Spain does not celebrate the English tradition of Bonfire Night in November, but they do have 1st November as All Saints Day. On this day all the family get together and celebrate any member who has passed on. Often they take food to the cemeteries and spend the day there, but I asked my Spanish friends what they would take? It turns out a lot of pies, pastries or anything made with pastry, so I decide to make this the theme for my recipes this month. Below are some English and some Spanish recipes, but basically once you have made the pastry, you can put anything in it. I have started off the recipes with my easy basic pastry recipe.
Buen Apetito
Pastry
- 1¼ cups of plain or wholemeal flour
- Pinch of salt
- 4 oz butter
- Cold water to mix.
Mix ingredients together until mixed, but do not over work. Roll out and cut to suit.
Red Cheese Quiche
- 4 eggs
- 275 ml milk
- 30ml tomato puree
- 30ml Worcestershire sauce
- 30ml chopped parsley
- 30ml chopped chives
- 125g grated red cheese
Make pastry and chill. Beat eggs with the milk, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and herbs. Mix in the cheese. Roll out pastry and line quiche dish. Pour in the egg mixture and bake for 40 minutes on 200ºC
Meat and Vegetable Pie
- 250g pastry
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 onion
- 60g butter
- 2tbsp plain flour
- 284 ml water
- 1 x beef stock
- 350g leftover cooked meat or fresh mincemeat
- Seasoning
Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Melt the butter in a saucepan and gently fry the chopped onion and crushed garlic. Add the meat (if using fresh mincemeat, cook until brown) and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add seasoning and flour and stir until all flour absorbed. Add the water and beef stock and stir until smooth then add any cooked vegetables and stir in. Remove from heat. Roll out the pastry and place in dish, add mixture and cover with pastry lid and coat with egg. Cook in oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Tomato and Cheese Tart
- 200g full fat soft cheese
- 75g butter
- 2 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 10ml mustard
- 225g plain flour
- 450g ripe tomatoes
- 75ml milk
- Rosemary
- Salt and pepper
Beat half the cheese with butter, egg yolk and mustard. Mix into flour and then knead until smooth. Roll out pastry and line a tin, bake on 200ºC for 10-15 minutes until set. Meanwhile skin tomatoes and cut into wedges. Whisk together the eggs, remaining cheese, milk and rosemary and seasoning. Arrange tomatoes in flan case and pour over mixture. Bake on 180ºC for 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
Apple and Raisin Parcels
- 450g cooking apples
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 50g sugar
- ¼tsp ground cinnamon
- 50g raisins
- 2 x pastry from recipe
Peel, core and chop the apples and toss in the lemon juice to prevent discolouring. Place 2 tbsp of cold water, sugar and spices into a pan. Stir in apples and cook gently for 5 minutes. Stir in raisins and allow to cool. Roll out pastry and cut into squares. Place a spoonful of the apple mixture in the centre of the square and bring the corners up to the middle and pinch together. Cook in oven 200ºC for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Vegetable Pie
- 1lb diced potatoes
- 1lb cauliflower
- 1lb diced carrots
- 1lb diced swede
- 3 spring onions
- 1tsp vegetable extract
- 1tsp oatmeal
Cook everything together with just enough water to cover, stirring often to prevent it sticking to the pan. Let the mixture cool. Spoon into a pie dish, and cover with a crust of pastry. Bake in a moderate oven.