Puff pastry pizzas

Puff pastry pizzas are the BEST, they are so easy to do and like most things involving puff pastry and cheese they are so delicious. Perfect to do for kids or as part of a lunch for your friends. Use whatever toppings you like...

1 pre rolled packet puff pastry
1/2 a jar of passata or tinned tomatoes pureed
handful of basil leaves
1 big ball of mozzarella torn apart
4 slices prosciutto, ham, salami
1 fresh chilli sliced or pinch of dried chilli flakes

Preheat you oven to 180˚C and score a crust line about 2 cm thick around the edge of your pastry, using a fork prick the middle gently all over. This stops the pastry from rising too much in the middle so it's easy to apply your toppings. Cook the pastry on its own in the oven for about 15-20 mins until it is slightly golden and the pastry is almost cooked. If you don't cook it enough now then the pastry will become very soggy in the middle, although lots of people love that!

Take the pastry out and spread the passata over the base, season with salt and pepper and scatter the mozzarella, basil leaves and chilli over. Slightly tear the prosciutto and spread over the pizza then cook in the oven till all melted and delicious, normally about 10-15 mins. To serve sprinkle over some fresh rocket leaves for the ultimate italian touch.

River cafe polenta, almond and lemon cake

This week has been a bit up and down with the weather, lots of rain and then an absolute scorcher yesterday in the 30˚s. Yesterday was an especially good day because not only did I get a little bit less pasty but I also stood up on my surfboard about 10 times!! I did almost die about twice getting absolutely smashed by waves and ended up with my hair looking a bit like a loo brush but very happy!! Since the weather has been crappy I made a huge cake, and I think this could be my newest most favourite cake I have ever made. I have been trawling through my River cafe books and there is so much amazing stuff so since I have all kinds of great ingredients on my door step I am going to go nuts and try loads this month. Serves 12 450g unsalted butter, softened 450g caster sugar 450g ground almonds 2 teaspoons good vanilla essence 6 free range eggs zest of 4 lemons juice of 1 lemon 225g polenta flour or fine semolina 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon of salt Preheat the oven to ...

I remember my first ever falafel, I was eighteen. I imagine not many people would remember something like that, but given that I was fresh from the Dorset countryside and there weren't many opportunities to try new food, I remember it! Maybe it was actually more memorable because of the epic shock I had when my head was blown off by the spiciest sauce ever! After a bit of swearing, sweating and a running nose I recovered and went back to my normal routine of ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch. Unfortunately I worked minutes away from Mustafas falafel van on Portobello and my workmate and now fellow hippy food friend Philly loved them, she dragged me back and under strict instructions Mustafa was banned from the bottle of spicy sauce. Anyway end of my story is that it turned out falafels are pretty damn good once you can taste them, and if your ever hungry on Portobello go and give them a try! This recipe is from Green Kitchen Stories which is one of my new favourite blogs, it...

Smoked trout pate

I have been in the Loire Valley for the last three weeks working for a lovely family with four kids, there has been lots of spaghetti on the walls, wine drinking, chocolatey faces and bum pinching from a certain naughty four year old. We are staying in a big Chateaux and my bedroom in in a turret so I am now calling myself Rapunzel, although no french men have been at my window trying to climb up my hair yet! Here is a nice little recipe from Jamie Oliver for smoked trout pate which I have been doing as a little addition to summer lunches. So unbelievably easy to make, just mix in a bowl or chuck into a magimix for a smoother pate. serves 6-8 125g cream cheese 2-3 heaped teaspoons jarred horseradish 1 lemon small bunch of chives finely chopped 125g hot smoked trout or salmon, skin removed sea salt and pepper Mix the cream cheese with the horseradish, zest from the lemon and half of the juice. Mix in most of the fresh chives just leaving a few to sprinkle on the top when you serve it. S...

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