Old Fashion Rhubarb Pie

Serves 6

350g plain flour plus
3 tbsp extra
small pinch salt
130g butter plus
2 small knobs

120g lard (see Tips)
600g young pink rhubarb
200g caster sugar
milk for brushing

 

TO SERVE

• cream, crème fraîche or custard

 

• Have ready an oval pie dish or tin, 900ml-1 litre capacity, about 24cm long or similar. 
• Sieve the 350g flour with the salt into a bowl. Rub in the 130g butter and the lard until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then mix in about 4 tbsp cold water, and work to a smooth dough – adding a drop more water if it needs it. Divide into two balls, one slightly larger than the other, cover and chill for 30 minutes. 
• Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6. Lightly grease the pie dish using a knob of butter. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball of pastry to 5mm thick. Line the pie dish with the larger sheet, roughly trimming the edges (you will neaten these later).  
• Trim the rhubarb and cut into short lengths. Combine the sugar with the reserved 3 tbsp flour. Pile the rhubarb in the pastry case, sprinkling over
• the sugar mixture evenly and dotting with the remaining knob of butter as you go.  
• Brush the pastry rim with milk, cover with the remaining sheet of pastry, and press down lightly around the edge to seal. Using a small knife, neatly trim off the pastry, letting the blade follow the outside rim of the dish. Brush the pie with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Make three diagonal slashes across the top of the pie. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden (if the top browns too fast, move to the bottom shelf). Eat with cream, crème fraîche or custard.

TIPS If you don’t wish to use lard, use all butter in the pastry. If making the pie later in the year with more astringent summer rhubarb, add a little extra sugar.

VARIATION Add grated orange zest or a sprinkling of ground ginger to the filling.

CHEAT Use bought shortcrust pastry. And, rather than lining the bottom of the dish, make a pastry lid only.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1262084/Recipe-Old-fashioned-rhubarb-pie.html#ixzz2zmekRlEj
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Chicken Saute with Tomato (Domatesli Tavuk Sote)

1 chicken breast, cut in cubes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in small pieces
2 green onions, chopped
2 tomato, cut in cubes
2 tbsp crushed tomato, in can
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1 pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp oregano
Salt
Pepper

In a medium sized pan, saute the chicken and garlic with olive oil until the garlic cloves lose their smell. Add all the remaining ingredients. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes with the lid covered. If necessary, add a little bit hot water.

Ragù alla Napoletana

Ragù is the traditional Sunday lunch for most southern Italian families: the tomato sauce dresses the pasta and the meat is served as a main course.

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 500g/1lb 2oz topside of beef, chopped into medium-sized pieces
• 500g/1lb 2oz pork ribs
• 200g/7oz Italian pork sausages
• 2 tbsp tomato purée, diluted in 100ml/3½fl oz red wine
• 3 x 400g/14oz tins chopped tomatoes
• handful fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• pasta or bread, to serve

Preparation method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until softened.
2. Add the beef, ribs and sausages to the pan and continue to fry until the meat is browned all over (you may need to do this in batches).
3. Increase the heat, stir in the diluted tomato concentrate and continue to cook until the volume of the liquid is reduced by one-third.
4. Add the tomatoes and basil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir well.
5. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook very gently for about two hours, or until the sauce is thick and silky. Stir from time to time, checking that there is enough moisture; if necessary add a little more wine or water.
6. Remove from the heat and serve with pasta as suggested above, or on its own with lots of good bread to mop up the rich tomato sauce.

Curry with Left-over Lamb

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp. oil

2 red onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 1/2 tsp. Turmeric 

1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

2 tbsp. medium curry powder

1 tbsp. ground coriander

1 tbsp. tomato purée

200g+  lamb shoulder, diced

1 courgette sliced

200ml (7oz) water

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp. Schwartz Coriander Leaf 

1 tin/box 400 ml tomatoes

Sea Salt to season

Rice to serve

METHOD:

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan, add the onions and Garlic and cook for 10 minutes.

2. Add the Turmeric, cayenne pepper, Medium Curry Powder, Ground Coriander and the tomato purée and cook for a further minute.

3. Add the diced lamb, sliced courgette,water, tomatoes, lemon juice and Coriander.

4. Simmer for 15 minutes, then season to taste and serve with Pilau rice.