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Beetroot Pasta Sauce, with Walnuts and Feta

24 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by Fabric of Madness in Dinner, Pasta

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beetroot, feta, pasta, walnuts

My tastebuds felt like something different – have been feeling a little lacklustre in the kitchen department lately. The other day I bought one beetroot from the supermarket, one beetroot. Yes, very random. One. Beetroot. What do you do with only one? You make some sauce, enough for 2 people, and wish you had more.
This recipe creates a dish with a glorious colour, if I had been more intent I would have made the pasta too. I am sure u may well do that, but if not don’t feel guilty, the sauce is SO good that you won’t worry too much about the pasta! The taste was subtle, but definitely there. The Walnuts and Feta were perfect accompanients, even if Mr MWCED didn’t think quite so – as he prefers parmesan to feta. It’s all really up to you and your taste, there are many variations on a theme that can be done here.  Limited only to your imagination (isn’t all cooking!).   Enjoy. IMG_1921Pasta with Roasted Beetroot Sauce, Walnuts and Feta

Serves: 2 (probably 3 – I had enough for a take to work lunch the next day)

300g fresh beetroot, cleaned and trimmed. Cut into diced pieces
4 – 6 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 slosh of white wine (whatever is close to hand, preferably dry)
200 ml chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup walnuts, shelled
½ cup feta, cut or broken into small pieces
Pasta of choice
Parsley

Heat oven to 200 C . Put beetroot and garlic onto an oven tray, Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and roast until beetroot is soft. Probably about 30/40 minutes. Make sure garlic doesn’t overcook.

Once cooked put beetroot and garlic into a blender. Add rest of olive oil, balsamic, wine, and start to blend. Add stock slowly and only use enough to ensure that the mixture is well blended and smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta and drain. Add beetroot sauce and keep warm over low heat. Meanwhile heat a frying pan and lightly cook walnuts – make sure they do not burn.

Put pasta into serving dish, top with walnuts and feta and parsley.

Mr MWCED doesn’t like feta, so I served this on the side, and subbed parmesan for him (also on the side). This dish can be made with many substitutes, it is very versatile.

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Pork Boreks

31 Sunday May 2015

Posted by Fabric of Madness in Dinner, Pork

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Tags

feta, Filo Pastry, Pork

The original recipe was for lamb,  but we don’t eat lamb so I thought a sub with pork would work fine.   I’ve had this recipe stashed away for ages, so it was well past time to actually do something with it.   I think there are many versions of Borek,  this particular one came from a Taste magazine (New Zealand), but unfortunately I don’t have the specific edition to link it to.   The recipe is a mouth-watering mix of pork mince, allspice, dill, nuts, onion, currants and feta, all rolled into filo pastry.  Then cooked until golden and crispy and served with a dollop of plain yoghurt with some pomegranate molasses swirled through.  Got you interested?

IMG_1835

Pork Boreks
(makes around 8 – 10 enough for 4 people, ready in around an hour)
– 1 small onion, finely chopped
– 1 clove garlic, crushed
– 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
– 1 Tbsp walnuts – the original recipe called for pine nuts – which would be great, but I didn’t have any – so subbed walnuts, because we Always Have Walnuts
– ¼ tsp allspice – I probably used more like half a teaspoon, maybe it’s because I am all grown up, but my taste buds seem to like more rather than less
– ¼ cup sultanas – reckon you could sub here too if you need to
– 500 g minced pork – you could use anything you wish here – I couldn’t find minced pork at the local shop so ended up buying some free range pork sausages and just taking them out of the casings
– 1 tsp salt
– 2 Tbsp chopped dill – seriously do you always have dill available? Unfortunately we don’t. Luckily I found dried dill heads at the local shop, which worked fine, as they were dried I used around a tablespoon
– 1 large egg
– 100 g feta
– packet of filo pastry – about 10 sheets
– Sesame seeds for sprinkling
– Plain unsweetened yoghurt
– Pomegranate molasses

  1. Put onion, garlic and olive oil in a pan and set over a low heat. Cook for 5 minutes until tender. Add nuts, allspice and sultanas and fry gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Add pork and break apart with a fork. Cook gently, turning pork over until it loses its pink look. Season with salt and cool.
  2. Add dill and egg to pork. Add feta and stir gently.
  3. Lightly brush the top of a sheet of filo with olive oil. Fold in half widthways. Spread a trail of pork mixture along one long edge (just in around 2cm from both top and sides), then starting at the edge, fold over from top and fold sides in around 1 to 2 cm, and roll down to form a slim sausage. Gently curl sausage into a spiral shape (to be honest my only wanted to bend into a half circle – probably depends on how much filling you have used). Transfer to a shallow baking dish lined with baking paper (ends tucked in). Repeat with remaining ingredients, packing parcels in to stop them unfolding.
  4. When all are done, brush with olive oil and sesame seeds. Have the oven preheated to 190 C (fanbake) and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the pastry looks golden and crispy.   Serve with a bowl of yoghurt with pomegranate molasses swirled in.

IMG_1833

The mix of yoghurt and pomegranate molasses worked so well.  I wasn’t too sure, but once tasted just wanted to keep tasting!

Dinner was served with the addition of a roast carrot and orzo salad and braised cabbage.  Simple but delicious.

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True Synergy – Pumpkin and Pasta

09 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by Fabric of Madness in Vegetables

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Tags

feta, pasta, pumpkin

IMG_0903

 

There is something blissful and delicious about pumpkin and pasta.  It is a favourite combination of ours and one we never tire of.     I only get to cook a couple of times a week (thank you Mr MWCED),  but even then I sometimes leave the run a little late in the day and need something easy and quick.  This may not be the quickest,  but it was easy, and anyway during the two main cooking times you can always pour a glass or 2 of wine.   I think the weather had chilled down a bit,  and I had a yearning for some comfort food (my body doesn’t need it,  but my mind certainly did!).   This recipe came from food.ninemsn.com.au and as usual I made a few tweaks:

Baked Pasta with Pumpkin, Feta and Basil

Ingredients:
500g pumpkin, peeled and chopped
3 rashers bacon, rind removed, chopped
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tablespoons oil
400g rigatoni pasta (or best alternative)
100g feta, crumbled
½ cup parsley, chopped
lots of basil leaves, chopped
½ cup (50g) grated mozzarella

Preheat oven to 190C or 170C fan. Place pumpkin, bacon, garlic and half of oil in a baking pan and toss to coat. Cook for 30-40 minutes, until pumpkin is tender. Squeeze garlic from skin.
Meanwhile cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water according to packet directions. Drain, preserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.
Combine pasta, pumpkin, bacon, garlic flesh, feta, parsley and basil plus remaining oil in a 10 cup ovenproof dish.  (Do you ever know how many cups your dish is?  I wouldn’t have clue,  so just choose whatever looks to be the right size).  At this stage I also sprinkle through just a tad of dried mixed herbs.  Pour over reserved liquid and top with mozzarella.   Bake for 25 minutes, until golden.  When serving use some basil sprigs for garnish.

A definite dish to repeat in the winter.  It will be one of our weekend standbys.   Hope you like it too.

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