Category: Recipe

“Learning to like it” (with recipes)

It is no revelation to say that I like food. Really really like food.

Not only do I spend a large proportion of my time dreaming about, cooking, recipe developing for, and, of course, consuming food, I also read and write a lot about food. Food gives us energy, and it is safe to say that I expend a fair chunk of that energy by pouring it back into food. I consider myself a fairly adventurous eater, and the list of things I won’t eat is pretty small.

But it certainly wasn’t always the case.… Read More “Learning to like it” (with recipes)

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Recipe: Spanakopita (season finale)

The recipe for this delectable pie comes from years of research (read: eating a piece of every spanakopita I came across) and months of recipe testing. It’s not a wholly authentic recipe, as I have zero Greek heritage or cultural connections, but it is as close as I felt I could get to the perfect genuine Greek spanakopita. It’s the perfect balance of a golden, flaky, buttery crust, that is sturdy enough to hold its own against a rich, robust and flavoursome filling of spinach, herbs and cheese.… Read More Recipe: Spanakopita (season finale)

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Spanakopita series: episode 2

There were many moments during episode 1 of this series where I honestly believed there would be no episode 2. After clearing out the final piece of my first spanakopita, it was nearly two months before I could gather my strength to try again.

I reviewed my shortlist of recipes again and, though I had decided commercial phyllo wasn’t fit for purpose here, I still had half a pack in the freezer, and its unorthodox use by Nagi of Recipe Tin Eats caught my eye. Everything from Nagi’s recipe was unorthodox, in fact…… Read More Spanakopita series: episode 2

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Spanakopita series: episode 1

Where I last left you, I had just finalised my shortlist of contenders for the perfect spanakopita. Yasmin Khan’s latest book Ripe Figs was already open on my kitchen cookbook stand, so her recipe seemed the natural place to start. If my first Spanakopita post has given you any indication of how long it took me to reach this particular point, you can likely understand that, once I had settled on the recipes, I wanted to jump right in. Nothing could deter me.… Read More Spanakopita series: episode 1

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Spanakopita series: prologue

If you will allow me to wax nostalgic for a moment, let me tell you about the first time I discovered spanakopita (Greek spinach pie).

It was, of course, in Greece, on a trip with my sisters some 10 years ago. In Thessaloniki, we walked past a roadside shop with humongous trays full of the stuff sitting innocuously in the window.

Encased in a flaky yet tender, crumbly yet moist, golden crust, was a filling of hearty, bitter greens with the zip of an abundance of herbs, delicately balanced with the sweetness that only comes from slow-cooked alliums and peppered with salty white cheese. The rich indulgence of the cheese offset the earthy, herbaceous greens beautifully. The two pie elements were married perfectly, neither overpowering the other; the perfect ratio of pastry to stuffing.

Spanakopita had our hearts and our tastebuds.… Read More Spanakopita series: prologue

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Recipe: Tahini cheesecake with oat crumble crust

This tahini cheesecake is wholly inspired by the delectable sesame crumble recipe from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley. I whipped up a batch of this spiced, complexly flavoured sesame crumble and, as it roasted, my kitchen was filled with the tantalising scent of brown butter, toasty oats, sesame, rosewater and cardamom.

Eaten with Greek yoghurt, tahini and date syrup, the nutty savouriness of the tahini paired with creamy tang of the yoghurt was perfectly balanced and absolutely addictive. It made me think of the best kind of cheesecake. This cheesecake.… Read More Recipe: Tahini cheesecake with oat crumble crust

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Recipe: #LifeHack gnocchi

As many parents will tell you, cooking changes after you have a child. Today I want to talk to you about a secret weapon that I now keep in my back pocket: packet gnocchi.

I know what you’re thinking. Packet gnocchi is not gnocchi. They’re spongy, doughy lumps of what feels like reconstituted potato dusted in a fine grainy substance (what is that? Is it semolina? Is it another flour? What?), that is little improved by the cooking process. But packet gnocchi is not just packet gnocchi when you know the trick to cooking it… Read More Recipe: #LifeHack gnocchi

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An Ode to the Savoury Loaf

An idle scroll through my Instagram account will show you that I tend to bake loaves a lot. I usually bake my sweet cakes in loaf form too, but the savoury loaf sits in pride of place on my breakfast bar and in my heart.

I’ve gathered here my favourite recipes (and tasting notes) for your reading and drooling pleasure, along with links if you so feel inclined to whip out your own loaf tins. Some of the recipes listed below call for baking in a round or square cake tin, and I do occasionally oblige. When baking for communal grazing purposes (office morning teas, picnics, socially distanced events), the muffin tin also works wonders and has the benefits of a high crust-to-inner ratio.

But I always return to the savoury loaf.… Read More An Ode to the Savoury Loaf

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