A crisp crust hiding a soft filling has always worked for me. Be it melted cheese inside the fragile edges of a filo or puff pastry pie; silky vegetables under a rough-textured crumble topping; a dark and delicious gravy with Yorkshire pudding; or buttercream held inside the crunchy case of a meringue. Each of the recipes in this month’s collection celebrates the delicious contrast of food that is both soft and crisp.
A green filo tart
The tart is best eaten fresh from the oven, while the cheese is still soft and melting. Before you start baking, place a pizza stone or metal baking sheet in the oven to heat up. Baking the tart on top of the hot sheet will ensure the base is crisp.
Serves 4
purple sprouting broccoli 250g
sprout tops 150g
butter 90g
filo pastry 7 sheets (270g)
taleggio 500g
parmesan 150g
You will need a metal baking dish or tart tin abut 30cm in diameter.
Bring a large, deep pan of water to the boil. Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6. Slice each stem of purple sprouting broccoli in half lengthways. Finely shred the sprout tops. Lower the broccoli into the boiling water, cook for three or four minutes till the colour is bright then lift out with a draining spoon and refresh in a bowl of iced water. Do the same with the shredded sprout tops.
Melt the butter in a small pan. Brush the base of a 30cm round baking tin with some of the butter, lay a sheet of pastry over the base and brush it with more butter Repeat with the remaining sheets of pastry and butter, letting them hang over the edges of the tin.
Tear the taleggio into small pieces and grate the parmesan. Drain the vegetables and dry on kitchen paper. Fill the tart case with the drained sprouting broccoli and sprout tops, then tuck the taleggio among them and scatter with the grated parmesan. Fold the overhanging pastry back over the edges of the tart and place on the hot stone or baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes till the pastry is crisp.
Leek and tomato crumble
A good cold weather supper, hearty but not heavy. This would also work as a side dish for grilled chicken or a thick slice of grilled gammon.
Serves 4
leeks 850g
butter 40g
cherry tomatoes 300g
basil leaves 10g
double cream 250ml
For the crumble
plain flour 250g
butter 125g, cut into small pieces
pecorino 75g, grated
thyme 10g
parsley 15g
water a little
Cut the leeks into 1cm rounds then wash very thoroughly in cold water. Put them into a deep casserole or saucepan with the butter, cover with a lid and let the leeks soften over a moderate heat. A regular stir will stop them colouring. Cut the tomatoes in half and stir into the softening leeks, together with salt and black pepper, letting them cook for about 10 minutes until soft and juicy. Stir in the basil leaves, then the cream. When the cream has warmed, remove from the heat and place the mixture in a baking dish. Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6.
To make the crumble, put the flour in a large mixing bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingertips. Stir in the grated cheese. Pull the leaves from the thyme and parsley, finely chop and stir in to the crumble. You can do this in seconds in a food processor.
Sprinkle several drops of water over the crumble mixture and shake the bowl back and forth until you have large and small crumbs. Scatter over the tomato and leek then bake for 40 minutes till bubbling round the edges.
Sweet potato empanada
A useful, mildly spicy pie that is good cold too.
Serves 4
sweet potatoes 850g
harissa paste 2 tsp
ras el hanout 1 tsp
puff pastry 325g
egg 1
black sesame seeds a couple of pinches
Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6. Place an empty baking sheet in the oven to warm (it will help the base of your pastry crisp).
Put a pan of water on to boil and balance a steamer basket or colander over it. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into large pieces and steam for 10-15 minutes until tender. Remove from the steamer then mash with a potato masher or food mixer till smooth. Season with salt, the harissa paste and the ras el hanout and set aside to cool.
Roll out the pastry to a rectangle measuring 23cm x 35cm, then transfer to a baking sheet, turning the pastry so the long side is facing you. Spoon the cooled sweet potato on the right-hand half, leaving a 2cm rim around the edge uncovered, then smooth the surface flat.
Break the egg into a small bowl and beat lightly with a fork to mix yolk and white. Brush the bare edge generously with the beaten egg, then fold the left-hand side over the right, as if you were closing a book, and press firmly around the edges to seal.
Score a trellis pattern on the top of the pastry then brush with more of the beaten egg. Scatter the black sesame seeds over the top then place on top of the empty baking sheet in the oven and bake for 40 minutes till golden brown.
Roast chicken yorkshires
A batter pudding laden with chicken, sprouts and gravy. I probably don’t need to remind you how hot the fat needs to be before you pour the batter in, literally smoking, but I will. The fearsome heat is necessary to encourage a decent rise to your puddings.
Makes 6 (enough for 3 people)
For the batter
plain flour 110g
eggs 2
milk 150ml
sparkling water 150ml
dripping or lard 30g
For the filling
groundnut oil or dripping 4 tbsp
banana shallots 10 small
chicken thighs 6
plain flour 2 heaped tbsp
chicken stock 1 litre
thyme 10 sprigs, leaves removed
brussels sprouts 100g
olive oil or butter a little
You will need a six-hole yorkshire pudding tin or similar.
To make the batter, put the plain flour in a mixing bowl or large jug. Beat the eggs and stir into the flour with the milk and sparkling water and a half teaspoon of salt, then set aside. Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6.
For the filling, warm the oil or dripping in a roasting tin. Peel the shallots and cut them in half lengthways. Place them cut side down in the warm oil, then place the chicken thighs in the tin and season with salt and black pepper. Roast for about 45 minutes till golden and the skin is lightly crisp.
Remove the chicken and shallots from the oven. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and reserve the skin. Turn the oven up to 230C/gas mark 8. Tear the chicken meat into pieces and keep to one side.
Put the roasting tin on the hob over a moderate heat and stir in the flour, letting it cook for a minute or two. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, stirring regularly and scraping at the bottom of the pan to dissolve any tasty bits into the gravy. Lower the heat and simmer to a thickish consistency (too thin and it will pour out of your puddings). Generously season to taste and remove from the heat. Add the chicken meat to the gravy together with the thyme leaves and keep warm.
Cut each sprout in half. Warm a little oil in a shallow pan then add the sprouts and the pieces of chicken skin. Let the sprouts colour lightly and the skin crisp. Remove from the heat and stir the sprouts into the gravy. Place the crisp skin on kitchen paper.
Divide the dripping between six large yorkshire pudding tins, place in the oven for 5-10 minutes till smoking. Ladle or pour the batter into the hot fat, letting it come almost to the rim of the tins. Return to the oven immediately and bake for 8-10 minutes till puffed up. Remove from the oven and fill with some of the chicken and sprout gravy. Shatter the crisped chicken skin over the top of each pudding and serve.
Citrus meringues with pistachio cream
Pipe the meringue into rounds if you want, but a 5cm cookie cutter works as a good template. Place the cutter on the baking paper, push a spoonful of meringue inside, then remove the cutter.
Makes 6
For the meringue
caster sugar 100g
egg whites 2
salt a pinch
lemon 1 large
limes 2
orange blossom water 1-2 tsp
For the filling
butter 75g
icing sugar 75g
shelled pistachios 80g
You will need a baking sheet lined with baking parchment.
Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6. Tip the caster sugar on to a tray, smooth it level, then place it in the oven until just warm.
Using an electric food mixer beat the egg whites, with a tiny pinch of salt, until thick and airy. Tip in the warm sugar and continue beating for a good 3-4 minutes until stiff and glossy.
Finely grate the zest from the lemon and lime. You will need 6 teaspoons. Gently fold into the egg whites along with the orange blossom water. Spoon the meringue into 12 x 5cm rounds on the baking parchment leaving plenty of space between them. Place in the oven, immediately lowering the heat to 140C/gas mark 1 and leave for about 30 minutes until lightly crisp.
For the filling, cut the butter into small dice and place in the bowl of a food mixer. Cream briefly, then add the icing sugar and continue beating till you have smooth, pale buttercream. Reduce the pistachios to fine crumbs using a food processor then blend three quarters of them into the buttercream.
Sandwich the meringues together with the buttercream then roll in the reserved pistachio crumbs.
