The_Australian_Women_Weekly_Food_Issue_21_2016

In Season

AWW FOOD • ISSUE TWENTY-ONE 35

CHICKEN PASTILLA

TRIANGLES

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES

(+ STANDING) MAKES 8

Pastilla is a traditional Moroccan pie

served on special occasions.

pinch of saffron threads

1 tablespoon hot water

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 green onions, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

500g minced free−range chicken

1 cup (160g) roasted whole blanched

almonds, chopped coarsely

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh

flat−leaf parsley

8 sheets fillo pastry

½ cup (125ml) olive oil, extra

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, extra

1 Combine saffron and the water

in a small bowl; set aside.

2 Heat oil in a large frying pan

over medium−high heat; cook onion,

garlic, turmeric, ginger and the

ground cinnamon for 5 minutes or

until onion softens. Add chicken;

cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until

chicken browns. Season with salt.

Add saffron mixture; cook for

1 minute or until water evaporates.

Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in

almonds, coriander and parsley;

set aside to cool completely.

3 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan.

4 Brush one sheet of pastry with a

little of the extra oil; cut in half

lengthways, top with remaining strip.

Place ½ cup chicken mixture in a

corner of the pastry strip, leaving a

1cm border. Fold opposite corner of

pastry diagonally across filling to

form a triangle; continue folding

to end of pastry sheet, retaining

triangular shape. Place on a lightly

oiled oven tray, seam−side down;

repeat with remaining pastry, oil

and chicken filling.

5 Brush triangles with a little

more oil; dust with the extra

cinnamon. Bake for 50 minutes

or until browned lightly.

SERVING SUGGESTION

Serve with yoghurt, lemon wedges

and coriander leaves.

PUMPKIN & FETTA

FREEFORM TART

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

(+ REFRIGERATION) SERVES 4

800g jap pumpkin, cut into 3cm pieces

2 medium red onions (340g), cut into

wedges

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

80g fetta, crumbled

2 bocconcini (70g), torn

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

CREAM CHEESE PASTRY

1¼ cups (185g) plain flour

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

125g cold cream cheese, chopped

1 free−range egg

1 tablespoon cold water,

approximately

MIXED LEAF SALAD

100g baby mesclun

½ cup coarsely chopped fresh

flat−leaf parsley

1 tablespoon fresh dill sprigs

1 medium beurre bosc pear (230g),

cut into matchsticks

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan.

2 Place pumpkin, onion and thyme

on an oven tray lined with baking

paper; drizzle with oil. Season. Bake

for 25 minutes or until tender. Cool.

3 Meanwhile, make the cream

cheese pastry.

4 Roll pastry between sheets of baking

paper to a 30cm round. Remove top

sheet of baking paper; lift pastry on

paper to a second oven tray. Top pastry

with pumpkin mixture, fetta and

bocconcini, leaving a 4cm border all

around. Fold pastry side over filling,

pleating as you go to partially cover.

5 Bake tart for 30 minutes or until

golden and base is cooked through.

6 Meanwhile, make mixed leaf salad.

7 Top tart with thyme and serve with

mixed leaf salad.

CREAM CHEESE PASTRY

Process flour, salt and cream cheese

until crumbly; add egg and the

water, pulse until mixture just comes

together. Knead dough on a floured

surface until smooth. Wrap in plastic

wrap; refrigerate for 20 minutes.

MIXED LEAF SALAD

Place ingredients in a large bowl; toss

gently to combine. Season to taste.

DID YOU

KNOW?

Soaking onions in

iced water for

30 minutes to an hour

before chopping or

slicing slows the

release of the

enzymes that cause

the nose and eyes to

sting and water. It

also hydrates the

onion skin, making

it easier to peel.