Cook your preferred pasta. Once the pasta is cooked, reserve some of the pasta cooking water before draining. Drain the pasta and put it back inside the pot. Add about 1 Tbsp of the water to the pasta, then add the Pesto and mix well. The water allows the Pesto to coat the pasta, but preventing it from being entirely absorbed, keeping the pasta moist. The starch in side the water, also adds a creamieness. Add more cooking water if needed, just enough so that the pasta does not feel sticky. 5) Serve : Serve the Pesto pasta with a dusting of freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmiggiano Romano. Pesto is a perfect sauce for HOMEMADE POTATO GNOCCHI , Linguine , Trofie , Spaghetti , and also a flavourful addition to Minestrone  and Caprese . It can also be used to enhance the flavour of sandwiches and other dishes.

Creamy, sweet, energizing, healthy, and satisfying, and full of earthy and umami flavours of Matcha green tea. Jump to  RECIPE This smoothie is so easy and fast to prepare, yet it's delicious, nutritious, creamy and flavourful. Matcha adds intriguing earthy and umami flavours. Bananas, yoghurt, and milk provide bulk and creaminess, while oats make you feel full longer and add a thick, creamy milkshake-like texture. A splash of lemon juice brings a gentle tang, balancing the sweetness. The recipe is plant-based, using non-dairy milk and yogurt , but that is simply a personal choice. You can certainly prepare it with dairy products as well. About Matcha: Matcha is a fine powder ground from unfermented, steamed, and dried green tea leaves. In its highest quality, it is used for Japanese tea ceremonies. It imparts a strong, earthy, and umami flavour with a hint of bitterness, perfectly balancing the rich and sweet banana and milk flavours. The characteristic green colour and umami taste of the powder result from the tea leaves being grown in shade or covered during the last weeks before harvest, depriving them of light. This shaded growth boosts an increased production of chloroplasts, giving the leaves their vibrant green colour, as well as amino acids, contributing to the distinct umami flavour. Matcha can be bought in Japanese supermarkets, tea shops, and health food stores, and is also available as baking-grade powder. It comes in different qualities, and while higher-quality powder is more costly, its taste makes up for it. I recommend purchasing the best quality you are willing to invest in. How to prepare: DELICIOUSLY CREAMY MATCHA BANANA SMOOTHIE Creamy, sweet, energizing, healthy, and satisfying, and full of earthy and umami flavours of Matcha green tea. INGREDIENTS:  Makes 2 large glasses:  1 ripe banana (fresh or frozen) 2 teaspoons Matcha powder 3 tablespoons (45 ml) non-dairy yogurt 300 ml rice milk, or other non-dairy milk 5 tablespoons oats 10-15 small ice cubes 1 tablespoon honey Optional: spritz of lemon juice Equipment: High-speed blender DIRECTIONS:  Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust texture and sweetness: Depending on the ripeness and sweetness of the bananas, add more or less honey and adjust the sweetness at the end. Add more ice cubes or milk to adjust the texture. Optional: Add a splash of lemon for added tanginess.

Matcha, cream, and sugar, transformed into frozen deliciousness. A delicate and sophisticated, sweet yet slightly bitter ice cream, rich in earthy and umami flavour. Jump to RECIPE Matcha ice cream is a popular dessert in Japan and East Asia. It has a delicate and sophisticated taste: sweet, with a hint of bitterness, and full of herbal and umami flavour. It's often served with Tsubuan , a sweet paste made from red Adzuki beans, and the combination is delightful and intriguing. Matcha is a fine powder ground from unfermented, steamed, and dried green tea leaves. In its highest quality, it is used for Japanese tea ceremonies. It imparts a strong, earthy, and umami taste with a hint of bitterness, perfectly balancing the rich and sweet cream. The characteristic green colour and umami taste of Matcha result from the tea leaves being grown in the shade or covered during the last weeks before harvest, depriving them of light. This shaded growth boosts an increased production of chloroplasts, giving the leaves their vibrant green colour, as well as amino acids, contributing to the distinct umami flavour. Matcha can be bought in Japanese supermarkets, tea shops, and health food stores, and it's also available as baking-grade powder. It comes in different qualities, and while high-quality powder is more costly, its taste makes up for it. I recommend purchasing the best you are willing to invest in. The recipe calls for three tablespoons of Matcha, which is a lot, but it really brings out the green tea flavour and its lovely subtle bitterness. A generous pinch of salt intensifies the flavours and aromas. The recipe requires just a few ingredients and is very easy to make. The ingredients are combined, then the mix is left to chill, and finally churned. Matcha ice cream is perfect for making BOOZY MATCHA ICE CREAM AFFOGATO . If you have any leftover Matcha, try also: MATCHA SHORTBREAD BISCUITS , or MATCHA BANANA SMOOTHIE . RECIPE MATCHA ICE CREAM Matcha, cream, and sugar, transformed into frozen deliciousness. A delicate and sophisticated, sweet yet slightly bitter, earthy ice cream, rich in umami flavour. INGREDIENTS:  Makes 4 Portions:  500 ml cream with 12-18% fat content (I used 250 ml full-fat cream and 250 ml full-fat milk) 110g caster sugar 3 tablespoons Matcha powder Generous pinch of salt DIRECTIONS:  Gather all the ingredients. Combine the ingredients: Put the cream, Matcha powder, sugar, and salt into a saucepan and whisk vigorously with a hand whisk until the ingredients are completely dissolved in the cream. Bring mixture to a boil: Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking continuously until it starts to foam, then take it off the heat. Chill: Pour the mixture into a large bowl and place the bowl into cold water to cool it down. Once cooled, transfer it to the fridge to allow it to chill for approximately 2 to 3 hours. Churn : Pour the chilled mixture into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn following the ice cream maker instructions. ( Or churn by hand: pour the mixture into a container and place it in the freezer. Remove and stir every 20 to 30 minutes for the next 2 to 3 hours to prevent large crystals from forming, keeping the ice cream smooth and creamy.) Freeze: Once thick and creamy, transfer the ice-cream in a container with a tight-fitting lid and freeze it for a minimum of three hours before serving. Serve : Take the ice cream out of the freezer and place it into the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes before serving, so that it is easier to scoop. Enjoy as dessert after a Japanese-style meal or Sushi, or use it to make BOOZY MATCHA ICE CREAM AFFOGATO .

A quick and simple, healthy, fresh, and flavourful soup, infused with a delightful Indian spice aroma from cumin and coriander - and a delicious whole-food plant-based dish! Jump to RECIPE There's nothing quite like a hearty comfort soup, especially during the chilly winter months, and particularly, when you are on a diet... Every year in January or February we try to fit in a couple of weeks of Detox* dieting, with the goal of eliminating the sins accumulated during Christmas and throughout the year from our bodies and waistlines. T his means a pure plant-based diet, and on top of that: no pasta or bread, no sugar, salt, or fat, no caffeine, black tea or wine - and: no chocolate: OUCH! The diet is whole-food plant based, which means we also avoid any processed foods, as well as plant-based processed products.* (*I am an enthusiastic follower of the Detox Diet, but not an expert. Please check online for more detailed information.) So what's left? Well, everything else!!! Legumes, vegetables, salads, fruits, nuts, seeds, fruit teas, smoothies, (banana N'ice cream - hurray!) and the list goes on! We have never gone hungry during this period but managed to lose a significant amount of weight every time and always felt bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the end. After the low-caffein-brain headaches have gone, which may take a week, it's not as daunting as it seems, especially once you have accumulated a collection of delicious plant-based recipes. Also, one of my secrets to keep us happy and going during this time, is to switch flavour profiles and textures. I would apply the same basic recipe method, but with different flavour profiles: take lentils for example: they can be made Austrian-style, flavoured with onions and mustard, Punjabi-style, a more elaborate version with Indian spices, Italian-style with tomatoes, Mexican-style, the list goes one. The same can be made as a soup, a pureed soup, a sauce, a burger, etc... This super easy and quick Spiced Lentil & Carrot Soup is a perfect example of how spices can transform a couple of basic plant-based ingredients into a flavourful and interesting dish. The original recipe is from  Carol Vorderman's: 'Detox Recipes '  book. A dietitian friend of mine suggested both the diet and the book to me many years ago, and that's when I made the recipe for the first time. I t has since become a staple and go-to dish in our house all year long, and all the family love it. It's great when you want to include legumes in your diet at any time of year. It's also a kind of pantry dish that I can rustle up in the last minute, as I almost always have red lentils, carrots, and onions at home. Carol Vorderman states in her book: "lentils contain protein and complex carbohydrates, soluble fibre, iron and B-Vitamins. The carrots are rich in beta-carotene that helps to protect from cancer and also benefits the skin..." So all the more reason to make this delicious soup... Spiced Lentil & Carrot Soup is super-easy and fast to prepare: the onion and garlic are fried, then the lentils, carrots, spices and liquid added, and the soup is left to cook until the lentils and carrots are soft. I believe the original recipe said to puree the soup, but I prefer the chew and crunch of the lentils and carrots. RECIPE: SPICED LENTIL & CARROT SOUP Recipe Source:   Carol Vorderman's: 'Detox Recipes '  book Ingredients: Makes 6-8 portions:  (the recipe can be halved, but I recommend the amount as stated below, as the soup warms up well on the next day) 2 onions, peeled and finely diced 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely cut or minced 4 carrots, peeled and cut into thin rounds 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (omit for a Detox-version, see the *Note below) 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander 300g dry red lentils 2 litres vegetable stock (or prepare from stock cubes following packet instructions) freshly milled black pepper to taste optional: juice of 1 lemon sea salt (omit for a Detox version) Equipment needed: large pot Directions: Gather all the ingredients. Cut the vegetables: Finely dice 2 onions. Peel and crush 3 garlic cloves. Wash and clean 4 carrots and cut them into thin rounds. Prepare the vegetable stock:  Heat 2 litres of vegetable stock or prepare it from stock cubes. Sweat the onions and garlic in oil: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan. Sweat the diced onions together with a pinch of salt over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and fry for another minute until fragrant, making sure not to burn them. *Note: for a Detox-version, you can omit the oil: fry the onion with a pinch of salt in a little water until translucent, adding additional water little by little and as necessary to keep the onion moist. Carrots do need a little fat though so we can absorb their benefits, so I always use a small amount of oil for frying. Alternatively, just add a bit of extra virgin olive oil on top of the soup later. Add the spices:  Add 2 teaspoons ground cumin and 2 teaspoons ground coriander and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Add the carrots, lentils and vegetable stock: Add 4 thinly sliced carrots, 300g red lentils and 2 litres vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that accumulates on the surface, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30-35 until the lentils are cooked and turn just a bit mushy. Check for seasoning:  Season with freshly ground black pepper and additional stock cube (or salt) if necessary. Optional: add lemon juice. Serve:  Serve in warmed soup bowls with a slice of lemon on the side.

Deliciously sweet, buttery, and crumbly shortbread biscuits infused with the unmistakable grassy and umami flavours of Matcha: Scotland meets Japan in this elegant and sophisticated tea-and-biscuit fusion. Jump to PICTURE RECIPE   Jump to TEXT-ONLY RECIPE Shortbread biscuits are a traditional Scottish biscuit with a buttery taste and crumbly texture. Matcha powder adds a sophisticated and elegant perfume and aroma and lends them a vibrant green colour. Matcha is a fine powder ground from unfermented, steamed, and dried green tea leaves. In its finest form, it is famous for its role in Japanese tea ceremonies. It has a vibrant green colour and distinct umami flavour, due to the tea leaves being grown in the shade or covered, deprived of light, in the final weeks before harvesting. This shadow growth causes an increased production of chloroplasts, giving the leaves their bright green colour, and amino acids, causing a distinct umami taste. Matcha is available in different qualities: from the finest and priciest powders used in Japanese tea ceremonies, to tea-grade powders found in tea shops and health food stores, all the way to baking-grade and artificially flavoured powders. I purchased mine from a tea shop and recommend getting the highest quality Matcha you are willing to invest in. The flavour makes all the difference. Besides its use for tea, Matcha can be incorporated in a variety of delightful recipes, such as MATCHA ICE CREAM , BOOZY MATCHA AFFOGATO , MATCHA BANANA SMOOTHIE , lattes, and more. And it is such a treat to bake with: from the moment you open the container to when the biscuits emerge from the oven, you'll be enveloped by a captivating Matcha fragrance. Even though my kitchen machine did most of the work, I did not leave its side, soaking in all the aromas. PS, try to resist eating all the raw dough! The biscuits are easy to make: The dry ingredients are combined, then mixed with the butter until fluffy. The flour and eggs are added to make a dough. The dough is rested, then rolled out. The biscuits are cut out, covered with sugar, and baked. References: Masterclass in Matcha ; Wikipedia: Matcha How to make: MATCHA SHORTBREAD BISCUITS Deliciously sweet, buttery, and crumbly shortbread biscuits infused with the unmistakable grassy and umami flavours of Matcha: Scotland meets Japan in this elegant and sophisticated tea-and-biscuit fusion. Jump to TEXT-ONLY RECIPE Recipe Source: Lovescool: Amai’s Green Tea Sweets INGREDIENTS:  Makes approximately 28 biscuits: 100g (5 oz) icing sugar 1 ½ tablespoons Matcha 150g butter, at room temperature 240g (8.5 oz) flour 3 large egg yolks Small bowl of granulated sugar for coating Also: electric hand whisk or stand mixer. Cookie cutter (I used a round one with 5 cm diameter) DIRECTIONS:  Gather  all the ingredients. Preheat the oven: to 175°C/160°C fan/350°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.  Combine sugar and Matcha : Sift 100g icing sugar into a bowl. Add 1 ½ tablespoons Matcha powder, then blend the ingredients until the mixture is uniformly green. Cream the butter with the Matcha/sugar mix : Cut 150g room-temperature butter into cubes and add them to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use an electric hand whisk). Add the Matcha/sugar blend and cream together on medium speed, using the paddle attachment of the stand mixer until the mixture is smooth, fluffy, and light in colour, scraping down the sides once in a while to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Add the flour: Sift 240g flour into the mixture and stir until just combined (avoid over-mixing). Add the egg yolks and form a dough:  Add 3 egg yolks and keep on mixing gently until the eggs are fully incorporated, and the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing to prevent the biscuits from becoming tough. Rest the dough:  Transfer the dough to the work surface, form it into a disc, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Cut out the biscuits:  Prepare a small bowl with granulated sugar. Roll the dough to about 8mm thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out small biscuits, then coat them with the sugar and arrange them on the baking sheet. They don't expand much, so you can place them fairly close together. Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Cool:  Allow the biscuits to cool on a wire rack, then store them in a biscuit tin. Serve:  Delightful with a coffee or a glass of ice-cold milk... STORAGE: Keep the biscuits in a biscuit tin with a tight-fitting lid. TEXT-ONLY RECIPE MATCHA SHORTBREAD BISCUITS Deliciously sweet, buttery, and crumbly shortbread biscuits infused with the unmistakable grassy and umami flavours of Matcha: Scotland meets Japan in this elegant and sophisticated tea-and-biscuit fusion. Jump to PHOTO RECIPE Recipe Source: Lovescool: Amai’s Green Tea Sweets INGREDIENTS:  Makes approximately 28 biscuits: 100g (5 oz) icing sugar 1 ½ tablespoons Matcha 150g butter, at room temperature 240g (8.5 oz) flour 3 large egg yolks Small bowl of granulated sugar for coating Also: electric hand whisk or stand mixer. Cookie cutter (I used one with a 5 cm diameter) DIRECTIONS:  Prepare  all the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 175°C/160°C fan/350°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.  Combine sugar and Matcha : Sift 100 g icing sugar into a bowl. Add 1 ½ tablespoons Matcha powder, then blend the ingredients together until the mixture is uniformly light green. Cream the butter with the Matcha/sugar mix : Cut 150g room-temperature butter into cubes and add them to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use an electric hand whisk). Add the Matcha/sugar blend and cream together on medium speed, using the paddle attachment of the stand mixer until the mixture is smooth, fluffy, and light in colour, scraping down the sides once in a while to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Add the flour : Sift 240g flour into the mixture and stir until just combined (avoid over-mixing). Add the egg yolks and form a dough : Add 3 egg yolks and keep on mixing gently until the eggs are fully incorporated, and the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing to prevent the biscuits from becoming tough. Rest the dough:  Transfer the dough to the work surface, form it into a disc, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Cut out the biscuits:  Prepare a small bowl with granulated sugar. Roll the dough to about 8mm thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out small biscuits, then coat them with the sugar and arrange them on the baking sheet. They don't expand much, so you can place them fairly close together. Bake: Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.  Cool:  Allow the biscuits to cool on a wire rack, then store them in a biscuit tin. Serve:  Delightful with a coffee or a glass of ice-cold milk... STORAGE: Keep the biscuits in a biscuit tin with a tight-fitting lid.

Buttery, crumbly, and tender shortcrust pastry wrapped around juicy, cinnamon-sweet apples. There's really nothing quite like fresh and juicy apple pie, and our favourite Austrian version is right up there with the best... PHOTO RECIPE     TEXT-ONLY RECIPE Austrian Apfelschlangel, aka Apfelschlangerl (literally: little apple snake ) is one of my personal favourites, but given that my name is Eva, I guess it's not really that far from the tree ;-) Made with a an egg-enriched short-crust pastry, and a filling of cinnamon-spiced apples and (rum-soaked) raisins, this Austrian version of apple pie is super-moist, juicy and incredibly delicious. The Schlangel  is easy and relatively fast to make. The dry ingredients are mixed and then quickly brought together with the wet ingredients into a dough. The dough is chilled, rolled out, filled, decorated, and baked. Apfelschlangel is delightful served warm, just a few minutes out of the oven, but also at room temperature. Like most apple cakes, it benefits from a light dusting of icing sugar. It pairs well with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream, but it is so juicy and packed with flavor, it really needs nothing on the side. I typically use the entire dough to create one wide Schlangel . Alternatively, you can cut the dough in half lengthwise and make two narrower pies. If you like APFELSTRUDEL, you will definitely like this much faster and simpler version. Boozy tip: steep the raisins in rum for at least 30 minutes to several hours, or overnight for a more pronounced flavour rum flavour. I use a fluted pastry wheel to create traditional soft wavy edges, but you could also use a straight wheel, or a knife. How to prepare: AUSTRIAN APFELSCHLANGEL - APPLE-SNAKE-PIE Buttery, crumbly, and tender pastry wrapped around juicy, cinnamon-sweet apples. There's really nothing quite like apple pie, and our Austrian version is right up there with the best... TEXT-ONLY RECIPE   Recipe source: My Mum's INGREDIENTS:  Makes approximately 12-14 pieces For the pastry: 300g flour 80g icing sugar  1 teaspoon baking powder 1 sachet vanilla sugar, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt 100g butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes 1 egg approximately 35ml cold water For the apple filling: approximately 1.2 kg apples (Jonagold, Cox), (approximately 600g peeled and grated) 50g caster sugar or crystallized sugar (a bit more if apples are quite sour) 50g raisins (optional: steep the raisins in rum for at least 30 minutes to several hours or overnight, then drain before use) 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon lemon juice (to prevent apples from oxidation) For assembly & topping: 1 egg white, lightly beaten egg wash: 1 egg yolk, milk To serve: icing sugar for dusting optional: vanilla ice cream, whipped cream Also : baking tray: about 30x40cm, baking paper; fluted or straight pastry wheel (alternatively use a knife) DIRECTIONS:  Preheat the oven to 190°C/175°C fan. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gather and measure out all the ingredients. Prepare the pastry:  In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: sift in 300g flour, add 80g icing sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 sachet vanilla sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Add 100g cubed butter and work it into the flour using a fork or your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add 1 egg, and gradually mix in cold water, about 35ml or as much as needed for the dough to come together. Bring it together quickly into a smooth dough, making sure not to overwork it. Shape it into a ball. Chill the dough for 30 minutes: Flatten the dough into a small disk, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the apple filling: Peel the apples and grate them on a coarse grater (immediately sprinkle the grated apples with a little lemon juice to avoid browning). Mix in 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon, 50g caster sugar, and 50g raisins. Taste and add more sugar if apples are quite sour. Cover and set aside. Roll out the pastry: Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Roll the pastry to a thickness of approximately 3 mm, forming a rectangle of about 35 x 45 cm, slightly larger than the baking sheet. Use a pastry cutter to trim neat edges, saving the trimmings for later. The pastry should now be about the size of the baking tray, 30 x 40 cm. Transfer the pastry to the prepared baking sheet. This step is important because once the pie is filled, it's hard to move. To do this, lightly dust the rolled-out pastry with flour just so that it does not stick to itself, then carefully roll it onto the rolling pin, and unroll it onto the baking sheet. Add the filling: Distribute the apple filling evenly on top of the pastry, leaving a 3-4 cm border around the edges (slightly smaller if you are making 2 narrower Schlangel ). Fold over the edges: Brush the dough edges with beaten egg white, then fold the edges of the pastry over the filling, starting with the short edges: to do so, lift the dough together with the baking paper, fold it over the filling, and then place the paper back down on the tray. Repeat with the second short edge. Brush the corners of the folded edges with egg white, then fold over the long edges in the same manner. Decorate with pastry strips: Gather and quickly knead the leftover dough into a ball, then roll it out into a rectangle, a bit wider than the width of the Schlangel , about 3 mm thickness. Trim neat edges with a pastry cutter, then cut 1.5 - 2 cm wide strips. Arrange the strips in a crisscross pattern over the Schlangel.  Secure them by brushing the undersides of their ends with egg white. Brush with egg wash: Prepare an egg wash by lightly whisking 1 egg yolk with a bit of milk. Brush it over the Schlangel  pastry and strips. Bake: Place the baking sheet on the centre rack of the preheated oven and bake the Schlangel  for about 30-40 minutes, or until fully baked, the apples are soft, and the crust is golden brown. If needed, cover the pie with aluminum foil toward the end to prevent excessive browning. Once baked, let the Schlangel cool on the baking tray. Serve: Cut into half-slices and enjoy warm or at room temperature, lightly dusted with icing sugar. TEXT-ONLY RECIPE AUSTRIAN APFELSCHLANGEL - APPLE-SNAKE-PIE Buttery, crumbly, and tender pastry wrapped around juicy, cinnamon-sweet apples. There's really nothing quite like apple pie, and our Austrian version is right up there with the best... PHOTO RECIPE    Recipe source: My Mum's INGREDIENTS:  Makes approximately 12-14 pieces For the pastry: 300g flour 80g icing sugar  1 teaspoon baking powder 1 sachet vanilla sugar, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt 100g butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes 1 egg approximately 35ml cold water For the apple filling: approximately 1.2 kg apples (Jonagold, Cox), (approximately 600g peeled and grated) 50g caster sugar or crystallized sugar (a bit more if apples are quite sour) 50g raisins (optional: steep the raisins in rum for at least 30 minutes to several hours or overnight, then drain before use) 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon lemon juice (to prevent apples from oxidation) For assembly & topping: 1 egg white, lightly beaten egg wash: 1 egg yolk, milk To serve: icing sugar for dusting optional: vanilla ice cream, whipped cream Also : baking tray: about 30x40cm, baking paper; fluted or straight pastry wheel (alternatively use a knife) DIRECTIONS:  Preheat the oven to 190°C/175°C fan. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gather and measure out all the ingredients. Prepare the pastry:  In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: sift in 300g flour, add 80g icing sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 sachet vanilla sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Add 100g cubed butter and work it into the flour using a fork or your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add 1 egg, and gradually mix in cold water, about 35ml or as much as needed for the dough to come together. Bring it together quickly into a smooth dough, making sure not to overwork it. Shape it into a ball. Chill the dough for 30 minutes: Flatten the dough into a small disk, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the apple filling: Peel the apples and grate them on a coarse grater (immediately sprinkle the grated apples with a little lemon juice to avoid browning). Mix in 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon, 50g caster sugar, and 50g raisins. Taste and add more sugar if apples are quite sour. Cover and set aside. Roll out the pastry: Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Roll the pastry to a thickness of approximately 3 mm, forming a rectangle of about 35 x 45 cm, slightly larger than the baking sheet. Use a pastry cutter to trim neat edges, saving the trimmings for later. The pastry should now be about the size of the baking tray, 30 x 40 cm. Transfer the pastry to the prepared baking sheet. This step is important because once the pie is filled, it's hard to move. To do this, lightly dust the rolled-out pastry with flour just so that it does not stick to itself, then carefully roll it onto the rolling pin, and unroll it onto the baking sheet. Add the filling: Distribute the apple filling evenly on top of the pastry, leaving a 3-4 cm border around the edges (slightly smaller if you are making 2 narrower Schlangel ). Fold over the edges: Brush the dough edges with beaten egg white, then fold the edges of the pastry over the filling, starting with the short edges: to do so, lift the dough together with the baking paper, fold it over the filling, and then place the paper back down on the tray. Repeat with the second short edge. Brush the corners of the folded edges with egg white, then fold over the long edges in the same manner. Decorate with pastry strips: Gather and quickly knead the leftover dough into a ball, then roll it out into a rectangle, a bit wider than the width of the Schlangel , about 3 mm thickness. Trim neat edges with a pastry cutter, then cut 1.5 - 2 cm wide strips. Arrange the strips in a crisscross pattern over the Schlangel. Secure them by brushing the undersides of their ends with egg white. Brush with egg wash: Prepare an egg wash by lightly whisking 1 egg yolk with a bit of milk. Brush it over the Schlangel pastry and strips. Bake: Place the baking sheet on the centre rack of the preheated oven and bake the Schlangel for about 30-40 minutes, or until fully baked, the apples are soft, and the crust is golden brown. If needed, cover the pie with aluminum foil toward the end to prevent excessive browning. Once baked, let the Schlangel cool on the baking tray. Serve: Cut into half-slices and enjoy warm or at room temperature, lightly dusted with icing sugar.

A fantastic bread recipe from an expert baker, ruined in the hands of Eva... However, not everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong... It's mid-March. Outside, the world is flying around, caught in a warm storm blowing from Africa. My laundry is drying in no time, as if in a tumble dryer, including the items on the clothes rack that the wind blew into the cactus bed... husband's pyjamas might be a bit prickly tonight... ;-) The wind brought with it a lovely warmth - perhaps spring is finally arriving in Bella Calabria. Meanwhile, I'm on a sourdough bread mission. I promised my husband to make a lighter sourdough bread suitable for daily breakfast. I have been baking with sourdough for more than a decade, but the only thing I successfully manage is my version of Austrian Rye & Spelt Sourdough bread. The loaves turn out quite nice, if I may say so myself. They have the typical characteristics of rye bread, with a fairly dense crumb. Mine is also packed with spices, like cumin, caraway seeds, coriander, and fennel. It's very similar to the one at home, and my personal favourite. In Austria, and particularly in my family, it's our staple bread, and we enjoy it at any time of day. However, it's a little too hearty for my Italian husband for breakfast, and I've been promising him a lighter sourdough wheat bread for a while. Rye sourdough bread is super easy because it contains a small amount of gluten, meaning, the dough cannot trap a lot of air, resulting in its characteristic fine crumb. All you need to do is make a pre-dough, combine everything into a main dough the following day, rest, shape, and bake. Wheat sourdough bread is another story and requires skill and knowledge. I've tried making it several times, but each attempt has been unsuccessful - needless to say, we did eat every bread to the last crumb. Wheat contains a lot of gluten, which must be properly developed to create a gluten network capable of trapping air and carbon dioxide, allowing the bread to rise and create an open crumb, desired for wheat breads. Correct fermenting, timing, kneading, and temperature, as well as the type of flour, all have an effect on the final crumb and crust—the art is knowing how to get them right. While searching for more information, I recently discovered a baker who has become my new bread hero. His name is Marcel Paa . He is a professional baker, bread sommelier, and pastry chef in Switzerland, and has a YouTube channel where he shares his professional knowledge, tips, and tricks. He is incredibly precise, explains everything in detail, and puts all the bread baking information that is flying around the internet back into perspective. His passion for bread is contagious. Marcel makes bread baking look so easy in his videos, and based on the comments on his channel and blog, his recipes really work well, as everyone shares their success stories. Well not quite everyone... Armed with his advice, and full of good intentions, I tried to bake one of his breads today: Sauerteig Laib mit 50:50 Vollkorn und Weizenmehl , a sourdough bread made with 50% wheat and 50% whole-wheat flour. I was so full of confidence that this time I was going to get it right! Yesterday, I refreshed my mother dough and a pre-sourdough. This morning, I prepared a cooked dough, allowed it to cool, and then combined and kneaded all the ingredients into a final dough that I left to bulk-ferment for three hours. Then I shaped it, left it to ferment for another hour, before baking. Unfortunately, what was meant to be a beautifully raised loaf ended up resembling more of a flatbread. It was all fine until I made the main dough. It was so wet, nearly unmanageable, not like the springy, beautiful ball that Marcel Paa created. The regular folding made a difference, but still nothing like I had seen in Marcel's video. I noticed it already during kneading and was tempted to add more flour, but in the end, I stuck with the exact recipe to have a benchmark - me versus recipe. Marcel suggests flattening the dough a bit before final fermentation... my dough was already like a frisbee... When it finally went in the oven, I thought all was lost, as it continued to spread out. As it baked, it began to look more promising, starting to rise in the middle. Finally, at least we'd have some surface area to put our honey on, but instead, all the dough's strength accumulated into a large center dome. The final bread is all dome in the center, and looking like a shoe on the side - am I do(o)med? Anyway, here it is: my first wheat and wholewheat sourdough bread. When I showed it to my husband, he said: 'Very nice!' Noticing my doubtful face, he eventually dared to say: 'But is it normal for it to be so flat?' I smiled, which encouraged him to dig deeper: 'It looks a bit like a cow pat! :-) (Whatever I bake, we must eat, and I'm sure I also saw a sign of relief in his face: at least it looks edible...) It's not that it's just flat. Properly baked bread is almost uniform in height from one side to the other. Mine has a rounded side, a large dome, and resembles a slipper on the other side. I'm sitting here, typing with one hand, cheese in the other, waiting for it to cool so I can finally cut it and see the crumb. My expectations are small, but my hunger is big, so it'll be alright. Now the journey begins: Today's bread is my benchmark. Spreadsheet ready with today's data, I will change one thing at a time to try and improve the bread. First change: bake the bread inside a Dutch oven - this should at least stop it from spreading during baking. While I've been typing, the bread has finally cooled, and we could cut it. It looks just as bad inside as it does outside, with large holes and tunnels. Unfortunately, I have no clue what went wrong or how to fix it - yet! However: after eating our fourth slice, now with Philadelphia, I can honestly say, not all went wrong. The bread has a delightful, shattering crust, and a moist, creamy and flavourful crumb, and we are thoroughly enjoying it. The house is filled with the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread - so in the end, not all that could have gone wrong, did go wrong... RECIPE: As you can clearly see, I am not there yet with my recipe, but if you are interested, here is Marcel Paa's original: Sauerteig Laib mit 50:50 Vollkorn und Weizenmehl Marcel's Youtube channel: Marcel Paa: Einfach Backen I watch it in German, but many of his videos are available also in English or have English subtitles.

Beautiful, ripe, untreated, and super juicy - Calabrian Vanilla Oranges Winter in Calabria can be a little hard, especially when the heavy rain sets in during January and February, the seaside towns are empty and almost closed, and the temperatures go down to 2-5 degrees during some nights - not really complaining. Being close to the sea, we are also still getting used to the humidity, both outside and in the house - still not complaining! But, as the rest of the year is super busy and full of things to do, the colder season is also the perfect time to get jobs done around the house, cook new dishes, bake sourdough bread, and finally: type up some recipes. During this period, we also travel a bit, visiting family and friends. Unfortunately while away last week I caught an awful cold. Wrapped up in my 'bear' blanket, sniffing and sneezing, and not able to be out and about enjoying the first rays of sunshine, I'm feeling rather sorry for myself - I have no idea yet where this is going... (now I'm complaining!) Fortunately, just before we left, our friend Salvatore gifted us a large crate of local oranges - nothing beats a good old healthy dose of Vitamin C to get better I thought. We tried to eat them, but were really surprised, as they are just sweet, with next to no acidity. They have a lot of big pips, almost like Seville Oranges; but unlike Seville Oranges, they are not strong and bitter in flavour, but rather sweet and mild in taste and not at all sour - and I mean: really not sour. .. Upon inquiry, I was told that they are Arance Vaniglia , Vanilla Oranges. I had never heard of them. I googled them and found a Sicilian orange called Arancia Vaniglia Apireno , Apireno Vanilla Orange, a sweet, low acidic orange, with an aroma of vanilla. Only that seems to have no pips at all, so it's still different; although its description came pretty close. I found some sweet oranges that are grown in certain areas in Calabria, but none of them seemed to have the amount of pips, so I guess it could be a variety of the Apireno orange(?). Beautiful, ripe, untreated, and super juicy, I was determined to use up mine, so in the end I decided to make Spremuta (freshly pressed orange juice). Our little lemon tree is full of ripe lemons right now, so, still not convinced about the lack of acidity, I added a lemon, and that did the trick. These oranges are so juicy, ten oranges and one lemon make a good litre of juice. It said in one of the articles, due to their low acidity, these oranges are perfect for people with gastric disorders or reflux issues. I think they also add perfect liquid and natural sugar to smoothies and should be a great addition to savoury dishes. Must google more uses... Two litres done, another five to go... vitamin C - tick! Sunshine, here I come! PS, if you do recognise this orange, please let me know...