La Différence

La Différence
A passion for food

Saturday 26 September 2015

Spanakopita







Spanakopita, Greek Spinach & Feta Pie or at least my version of it 







I'm a great lover of Greek Food and this is one of my favourite things to eat Spanakopita.
A really delicious concoction of Feta cheese & Spinach encased in layers of crispy, buttery filo pastry.
I didn't have enough Feta but I had some soft Goat's cheese in stock so I added that to the filling, it was a triumph !!!!
I've even made this with mature cheddar and it worked out so well so just use what ever cheese you have to hand.
I used a 10" square tin

you will need

a packet of filo sheets  ( I used fresh Theos, I'm not too keen on Jus Roll filo for this, it's too thick although it's great for so many other dishes)
500g Spinach, washed & cooked. Squeeze out every drop of water and chop well
350g Feta Cheese  (I used 200g and 150g Goat's Cheese but whatever cheese you have...it's great with cheddar)  crumbled /grated
a handful of toasted pinenuts and a few untoasted to top the pie
1 tbsp fresh chopped mint (or 1tsp mint from a jar)
1 red onion finely chopped and sweated in a little olive oil
a good grating of nutmeg
1 egg
seasoning to taste
melted butter around 2-3 oz

Method

Rub the tin with buttered paper
Set to oven to 200c/400f/6gas
remove 8 of the sheets of filo from the box, keep covererd with a damp cloth while you build the pie up.
Mix all the filling ingredients together well & check the seasoning.  You shouldn't need much salt as the Feta is very salty already.
begin by layering 4 sheets of filo on top of each other brushing over melted butter between each layer. First layer laid sideways, the second from top to bottom, repeat. (4 layers in all)
Add the filling
Repeat the layering of filo as above.
Trim off any overhanging pastry.
Scrunch this up and place on top of the buttered top layer
Sprinkle over a few untoasted pinenut and brush with remaining butter
Bake in the centre of the oven for around 10 mins.
Turn the oven down to 180c/350f/gas4 and continue to bake for around another 10-15 minutes
The pie should be a crispy golden brown.
remove from the oven, leave to cool on a cooling tray.
Turn out while still slightly warm and serve.



This pie is best served at room temperature and is ideal for picnics and packed lunches.







Saturday 5 September 2015

Gluten-Free Black Plum Kuchen



I love this time of the year when nature just keeps giving... If you treat it right , nourishing it and looking after it, nature certainly pays you back.   

My little allotment is surrounded by ancient productive plum trees.. They're small and black, not small enough to be damsons and yet much sweeter than damsons could ever be.. I have no idea of the variety even though I've looked through countless books to find them... I presume that they must be some self seeding variety that has found it's perfect home...just like me... I've found my little growing oasis there too.  

I've  already made jam, chutney and have started off the Christmas Plum Gin...gorgeous with tonic water.. I just wanted a little recipe other than plum tart.  This is a little different and most definitely German in origin.. It has the advantage of being Gluten- Free... totally delicious... a little bit tart .. wonderful with a good dollop of whipped cream.

I tried this recipe...Gluten-free Plum Kuchen found on Food 52

Their recipe uses a mixture of gluten-free plain flour and ground almonds.
You can find gluten-free flour in lots of supermarkets... Asda for one  in the special diets aisle or of course a health food shop.

I couldn't better it so thanks to  for the lovely kuchen recipe,   I'm sure any stoned fruit would be absolutely scrumptious though.

Click onto this link or the one above for the recipe Food 52 ♥



                              The photograph is mine but the recipe belongs to Food 52    


Friday 4 September 2015

Blackberry, Apple & Hazelnut Muffins





It's such a wonderful time of the year when the hedgerows start sharing their fruits,  There's been so many blackberries around this year and they're so early too.  I've also had lots of windfall apples at my allotment. We've been having porridge with stewed apple & blackberries for breakfast all week....I just wanted to do something a little different so what better way than to turn some of the glut into Blackberry & Apple Muffins....I added a little crunch with some chopped hazelnuts and topped the muffins with a little blackberry icing drizzle and dried apple pieces.

This recipe will make 12 muffins

If you prefer to measure instead of weighing your ingredients here's a handy Conversion Chart


Ingredients


For the apple crisps 
1 large tart eating apple, cored & thinly sliced into rings....place this on an oven tray covered with baking parchment, sprinkle over a little caster sugar and a dusting of cinnamon and bake at the ovens lowest setting until dry.....around 2/3 hours



for the muffins.

1 cup of grated tart apple
½ cup of blackberry puree ( I cooked my blackberries and passed through a sieve pushing all the fruit through besides the pips)
2 oz chopped hazelnuts
9oz/280gms Self Raising Flour
6oz/175gms caster sugar
½tsp baking powder
½tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp cinnamon
12floz/300ml buttermilk or plain yoghurt 
3oz/90gms melted butter
1 large egg beaten
3 tbsps icing sugar & a tiny amount of the blackberry puree to make a runny drizzle

Set the oven to 190c/380f/gas 5
Place 12 paper muffin cases in a 12 hole muffin tray

In a large bowl mix together the sieved Flour, caster sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda
In a jug mix together the buttermilk/yoghurt, the melted butter and the beaten egg
Add the wet ingredients to the dry, add the grated apple & hazelnuts and gently mix through...do not overwork it as it results in an airless muffin
Now add the blackberry puree, just  swirl it in the batter slightly to give a mottled effect.
Carefully place heaped tbsps into the paper cases, tap the tray on a hard surface to make the batter settle.
Bake for around 25-30 minutes
The muffins should be golden brown and springy to the touch

While still warm...but not hot drizzle over a little of the icing
Then place an apple crisp on top and serve.

These stay lovely and moist for a couple of days and they freeze really well....just use them up within a month or so.



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