Baked Ricotta Puffs

This is a quick fix lunch or as an item to Wine Party. Baked Ricotta is a Sicilian tradition, together with puff pastry, tomatoes and pancetta it completes the treat!!! Recipe Makes 12

1 Puff Pastry sheet 40x30cm

6 cherry tomatoes

150g Ricotta 

12 Slices Pancetta

1 tbsp Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Chives to garnish

Heat oven 190c.  Cut Pastry into 12 equal portions size 10cmx10cm to line 12 hole bun tin. Divide ricotta into twelve portions and place one portion in each pastry case. Twist pancetta slices and press down next to the ricotta. Cut in half each cherry tomato and arrange on top. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bake for 20-30 minutes untill pastry puffs and turn golden.  Arrange on a serving plate, drizzle some olive oil on top  and garnish with chive sticks.  Serve with a cool crisp chardonnay.

 

 

Maltese Chocolate bread pudding - Pudina

Mum makes best pudding and I can still taste the juicy sultanas mingled with crunchy nutty topping. This is my interpretation which I admit is very close to my childhood memory. Pudina is good served either warm with a cup of tea or cold with a chilled glass of milk.  Keeps well for about 1 week.

200g butter
250g sugar
3 eggs
200g plain flour
400g day old bread
600ml milk
200g raisins
100g ground nuts
50g cocoa
100g packet chocolate custard powder
100g ground almonds
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Few drops vanilla extract
2tbsp Tia Maria

Topping
2 tbsp chopped nuts
2tbsp desiccated coconut
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar

Pre heat oven to 180c. Roughly chop bread in a bowl and pour milk on top allow few minutes to soak. In a food mixer cream butter with sugar, then add eggs one at a time, then add ground nuts, cocoa, mixed spice, cinnamon, custard powder, vanilla extract and soaked bread and mix for about 3 minutes till bread is well incorporated in the mixture.  Then add Tia Maria and flour and give few turns till flour gets into mixture. Then add raisins and give a final mix.  Do not over mix at this stage.  Butter a 9x12inch dish and pour over mixture. Even out with spatula, then sprinkle with nuts and brown sugar then dust with cinnamon.  Bake for 45 minutes till skewer comes clean when tested.  Cut into squares and serve. Pudding keeps well for a week in an air tight container in a cool place.

Strawberry Custard Tarts

Deliscious for an afternoon Tea Party!

1 Quantity Rich Short Pastry
3 eggs
2 yolks
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod
100g sugar
300ml cream
200ml milk

Topping
Fresh Strawberries
Icing Sugar

Heat oven to 170c. Roll pastry to 5mm thickness, cut into 12cm rounds and line 12 hole non stick muffin tin.  Put in the fridge to cool slightly, meanwhile prepare the custard.  In a jug pour milk and cream, add eggs and yolks and vanilla seeds, whisk till eggs are well combined into mixture. Take pastry lined muffin tin out from fridge and pour custard over pastry leaving just 5mm from brim.  Carefully place in the oven and bake for about 30minutes or until tops are slightly coloured but still wobbly when shaked.  Leave to cool in tray then carefully remove from tin and arrange on a serving tray. Refrigerate when completely cooled. Right before serving, top with chopped fresh strawberries and dust with icing sugar. (Good non stick muffin tin do not need to be buttered)