Posts tagged ham

Homemade Pizza & Aperol Spritz

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Homemade Pizza & Aperol Spritz

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ow could we go through lockdown without making our own pizzas? With banana bread ticked off the list and endless quiz nights over Zoom completed, pizza making was next and by far the most satisfying! This weekend, when date night rolled around again, we raided our local supermarket for Aperol, oranges and tinned pineapple and made use of that coveted yeast that my mum sent us in the post…turns out you can’t buy yeast easily at the moment unless you live somewhere very middle class like Wiltshire. Ironically we have the enviable flour so I’ll keep an eye out for a grey market for bakers in the local area.

Obviously feel free to top your pizzas with whatever you like! I am unashamedly proud that one of my favourite pizzas is a Hawaiian, followed closely by a Siciliana. This dough makes great thin crust which allows more stomach space for toppings.

Makes 2 large pizzas

Dough

  • 300g strong bread flour
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Tomato Sauce 

  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Handful fresh basil
  • 1 large tsp chilli flakes

Toppings – choose your favourite! We made 2 pizzas as follows:

  • Pineapple pieces, parma ham, grated cheddar, parmesan and mozzarella
  • 1 tbsp capers, 1 can anchovies, 1 handful olives, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1 garlic glove (grated), grated parmesan and mozzarella

  1. To make the dough, combine the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and 200ml of tepid water. Using a fork mix well until combined.
  2. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured worktop and knead together until you form a smooth elastic dough. Continue kneading for about 5 minutes.
  3. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place/worktop for 1 hour. (you can actually skip this step if you want and go straight to the pizza making esp if you’re after thin crust).
  4. Make the sauce by putting the tinned tomatoes in a saucepan and add the crushed garlic, chopped basil and chilli. Mix the tomato puree with about 150ml of warm water in a jug then add this too. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Taste and season and then blend with a hand blended. Set aside.
  5. When ready to make the pizza, heat the oven to 220 and put your baking trays in there to heat up – or your pizza stones if you’re fancy.
  6. Knock the air out of the dough and knead gently for a few minutes to form a smooth dough again before dividing into two balls. On a floured surface, roll one ball of dough as thinly as possible (about 25cm across) but the thinner the better for a nice crispy crust.
  7. Place the rolled dough onto a large piece of baking parchment before putting on your toppings.
  8. Top you pizza first with the tomato sauce and then with any toppings you wish.
  9. Remove the hot trays from the oven and carefully lift the pizza on the parchment onto the hot tray. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until crispy and starting to turn golden.
  10. Serve chopped with a jug of Aperol Spirtz!

Pea and Ham Soup, Parmesan Croutons

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Bit of a belated recipe post for a festive Christmas soup to use up those leftovers and freshen the taste buds after an indulgent feast! Apologies if the posts have been a little thin on the ground recently. I haven’t stopped eating or reverted to a juice only January diet that some of my friends (sorry acquaintances) have been doing (!?). I also haven’t stopped cooking….or taking photos! Far from it. But the combination of a broken laptop and a delicious adventure to Paris over New Year stole my attention temporarily.

I’m no killjoy so don’t worry, the health benefits of the peas in this recipe can be couteracted slightly if you’ve invested some well worth time into cooking a delicious succulent sugar glazed ham and have any straggling leftovers to pop in. Simialry this can be countereacted with some cheese saturated paremsan croutons. Alternatively continue the alcohol themed festivities and serve with a delicious door-stop wedge of my served ’Boy Beer Bread’ slathered with salted butter.

Pea, Mint and Ham Soup

Serves 4

  • 550g frozen peas (50g reserved)
  • 750ml hot stock
  • 1 onion, chopped finely
  • 1 large clove garlic, diced
  • 1 large knob butter
  • Small handful thyme, leaves stripped
  • Handful fresh mint
  • Large handful of leftover shredded or chopped ham or ham hock
  • Serve with parmesan croutons below of butter slathered bread. E.g. a wedge of my ’Boy Beer Bread’
  1. Heat the butter with a splash of oil in a large saucepan until beginning to sizzle.
  2. Slowly cook and soften the onion for about 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent.
  3. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a few more minutes.
  4. Next, turn up the heat and add the peas and mix. Add 600ml of the hot stock and half the mint leaves
  5. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 8 minutes.
  6. After this time remove from the heat and blend with a stick blender. Add more stock if you want it thinner, this with vary on how you like you’re soup.
  7. Chop the reminaing mint leaves and then add to soup and blend again.
  8. Return the soup to the hob and add the reserved whole peas and stir in the ham.
  9. Heat through for a few minutes then enjoy!

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Parmesan Croutons

  • 250g stale bread, cut or ripped into large croutons
  • 4 large dessertspoons of grated parmesan
  • About 4 tbsp olive oil
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  2. Douse the bread in the olive oil in a large baking tray. Cover with the parmesan and mix. Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes until golden and crispy.

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Quadruple Tapas

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Quadruple Tapas

I know the concept behind tapas is to eat each dish as it is ready- picking at little morsels of delicious oily, salty and punchy delights to give all your taste buds a go on the flavour dodgems. A long evening should be spent savouring tapas with no where to be and sipping delicious wine in the summer sun. However, I decided to make a selection for dinner and couldn’t find the relaxing side of constantly running back and forth to the kitchen to fry a croquetas or bake some fresh bread or turn off one of 100 timers. So I made a selection all to be eaten and enjoyed together with some delicious wine. I won’t lie, my way took a strong organisation and a large accommodating hob but I managed it. In addition, I have a new found respect for tapas bars….the amount of work that goes into the prep to bring together all the aspects and flavours of just one small dish is huge,-all requiring those little details to make them perfect. I won’t be opening a tapas bar in the near future but what can be gained from this experiment is that 1) I LOVE tapas but will leave it to the experts and 2) I won’t be so horrified at the staggering prices of a few small tapas dish from now on as I venture out to dine thinking that ‘tapas is just a cheap meal right?’.

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Croquetas (Makes about 9 large croquetas)

I first saw a recipe for these in a Jamie Oliver book which this recipe is based on but they are a common little tapas dish and various flavours and recipe derivatives can be found elsewhere. They are essentially a cheesy flavoured bechamel sauce that is cooled and set and rolled in breadcrumbs and fried so that the inside in a hot molten cheesy mixture hugged lovingly in a crispy coat. You can actually use anything to add flavour to the sauce such as different cheeses, smoked fish, anchovies, different herbs or spices. Go wild!

  • 50g butter
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 75g plain flour ( and extra for coating)
  • 300ml milk
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 50g hard cheese- Cheddar/Manchego, grated finely
  • 3 slices of cooked smoked bacon/parma ham, chopped finely
  • Handful of chives, chopped
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 100g breadcrumbs
  1. Melt the butter and the oil in a pan over a low heat until liquid. Spoon by spoon, incorporate the flour and stir in until you have a thick paste.
  2. Add the milk, splash by splash stirring in vigourously until smooth and lump free. Once all the milk is added, keep on the heat and keep mixing to prevent lumps but to really thicken the sauce.
  3. Once thick, remove from the heat and stir in the nutmeg, lots of seasoning, the bacon, cheese and finally the chives.
  4. Place into a chilled bowl and pop int he fridge until set. (NOTE: Mine was a little loose for moulding into croquetas so I popped it in the freezer about 30 mins before using to make it easier to handle)
  5. Get 3 plates and add the beaten egg, flour and breadcrumbs to each.
  6. Use a spoon to scoop and roll croquetas of your cooled mixture. Coat in first the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Continue you have done all and then cover and chill.
  7. Heat some oil in a pan, or use a deep fryer. When hot enough, fry the croquetas until golden and crisp on the outside. Make sure it is not too hot or the outside will colour before the inside is warm.
  8. Drain on kitchen paper and scatter with flaky salt and serve immediately.

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Morcilla Broad Beans

This recipe is open to quantities so as long as there is a nice balance it will taste great. Don’t skimp on the morcilla however as it adds bags of flavour and depth and feel free to use black pudding which works just as well.

  • Morcilla, sliced
  • Broad beans, boiled and podded
  • Peas
  • 1 small red onion, finely diced
  1. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and gently fry the red onion until soft
  2. Add the morcilla/black pudding slices and fry until cooked on each side.
  3. Tip in the broad beans and peas and stir to combine, breaking up the morcilla as you stir to distribute evenly. Season and then serve.

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Crisp Cod and Smoky Aioli

  • 2 cod fillets or any other firm fish
  • Plateful of polenta (seasoned with salt and pepper)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Flour for coating
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 garlic clove, grated finely
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ lemon, zest
  • 1tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • About 250ml sunflower oil
  • Flat leaf parsley for garnish
  1. Begin with the polenta coated cod which benefits from some time resting once coated. Skin the fish fillets and cut the fillets into chunky strips cutting with the ‘grain’/flakes.
  2. Get 3 plates and place the beaten egg, flour and seasoned polenta onto each.
  3. Coat the fish fillets in the flour, egg and then a good coating of polenta and then place the fillets on a polenta coated plate while you do the rest. Cover and place in the fridge for a few hours once done to allow the polenta to swell a bit and form a good crust.
  4. For the aioli, place the egg yolks, lemon and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and turn it on to blend together. With the motor running slowly and constantly add the oil in a thin stream to allow the yolks and oil to emulsify.
  5. As it starts to thicken, add the paprika and some good seasoning and have a taste. Continue to add as much oil as you like to obtain a thin/thicker texture.
  6. When ready to serve, fry the fillets in a little hot oil with a knob of butter for a few minutes on each side until cooked with a golden crust. Serve immediately garnished with parsley and dipped indulgently into the aioli.

Chorizo

This is now my new favourite way to enjoy chorizo, partly due to this sweet tangy glaze that coats it here. The sauce is wonderful when used a dipping sauce for the olive pittas or some qwilling bread to mop up the juices like an edible sponge.

  • 150g chorizo- raw or cooked
  • 1 ½ tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tsp runny honey
  • Large sprig of rosemary
  • 3 large garlic cloves
  1. Cut the chorizo into chunky horizontal slices and fry in a hot pan (you can add a tiny drop of oil to get it going is needed).
  2. Peel and crush the garlic cloves coarsely with the back of a knife. If using cooking (raw) chorizo, make sure it is nearly cooked but if using cured chorizo, as it starts to colour and crisp add the garlic to the pan in the oily juices and fry for a few minutes.
  3. Add the picked rosemary leaves and fry for a few more minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat and add the sherry vinegar and the honey and stir to coat the chorizo.
  5. Return to the heat and very gently simmer the sauce until a little more syrupy and thick but not too reduced. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm while you do the rest of your dishes as this one will keep.
  6. Serve with the olive pittas or some fluffy bread dipped into the beautiful oily juices

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Olive Pitta

  • See here for pittas recipe– Don’t add the nigella seeds but instead, add a good pinch of sweet smoked paprika.
  • Once the dough has risen, add in a small handful of both chopped black olives and sun dried tomatoes.

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Pea and Smoked Ham Tart with Parmesan parsnips

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This is a pleasingly alternative and delicious use of Christmas leftovers after exhausting the usual recipes with the turkey. My brief from the family for dinner was a light, fresh but tasty meal after a heavy week of Christmas delights, rich meats and glasses of guilt. So, with a fridge full or assorted cheeses, a cooked smoked ham and a few of our giant allotment parsnips that were looking very sorry for themselves, I enthusiastically took up the mission.

Cheesey Shortcrust pastry

  • 100g wholemeal flour
  • 150g plain flour
  • 125g unsalted butter, cubed
  • 70g cheddar cheese, grated plus and reserved handful
  • Salt and pepper
  • Cold water

Filling

  • 250g frozen peas
  • 3 eggs
  • 75g creme fraiche
  • Juice of half lemon
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard (optional)
  • A few large handfuls of smoked ham, cubed or flaked into pieces
  • Salt and pepper
  • Splash of milk
  1. Begin with the pastry. Preheat the oven to 200°C. In a food processor, combine all the pastry ingredients, except the water, and blitz to form a breadcrumb-like texture. Or rub the butter into the flour by hand.
  2. Tip out into a bowl and add cold water, spoonful by spoonful, and mix in with a knife until you have a mixture that forms a dough when your gently press together with your hands. Form a ball of dough.
  3. Roll into a disc shape, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, line a tart tin (I used one about 23cm wide but use whatever is to hand) with parchment and butter the sides. This recipe in my case lined two tart tins so I made two and froze one for another time.
  5. After 30 minutes, thinly roll out your pastry on a floured surface and use it to line the tin, pressing the pastry up the sides. Prick all over with a fork to prevent it rising up while baking.
  6. Line the tine with parchment and fill snugly with baking beans or rice if your don’t have any beans.
  7. Blind bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are golden.
  8. Remove the beans and parchment and bake for another 5-10minutes until the base is cooked and crisp. Brush with a bit of beaten egg to seal the fork pricks and return for 1 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.
  9. Make the filling. Boil the peas for a few minutes until cooked. Drain and cool thoroughly with cold water.
  10. Reserve a handful of the peas and puree the rest in a processor or mash with a fork until you form a coarse paste. Add the lemon juice, seasoning, mustard, eggs and creme fraiche. Blitz again in the processor to mix thoroughly.
  11. Add a splash or so of milk to form a texture that is loose but not too watery, a bit like custard.
  12. Sprinkle the base of the pre-baked tart case with the flaked ham and the reserved whole peas.
  13. Fill this with the egg custard until distributed evenly and full but making sure it dose not overflow the edges of the pastry case. You may not need it all.
  14. Scatter over the remaining grated cheddar and bake in the oven at 190°C for about 25-30 minutes until the middle is cooked and set.
  15. Grate over a bit of lemon zest and serve with a green salad and some crispy baked Parmesan coated parsnips in my case….!

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Parmesan Parsnips

  • 2-3 parsnips, peeled and cut into batons shaped
  • 200g brown bread crumbs
  • 100g finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • Handful of flour
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • Sunflower oil or light olive oil
  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C
  2. Boil the parsnips in water for about 4-5 minutes until tender and soft when pierced with a knife but still with a bit of resistance.
  3. Drain and allow to steam for a few minutes.
  4. Set up 3 bowls. Fill one with seasoned flour, another with beaten egg and the third with the breadcrumbs combined with the grated cheese.
  5. When the parsnips have cooled slightly, dip into the flour, then the beaten egg and finally coat in the breadcrumb mix.
  6. Repeat this with the remaining parsnips and place them on a lined baking tray.
  7. Drizzle generously with sunflower oil and bake in the oven, turning halfway through, for 30 minutes until crisp and golden

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