While I like to encourage readers to cook everything from scratch, I fully appreciate that many of you are pressed for time during the working week.
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Today's temptations are aimed at making dinner a less formidable task by using a product that is already prepared for you: ready-rolled frozen pastry.
Nobody can persuade me that instant coffee is anywhere near as good as coffee made from real coffee beans.
Nor are many other instant foods equal to the real thing, but miraculously the producers of pastry have succeeded.
Not only does the frozen variety save a vast amount of preparation, as anyone who has attempted to make their own puff pastry would know, but the mass produced variety results in pastry as it should be – be light, buttery, crisp and enticingly golden.
That's why I always have packets of both shortcrust and puff pastry in my freezer.
Stock up your own freezer and you will have the perfect base for any of the savoury pies or absolutely delicious desserts on offer today. Cooking made easy.
Serves 6 to 8. This hearty dish couldn't be easier to prepare after a hard day at work. If you don't use all of it in one go, just put the remainder in a hot oven to heat through and keep the pastry crisp.
4 large (29 x 29cm) sheets ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
500g lean bacon rashers, rind removed, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
13 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
tomato sauce, to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 28 x 30 x 3cm baking tray. Line the base and sides using two sheets of puff pastry, tucking the pastry into the corners and carefully sealing the join down the middle. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the chopped bacon in a heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat and cook until it starts to crisp. Set aside on a paper towel to drain and cool. Sprinkle half the bacon into the pastry-lined pan and top evenly with all the cheese.
Break 12 of the eggs over the cheese, then top with the remaining bacon and parsley.
Combine the remaining egg with one tablespoon of water and use half of it to brush the pastry edges. Top with the remaining two sheets of pastry, pressing the joints together to seal. Pinch the edges together and brush the pastry top with the remaining beaten egg.
Use a knife to make two air holes in the top, then bake in the oven for 45 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. Serve the bacon and egg slice warm with the tomato sauce, if liked, and a simple green salad.
Serves 4. Quite unique and and you don't need potatoes due to the puff pastry.
4 (200g each) skinless chicken breasts
4 large puff pastry sheets
1 egg, lightly beaten
150ml white wine
50ml brandy
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
500g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
300ml thickened cream
2 teaspoons cornflour
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
salt/pepper
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cut each pastry sheet into 2cm strips. Wrap the strips around each chicken breast, overlapping to completely cover the chicken, then brush all over with the egg. Place on a greased baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Bake the chicken for 30 minutes until golden.
Meanwhile, to make the sauce, place the wine, stock, brandy, bay leaf and thyme in a saucepan over high heat and cook until reduced by half. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
Add the mushrooms and cream, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, for two to three minutes.
Combine the cornflour and cold water in a small bowl, then add to the sauce. Continue to cook for one minute until slightly thickened. Stir in the butter and chives. Serve the chicken drizzled with the sauce and a selection of steamed green vegetables.
Serves 4. You will need four, 250ml (one cup) ramekins for this recipe. One of my favourite pie dishes.
500g smoked cod
200g raw scallops or shelled prawns
500ml milk
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup broccoli florets, blanched
50g butter
4 tablespoons plain flour
salt/pepper
100ml dry white wine
2 large sheets puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Place the cod, shellfish and bay leaves into a frying pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. Drain, reserving the milk. Remove the bay leaves and discard any skin from the cod. Place the cod in a bowl and break the flesh into flakes, adding the halved or quartered shellfish depending on size. Add the parsley, eggs and broccoli. Melt the butter in a clean saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for one minute until it starts to honeycomb (when small bubbles appear over the surface). Add the wine and the reserved milk, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for one to two minutes until thickened. Combine with the fish mixture and divide between the four ramekins, then set aside to cool.
When ready to continue, preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut out four 12cm circles from the pastry sheets and brush one side with the egg. Place the pastry, egg side down over each dish, pressing down to stick to the outside of the dish. Brush the tops with more egg and bake for 20 minutes until golden.
Serves 4. Rosettes of sliced apple on puff pastry bases.
4 large puff pastry sheets
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons caster sugar
honey, to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut four 12cm circles from the puff pastry. Place them on a lightly greased baking tray.
Place the apple slices, overlapping in circular rows, on top of the pastry. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. To serve, move each galette to individual plates, drizzle each one with honey and offer whipped or pouring cream, or vanilla ice cream.
Serves 4. Breathtaking indulgence – fruits and thick vanilla cream sandwiched between golden pastry.
2 large puff pastry sheets
1 egg beaten
300g defrosted mixed berries
1 ripe banana, sliced
2 passionfruit
1 Chinese gooseberry, peeled, sliced and halved
200ml cream
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon caster sugar
icing sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut each pastry sheet into four triangles, brush with the egg and place on a greased baking tray. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden.
Meanwhile, beat together the cream, vanilla essence and caster sugar until thick. Chill.
To serve, place one pastry triangle on each plate. Using half the whipped cream, top each triangle with a good dollop of cream, then stud the cream with berries, banana and Chinese gooseberry pieces.
Spread the remaining cream over the fruit, spooning the passionfruit pulp on top.
Finish with the other pastry triangle, best side up, gently pressed onto the cream and dusted with icing sugar. Voila!