Baking recipes from Leisure and Jo Pratt

These recipes from chef Jo Pratt have been created with the Leisure Range 90 oven in mind, but can just as easily be re-created in a standard oven. If you'd like to see videos of each recipe, click through to http://www.leisurecp.co.uk/recipes/index.htm or watch the ones embedded in the blogpost. Happy cooking (and eating !).

********************************************

TOMATO & ASPARAGUS RICOTTA TART

Serves 4-6

10 spears of asparagus

375g ready-rolled puff pastry

250g ricotta cheese

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

50g Parmesan cheese, grated

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

a large bunch of basil leaves, finely shredded, plus extra for garnish

4-5 ripe tomatoes, quartered

olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/fan 180ºC fan oven/gas 6.

Place the pastry on to a lightly oiled baking tray and prick several times with a fork.

Mix together the ricotta, eggs, half of the parmesan, garlic, basil and seasoning and beat until smooth. Spread over the pastry base, leaving about a 2cm border.

Trim or snap the tougher woody ends from the asparagus, then lay, with the tomatoes on top of the ricotta, pressing down gently. Season lightly, scatter with the remaining parmesan and drizzle over a little olive oil.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the filling has set and the pastry is golden. Serve warm or at room temperature cut into pieces.

**************************************************************

FISH PIE WITH CRUNCHY TOPPING

Serves 6

For the filling:

75g butter

1 onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

50g flour

150ml white wine

200ml milk

600g salmon fillet, cut into 3cm cubes

200g raw tiger prawns

200g scallops (optional, the equivalent weight of salmon can be used)

3 eggs, hard boiled and chopped

2 tbsp chopped dill

For the crumble topping:

1 ciabatta loaf

50g finely grated parmesan cheese

3 tbsp olive oil

small bunch of parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/fan 180ºC fan oven/gas 6.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and gently sauté the onion with the bay leaf until the onion is softened but not coloured. Stir in the flour for about 30 seconds before gradually adding the wine, stirring to prevent any floury lumps, before doing the same with the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes until you have a thick sauce.

Stir in the salmon, prawns and scallops (if using) and return to the simmer. Cook for a few minutes, until the prawns are pink, before adding the eggs, dill, salt and pepper. Spoon into a large ovenproof dish and keep to one side.

To make the topping, tear the ciabatta into pieces and place in a food processor. Blitz to a rough crumb. Add the parmesan, olive oil and parsley, and then briefly blitz to combine.

When you are ready to cook the pie, scatter the topping over the top of the creamy fish sauce and place in the pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes (or slightly longer if you are cooking the filling from chilled) until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges.

*****************************************************

SAVOURY SAUSAGE & TOMATO BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING

Serves 4

6-8 good quality sausages, of whatever flavour you prefer

9 medium slices of white bread

40g butter, at room temperature

4 tbsp bought caramelised onions/ onion relish

12-16 cherry tomatoes

5 large eggs

200ml double cream

1 tbsp English mustard powder

1 tsp dried thyme

100g mature cheddar, grated

You will also need a 1.5-1.8 litre baking dish.

First of all you need to cook the sausages either in the oven, grill or frying pan. Once cooked, and cool enough to handle, slice into roughly 1 cm pieces.

Butter the bread, then cut each piece diagonally in half. Spread the caramelised onions on the bottom of the buttered dish. Arrange the bread in the dish, in overlapping layers, adding slices of the sausages and tomatoes in between the layers.

In a large bowl beat together the eggs and then mix in the cream, mustard powder, thyme and half of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper, then slowly pour this over the bread, pressing down so the slices are submerged. Scatter over the remaining cheese, and leave to stand for about 10 minutes, for the mixture to soak into the bread.

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/fan 160ºC fan oven/gas 4.

Place on a baking tray and then put into the oven for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden and the eggs are set when you press the centre of the dish.

Serve hot with a vegetable of your choice.

****************************************************************

STRAWBERRY & VANILLA CREAM SPONGE

For the sponge:

knob of butter, melted

225g butter, at room temperature

225g caster sugar

4 large free-range eggs

225g self-raising flour, sifted, plus 1 tbsp extra for dusting the tins

To serve:

250-275ml double cream, lightly whipped

1 vanilla pod

2 tbsp good quality strawberry jam

150-200g fresh strawberries, stalk remove and halved or quartered

2 tbsp sieved icing sugar, plus extra for dusting the finish cake

You will also need 2 x 15cm-17.5cm cake tins

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/fan 160ºC fan oven/gas 4.

First of all, to prepare the tins brush inside with the melted butter. Place a circle of greaseproof paper in the base of both tins, then coat the inside edges with a dusting of flour.

Place the butter and caster sugar in a bowl and beat well until light, creamy and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, with a spoonful of flour with each egg, to prevent the mixture from curdling, the gently mix in the remaining flour.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins. Spread over the surface with a palate knife or spatula and place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when pressed gently with a finger and are pale golden in colour.

Remove from the oven and take them out of the tins after about 5-10 minutes. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely (for about half an hour).

While the cakes are cooling, place the cream in a bowl. Split the vanilla pod, and scrape out the seeds into the cream. Add the icing sugar and whip to form soft peaks.

Once the cake is cool, spread the jam on the surface of one sponge, and the cream on the other. Sit the strawberries on top of the cream, and place the strawberry jam sponge on top, pressing lightly to hold in place.

Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar and serve.

****************************************************************

PECAN PIE

Serves 8

For the pastry

150g plain flour

1 tablespoon caster sugar

a pinch of salt

100g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

For the filling

250g pecan halves

3 large eggs, beaten

125g golden syrup

175g soft brown sugar

3 tablespoons whisky or orange juice

40g unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

you will also need a 23 to 24cm loose–bottomed tart tin

First of all, you will need to make the pastry. Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor or mixing bowl and blitz or rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of cold water and bind until it just comes together, adding a little more water if it is needed. Knead very lightly on a floured surface to form a smooth dough. Roll out and line the tart tin. Prick the base several times with a fork and chill in the fridge for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/fan 180ºC fan oven/gas 6.

Line the chilled pastry case with a piece of greaseproof paper and fill with a layer of baking beans or rice. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove the paper, brush the base with a little of the beaten egg and cook for a further 5 minutes until the pastry is just becoming golden.

During the last 5 minutes of cooking the pastry, spread the pecan nuts on baking tray and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove and leave to cool slightly.

Reduce the oven temperature to 160ºC/fan 140ºC/gas 2–3.

Roughly chop half the pecans and mix with all the rest of the filling ingredients, including the whole pecans. Pour and spread into the pastry case. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the centre is just set.

Serve warm with the extra-thick cream, clotted cream or ice cream, or cold with pouring cream.

PS…

If you don’t have time or prefer not to make your own pastry, use about 300g bought shortcrust pastry and sprinkle over 1-2 tablespoons of caster sugar while you roll it out to add a little sweetness.

**********************************************************

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Makes 12

250ml milk

50ml vegetable oil

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten

75g caster sugar

250g plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

200g blueberries

Streusel topping:

25g plain flour

2 tbsp Demerara sugar

15g cold butter

you will also need a 12 hole muffin tin lined with 12 muffin cases

Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/fan 180ºC fan oven/gas 6.

First of all, you need to prepare the streusel topping by rubbing together the flour, Demerara and butter until you have a crumble consistency.

To make the muffins mix together the wet ingredients (milk, oil, vanilla extract and beaten egg).

Add the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix briefly, just enough to moisten the flour, giving you a lumpy batter. Keeping it slightly lumpy will ensure lighter muffins once cooked. Fold in the blueberries and then divide the mixture between the 12 muffin cases.

Scatter the streusel mixture over the top of each muffin and then place in the oven to cook for 20-25 minutes until they are golden. Once cooked, cool slightly before leaving to cool further on a wire rack.

****************************************************

for more information : http://www.leisurecp.co.uk/recipes/index.htm

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Apple Ambrosia Muffins recipe
PARSNIP AND APPLE SOUP WITH LOSELEY SUMMER MEADOW BUTTER
National Cupcake Week Recipes from Philadelphia