Sunday, March 28, 2010

Jade: Bitemypesto

I was an only child for 4 years. And the way my mum would try to keep me entertained while she went about attending to her grown-up business was by leaving the telly on CNN or BBC....or any news programme for that matter. The idea was for my toddler self to believe the newscasters were actually talking to me..And so for an hour or so on most days, there I would sit, having rivetting conversations with my anchor friends. I no longer think Larry King is pointing at me because he caught me picking my nose..Some days though, when I am alone in my room and finding it hard to concentrate in the deafening silence, I put on a show on i-player and let the soothing voices of Nigel Slater and Nigella Lawson talk me through chapter after chapter of rheumatology.

Goats cheese and pesto parcel [I was in the middle of osteoarthritis when I caught bits of this recipe..and I knew..I just had to try it]

Pesto
50 g roughly chopped fresh basil

2 cloves crushed garlic
50 g roughly chopped toasted pine nuts
65g hard cheese..I used pecorino
big glug of olive oil
salt to taste

Pulse everything in a blender until it forms a vibrant green paste, faintly scented with garlic

Parcel
1 round goats cheese
1 big dollop pesto
1 square all butter puff pastry [try to avoid ready rolled ones, they don't taste as good]
1 beaten egg

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2. Roll out puff pastry into a nice big square
3. Place goats cheese in the middle, top with a generous dollop of fresh pesto
4. Brush the edges with beaten egg, bring all corners to the middle and pinch the seams firmly, making sure you get a tight seal
5. Give it a quick eggwash and bake for about 20 minutes
6. Serve hot on a bed of salad leaves and chopped tomatoes gently drizzled with olive oil and tossed in balsamic vinegar..
In the words of Nigel Slater.."There are few things that are quite as sexy to eat as hot, molten goats cheese..and warm, crumbly pastry.."

What to do with the leftover pesto? Beat in some cream cheese, toss with pasta, and top with freshly cracked black pepper...or better yet, seal it all in a fat, fluffy omelette with more goats cheese and thickly sliced tomatoes. They say gluttony is a sin..but for this, I would gladly be deemed a sinner ;)

2 comments:

  1. When are you coming back? Going to invite me to your house to your own home-cooked meal? Drool!!! LOL!!! Forgive me...I'm a sinner too! Hahahahaha!!!

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  2. hahahaha! June if all goes well and Yes I shall!hahaha..food is evil

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