Greek lamb dish with tomato and pasta

Greek lamb dish with tomato and pasta

 

4-5 people

 

Preparation: 50 minutes

Oven time: 30 minutes

 

400 g leg of lamb without bone

2 onions

4 cloves of garlic

2 green peppers

2 spoonfuls of olive oil

1 spoonful of dried oregano

1 ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder

2 teaspoons of ginger powder

nutmeg

1 bayleaf

200 ml dry white wine

1 can (800 g) skinned tomatoes

salt

freshly ground epper

300 g penne or macaroni

2 eggs

125 ml crème fraîche

100 g grated old Gouda cheese

 

*           Cube the meat. Peal and shred the onions and the garlic. Wash and halve the peppers, remove the core and cube the rest of the fruit.

 

*           Heat the oil in a wok or casserole and stirfry the meat, onion and garlic shreds and the pieces of peppers for about 5 minutes. Add all the herbs and stir in the wine and skinned tomatoes, with juice. Bring it all to the boil and allow to simmer gently for about 30 minutes until the juice has thickened to the consistency of a sauce. Spice the meat generously with salt and pepper.

 

*           Boil the pasta in plenty of water with salt, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Strain the pasta and stir it through the meat mixture. Spoon everything into a shallow ovendish.

 

*           Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F.

 

*           Beat the eggs with the crème fraîche into a smooth mixture and stir in the cheese. Pour this mixture over the meat and pasta mixture.

 

*           Bake the dish in the centre of the oven for about 30 minutes until golden brown and done. In a fan assisted oven, bake at 200 C for 15 minutes

 

*           Nice with a tomato salad.

Bacon and Courgette Carbonara Bake

Bacon and Courgette Carbonara Bake

Serves 4

8 oz / 250 g pasta bows (or twists)

15 ml olive oil or sunflower oil

1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

7 oz / 200 g lean bacon, cut into strips

3 or 4 medium courgettes, thinly sliced

300 ml tub crème fraiche

2 eggs beaten

4 oz / 110 g mature cheddar cheese, grated

1 tsp dried oregano or fresh herbs

salt

pepper

Cook pasta. Drain and reserve.

Heat the oil and garlic together in a large pan over a moderate heat. Add the bacon strips and fry gently for 5-6 minutes, stirring continuously. 

In another large frying pan, heat some oil and fry the courgettes gently, turning until slightly browned on each side. 

In a jug, beat the eggs, add the crème fraiche, half the cheese and the oregano. Season to taste.
Layer the ovenproof dish with pasta, then the bacon, then the courgettes - and repeat.
Pour over the sauce, then finish with the remainder of the cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F, gasmark 4, for 20 to 30 minutes.

Recipe amended 28 July 2015

Mary's Fruit Loaf

In memory of Mary MacLeod

Ingredients
4 oz / 100 g soft margarine
1 cupful sugar
3/4 cupful sultanas
3/4 cupful currants or mixed fruit
1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cupful cold water
2 cupfuls self-raising flour
1 egg

Put the margarine, sugar, fruit, bicarb and cold water into a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 5-8 minutes.
Leave to cool.
Sieve into mixture the self-raising flour and add one beaten egg.
Put this mixture into a 1lb [500 g] loaf tin and bake in gas oven mark 4 / 180 C / 350 F for about an hour. Some times it may be ready a few minutes early; test with a skewer, knitting needle of knife.
Leave in the tin to cool, which makes it easier to cut the next day

Granny's Quick Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

CAKE
4 oz / 125 g soft margarine
4 oz / 125 g castor sugar
3½ oz / 100 g self-raising flour
1 oz / 30 g cocoa powder
2 beaten eggs
½ level teaspoon baking powder can be added if necessary

FILLING & TOPPING (butter icing)
4 oz / 125 g butter
3½ oz / 100 g icing sugar
1 oz / 30 g drinking chocolate powder (e.g. Cadbury's), not cocoa powder
a few drops of vanilla essence
chocolate (dark / milk / buttons &c)

PREPARATION OF CAKE
Cream the margarine, sugar together
Add the eggs and flour / cocoa mixture alternatively
Bake in an 8" / 20 cm round baking tin at 160 C / 320 F for about 25 minutes
When cool, cut cake horizontally and fill with half of the butter icing (see filling & topping).  Spread the other half of the butter icing over the top of the cake and sprinkle with grated chocolate or similar

From the land of the rising scone

Rich Tea Scones
225 g / 8 oz self-raising flour
half a level teaspoon salt
one level teaspoon of baking powder
25 - 50 g / 1-2 oz butter
1 - 2 level tablespoons castor sugar
1 beaten egg
milk
50 g dried fruit (sultanas, optional)

Preheat the oven to 230 C

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder together with the sugar
Rub in the butter until it resembles fine bread crumbs
Make a hollow in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the egg and sufficient milk to 150 ml in volume.
Using a knife, mix into a fairly soft dough, working quickly
Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to a thickness of about 2 cm and cut into 5 cm rounds
Put on a baking sheet [tray]; if desired brush with beaten egg or milk (supplementary to above ingredients)
Bake towards the top of the oven for 8 - 10 minutes until golden brown and well risen.
Cool on wire rack and serve the scones split and buttered