From rich butter puff to crumbly shortcrust and crisp layered fillo, there’s a world of dishes to be made with delicious pastry. Here are some of my favourite recipes to make your own pastry and to make easy dishes using ready-made pastry sheets.
Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce Choux pastry seems daunting until you make it and realise just how easy it is. It can be used for a whole range of sweet and savoury recipes, but classic profiteroles with chocolate sauce is my favourite. Profiteroles can be filled with whipped cream or custard, but it’s hard to beat […]
Spicy Lamb Sausage Rolls The spicy lamb sausage rolls at the Uraidla Bakery in the Adelaide Hills are the best sausage rolls I’ve ever tasted and this is my attempt to recreate them. I love Carême’s wholemeal spelt pastry for this recipe, but use any good butter puff. If using Carême (which is already the […]
Greek Leek & Cheese Pie (Prasopita) I’ve always loved Greek pies like spanakopita (spinach and cheese), tiropita (cheese) and hortopita (wild weeds – see video below). Then I discovered this Greek leek and cheese pie, which might just be the most delicious of all. Prasopita is popular in Greece during Lent, when devout Orthodox Christians […]
Bacon & Egg Pie Bacon and egg pie is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner and, as it’s great served at room temperature, it makes ideal picnic fare. Best of all, the ingredients will be on hand in a well-stocked fridge. I was introduced to this pie by my friend Janni Kyritsis who makes his […]
Apple & Almond Pies These simple apple and almond pies looks impressive because of the plaited pastry (a trick I learnt years ago from an Australian Women’s Weekly cookbook), but are quick and easy and can be assembled up to a day ahead. Butter puff pastry makes a big difference to the flavour and mouth-feel; […]
Pecan Pie with Maple Cream As an Aussie, I’ve never been convinced by putting pumpkin, a vegetable I associate with Sunday roasts, into a sweet pie; but I do love pecan pie, another American classic. Pecans are grown widely throughout the southern USA, where pecan pie is as popular as pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving tables […]
Palmiers with Strawberries & Crème Fraîche These little French pastries are easy, versatile and delicious. The secret to palmiers is to use good butter puff pastry, not one made with margarine or other commercial fats; Carême brand is available in many delis and specialty stores and it’s handy to keep a roll or two in […]
Spanakopita I developed my recipe for this classic dish years ago, in consultation with a Greek friend whose Mum made the best spanakopita I’d ever tasted. I use a 21cm square baking dish to give four chunky serves, but use whatever size you have alternating the pastry sheets in a way to cover all of […]
Chicken & VegetablePot Pie There’s something very comforting about a homemade pie. This chicken and vegetable pot pie, which I’ve been making for over 30 years, is one of my favourites. If you’re short on time you can use a barbecued chicken and frozen vegetables; but if you have the time, make it from scratch […]
