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It was close to midday by the time I had wiped down the kitchen sink. Two loaves of freshly baked sourdough sat proudly on the bench as the crust crackled and cooled. Half a dozen frozen balls of cookie dough waited patiently in line next to the oven, which was next to my white baking dish that was full of grated granny smith apples and finely diced pieces of crystalised ginger, both had been stirred through melted butter, a touch of spice, some flour and a scattering of brown sugar - an old fashioned favourite, self-saucing pudding. A chicken and sausage cassoulet slowly bubbled away in the oven, the rich red sauce thickening around the sides of the pan; the sausages - thick and plump, a gorgeous golden hue. I plucked a pumpkin pancake from the pile and covered its golden surface with a lick of butter. The cool, crisp late morning air was refreshing as it hit my cheeks as I stepped outside, I tightened the belt of my dressing gown around my waist and melted into the comforting lightly spiced flavour of the fluffy pancake. The recipe for which came about after having seen Penny Todman post a recipe for her pumpkin pancakes over on her Instagram feed. I had also made The Clever Carrot's Fluffy sourdough pancakes a week or two before and so I combined the two which resulted in a rather happy experiment. It seemed that our dog, three chickens and one dirt-stained little boy wanted in on the fluffy pancake action too as it wasn't long before they were all huddled around my legs, eager for a taste! I handed one to Beau, took my last mouthful and stepped back inside to the warmth. A quick check of the timer on the oven told me I had at least half an hour before lunch would be ready to take out. It was time for a shower! If there has been one thing I have taken great pleasure in doing every Sunday since we went into lockdown it is this - these slow Sunday mornings when Ben is home, it is the planning of a special lunch. A dessert. Baking bread and generally just, being. Being at home, together. Being in the kitchen. Being well-fed. Being nourished. Being happy for the simple, for what we have and continue to create in this little home of ours. It is being grateful for the small, insignificant happenings and goings-on of daily life during a pandemic and it is enjoying piping hot, spiced pumpkin sourdough pancakes on a chilly late winters morning. Spiced Pumpkin Sourdough Pancakes Makes approx 10, depending on size 1 cup cooled mashed roasted butternut pumpkin 50g almond meal 50g buckwheat flour 50g plain flour 1 tbsp caster sugar pinch of salt 1 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp bi-carb soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon 120g sourdough starter 1 free-range egg 1/2 cup of milk 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the pan In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the sourdough starter with the egg and milk, add the almond meal, flour, buckwheat, sugar, salt, baking powder, bi-carb and cinnamon and then whisk to combine. Lastly, add the melted butter and once again whisk until its lovely and smooth. Cover and place in the fridge to rest overnight. The next morning, whisk in the mashed pumpkin until smooth once again. Heat a large frypan over medium heat and add in a good knob of butter, swirl it around so that it coats the bottom. Drop about 2 tbsp worth of batter to make one pancake, I can fit three pancakes in mine at a time, but you just fit in as many as you can. As soon as the tops of the pancakes have little bubbles appearing all over them, its time to flip. They should be beautiful and golden. Continue to cook for another minute or so, or until golden on both sides. Remove and keep warm while you continue with the rest of the batter. Serve with butter, maple syrup, fresh berries, vanilla-infused ricotta, honey or even ice cream if you so desire. They are also enjoyable as a mid-morning snack in the days following if you find that they are not all eaten on a Sunday morning...I have been looking forward to my morning tea these last couple of days as I smear mine with a good dollop of ricotta followed by a drizzle of honey, hot cacao by my side as we sit out on the back deck. And only when we have finished the very last crumbs are the chooks allowed out... those girls are fierce when it comes to food!

I am finding the scribbled notes on the lined piece of paper in my notebook hard for me to even decipher...Arrows pointing here another over there...did I mean that the hazelnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon were blitzed together? Was it mascarpone or creme fraiche? 4 or 6 pears in total? All of these questions and more spin around inside my head making me slightly dizzy!! Beau's little scribbles only add another layer in the decoding of it all, oh my! This is the way every recipe begins. My notebook close by as I jot down different ingredients and flavours that I want to incorporate. It's like a slowly simmering pot, bubbling its way to the surface. Sometimes it can take a couple of weeks before I am able to even get to the testing stage and sometimes I can trip over a happy accident - just like the pear, rosemary and apple tart recipe that I shared in a post over on Instagram. It is when this happens I give a little clap of my hands and then I have to madly write everything down before it completely leaves my headspace! It was the elegant Beurre Bosc pears at Hawkes Farm that inspired this cake. A tub of ricotta and a couple of day-old sourdough slices helped bring this winter warming sweet treat to life. The stickiness of the dates adds to the lovely moist crumb. brown sugar gives it a caramel note or two and cinnamon, ginger and star anise add comfort when we need it most. The spiced sourdough crumb that is finally scattered over the top makes use of stale bread ends and adds a heavenly crunch. It may be worlds apart from the Sara Lee sticky date pudding that I very much enjoyed when I was younger (I couldn't think of anything more ghastly now!!) But, I have to say I'm pretty thrilled with how my version of a somewhat "grown-up" sticky date cake turned out. On the day of baking and testing of this recipe, we enjoyed thick slices, still warm, on pretty china plates with Ben's mum and dad. The verdict was a resounding "Yes!" But the question of whether or not the ricotta layer had to be in there was brought up? I decided to keep it as I really love the way it looks once sliced into but, by all means, it could just as easily be left out, if you so desired. As could the poached pears, however, they may just be my favourite part followed very closely by that golden, crunchy crumbly topping! If you feel the need to be cocooned in your kitchen during these chilly days, poaching pears and licking spiced cake batter from the spoon then I can highly recommend giving this warming sweet treat a try. Please let me know if you do, it brings such a smile to my face knowing that a recipe I have shared has been welcomed into your home, into your kitchen and perhaps shared amongst friends - if where you live at the moment you are allowed to do such things, and if not, then perhaps you could leave a few slices on your neighbours' doorstep. Whatever you decide, I hope that it brings comfort and that it satisfies a sweet craving in these challenging times. Sticky date cake with poached pears and a sourdough crumb Makes a 20cm cake Don't let the extensive list here put you off, it really isn't a hard cake to make. It just asks you to give a little of your time. For the cake 250g dates, pitted and chopped roughly 1 1/2 cups of milk 1 teaspoon bi-carb soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 125g unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup brown sugar 2 free-range eggs, at room temperature 1 3/4 cups self-raising flour For the poached pears *I poached 6 pears in total, but the recipe only requires 3, however, they are quite handy to have stored in the fridge in their syrup to serve on top of porridge, or with a dollop of yoghurt and a sprinkle of granola. Or you could use them in cakes or for a crumble for a quick dessert. 6 beurre bosc pears, peeled halved and cored 250g caster sugar 800ml water cinnamon stick 2 star anise 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and pod used as well a peeled rind from an orange For the spiced sourdough crumb 2 - 3 slices of day-old sourdough 1/2 cup of hazelnuts 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 50g unsalted butter, at room temperature For the ricotta layer 250g ricotta 50g creme Fraiche 1 tablespoon brown sugar the zest of an orange 1 tablespoon of poaching liquid Firstly we will begin with the poached pears. Dissolve the sugar in the water in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, vanilla seeds and pod and the orange rind, give this a stir and then carefully add the pears. Place a round circle of baking paper over the top and then cover and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes or until the pears are just tender when a knife is inserted. Remove the pears at this point and then bring the syrup up to a boil and reduce this down for about 15 minutes. Discard the aromatics and pour the syrup into a clean jar or container. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees celsius. Grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin with butter and baking paper, extending the paper 5cm above the rim. Place the dates into a medium saucepan with the milk and cook until the milk is just about to reach boiling point. Remove from the heat and stir in the bi-carb. Be careful as it will rise so just keep stirring. Allow to sit while you get along with the rest of the recipe for now. Break up the slices of bread into chunks and lay them out onto a lined baking tray, pop into the oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until golden and crusty. Place them into a blender and blitz until you have fine crumbs. Tip out into a bowl and then blitz the hazelnuts with the sugar and cinnamon until chopped coarsely. Pour these into the bowl with the crumbs and then using your fingertips, rub the butter into the ingredients until you end up with a crumble like topping. Set aside. Now onto the ricotta filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth and then set this aside too. Now onto the cake... Take your milk-soaked dates and pour these into a blender along with the vanilla and ginger and cinnamon and blend until smooth. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy and then add the eggs, one at a time. Beating until incorporated. Fold through the sifted flour.5 Now comes the fun part. Pour half of the cake batter into your prepared tin, spread over the ricotta mixture using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to level it out. Place the pears, cut side up on top, pressing down only very slightly. Now spoon the rest of the cake batter over the top and smooth out, scatter over the sourdough crumb mix. At this point, the cake will almost be to the top of the tin but do not worry as the excess baking paper around the edge will stop it from overflowing! Pop into your oven on the middle shelf and bake for an hour and 50 minutes (long and slow baking time), checking to make sure the top is not browning too much, if it is simply just cover with a sheet of foil. The cake should feel slightly firm to the touch once done. Allow to cool in the tin for at least 45 minutes before removing. It is lovely served still warm but it's just as good the following days. It will keep in the fridge for at least 5 days and could even be reheated in the microwave (if you have one)

The calmness of the bay and the wild unpredictable waters of the ocean can both be reached within minutes from our humble little weatherboard home. Ben and Beau quite often take off in the car bound for the back beach, only to return later with pockets full of sand, wind-swept hair and icy cold faces. It was a few weeks ago now, before the second round of lockdown that we packed up our picnic basket, donned our thick coats and set up our lunch in the boot of the car. With a beach towel laid out and freshly baked potato and garlic bread sliced, we warmed our hands around mugs of piping hot soup poured from the thermos and huddled together watching the waves crash to the shore. This is a recipe to soothe, comfort and nourish. And can be enjoyed in the comfort of your home, in front of the fire or huddled together in the boot of your car. I believe that picnics can be enjoyed in any season. Sometimes we just have to get a little creative... Pumpkin, ginger and lemongrass soup Makes quite a generous amount, perfect for freezing. 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely diced 5cm piece of ginger, finely diced 1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, finely sliced 4cm piece of fresh turmeric, finely diced (if you don't have fresh simply substitute with 1/2 tsp of ground) 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp ground coriander a pinch of ground cinnamon 1 tbsp ginger, lime jam (optional) 900g butternut pumpkin, skin removed and cut into 3cm chunks 150g carrots (about 2 large) cut into chunks 400g tin crushed tomatoes Salt and black pepper enough water or stock (vegetable or chicken) to cover (about 600ml) 400ml coconut milk fish sauce to taste the juice of 1 lemon or lime toasted shredded coconut and pepitas to scatter over the top In a large heavy-based pot, heat the oil and add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook over medium-low heat until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, kaffir lime leaves, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and jam (if using) stir it all together and continue to cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Tumble in the pumpkin and carrots and give it a good stir so that everything is beautifully coated. Pour in the tomatoes and then fill the can with a little water to swish around to get those last remaining bits of tomato out, pour this in too, followed by the water or stock, a pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Bring this all to the boil and then reduce to a simmer, partly covered until the pumpkin is tender when pushed against with the back of a spoon. About 30-40 minutes should do it. Take off the heat and using a stick blender or carefully ladling it into a blender, blitz it until lovely and smooth. Pop it back over the heat over a low flame, become mesmerised with the marble effect as you pour in the coconut milk. Add a few dashes of fish sauce as well as the juice of a lemon or lime. Taste and check the seasoning. You may need a little more fish sauce, or a little more pepper, you decide what tastes good. Ladle into bowls and scatter over the toasted coconut and pepitas.

My heavy-based casserole pot sits on top of the stove even when it's not in use. It's covered in cooking stains, burnished marks that each tell a story...Vegetable laden curries, pot-roasted chicken complete with potatoes, cream and mustard, and slow-cooked lamb shanks have all added their splotches and splatters over time. In the early hours of the morning, at least once, if not twice a week she warms her insides up in the heat of the oven. Waiting patiently to cocoon the soft, pillow-like sourdough rounds that have been resting on the bench. She also makes the most perfect vessel to serve whatever it is that has been prepared in her, picked up from the stove and taken straight over to the table so that everyone can serve themselves. This is how I love to share meals, be it with a table full of special people or simply just the 4 of us. For me, it shows the abundant love that has been poured or stirred into the meals I create, just like this warming seafood meal. The orange-hued oil seeps out from the chorizo. Mussels, prawns, calamari and large chunks of fish follow. Fennel seeds, tomatoes, risoni. A splash of white wine, a scattering of peas, the juice of a lemon. Taken to the table, serving spoon in hand, fresh bread at the ready and a chunk of parmesan to the side. The open fire flickers as the rain falls softly, sending slow-moving trails down the fogged up windows. This is winter and what better way to fully embrace her icy conditions than warming up with a bowl full of this comforting, nourishing meal. Fennel, chorizo & marinara risoni Serves 4-6 1 chorizo sausage, casing removed and sliced lengthways, then sliced into half-moons 2 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, thinly sliced 2 tsp fennel seeds 2 garlic cloves, finely diced 500g marinara mix 1 tin crushed tomatoes (i love using Mutti) 350g risoni (or a mix of rice and risoni also works well too) 1/4 cup white wine 1-litre chicken stock 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen peas a knob of butter zest and juice of a lemon a handful of parsley, chopped Parmesan for serving In a large heavy-based casserole, with a lid, add the chorizo and cook over medium heat until the oils release and it's just starting to colour. Remove from the pan and set aside. Leaving the oils behind. Add the olive oil and the red onion and cook until softened, now add the fennel seeds and the garlic cloves and continue to cook until fragrant. Now you can add the seafood and cook for 5 minutes or so. Pour in the tomatoes and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Pour this mixture into a large bowl and set aside. Place the pot back over the heat, now you can add the risoni along with another glug of olive oil, stir it all together so that it's coated in the remaining sauce. Add the white wine and cook until reduced. Pour in the stock and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the stock has been absorbed by the rice/risoni, stirring so as to make sure that the rice/risoni is not sticking to the bottom. Add the seafood mix back into the pot now along with the chorizo, peas and continue to cook for a few more minutes. Turn off the heat and stir through the butter, lemon zest and juice and the parsley and season to taste. Pop the lid on and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Serve with a generous grating of parmesan, a crisp garden salad and fresh bread with lashings of butter.

They are the final addition to my basket, their long, slender rosy-red stems balance on top of a beautiful snow-white cauliflower, a butternut pumpkin, locally grown potatoes, broccoli, long green beans and brussels sprouts. I enter the large shed at Hawkes farm; an Aladdin's cave of inspiring produce. My mind happily racing, concocting ideas as my hands pick up whatever catches my eye at the time. I invariably leave with my basket overflowing and find myself saying to the staff every single time, "I knew I should have bought another bag in with me!" Crimson rhubarb and raspberry jam with a hint of floral essence from my last remaining bergamot gifted to me from Kath www.kulinaryadventuresofkath.com slowly bubbled away on the stovetop, sending the most wonderful aroma through the kitchen. My hands pressed the buttery shortbread base into the tin, fork marks followed - baked until tinged with a pale golden hue. The jam spread generously over the hot base. Eggwhites whipped until snowy soft peaks. Finely shredded coconut folded through. Baked. Cooled. Sliced. Shared. It's tart. Not too sweet, slightly chewy and makes for one very enjoyable afternoon (or anytime) treat. Rhubarb and coconut meringue slice Makes a 31cm x 17cm slice cut into fingers, squares or triangles Recipe inspired by Gourmet Traveller. For the jam. 1 bunch of rhubarb, ends trimmed and cut into 5cm lengths. 100g raw sugar juice of 1 bergamot (or lime, orange or lemon) 50g frozen raspberries Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease and line with baking paper so that the sides and ends sit about 5cm up from the tin. set aside. Place the rhubarb, sugar and juice into a medium pot over medium heat, stir everything together and allow to simmer away for at least 18-20 minutes until its beautifully jammy. Stir in the raspberries and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool while you make the base. For the base. 180g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small chunks 100g caster sugar zest of bergamot (or lime, orange or lemon) 2 free-range egg yolks (reserving whites for topping) 225g plain flour 3/4 tsp baking powder pinch of salt In the bowl of a stand mixer or using electric beaters, cream the butter, sugar and zest until light and creamy. Add the egg yolks one at a time and beat until combined. Sift the flour and baking powder along with the salt and add this to the bowl. Very slowly turn the mixer on again being careful not to send flour flying all over the bench, or you! Mix until only just combined and then spoon out into the prepared slice tin. Using floured fingertips, gently ease the dough into the corners, pressing down until its all even. Dock the base with a fork a few times over and pop into the oven for 10-15 minutes or until lightly coloured. Remove and set aside while you make the meringue. For the meringue. 2 eggwhites 120g raw sugar 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 120g shredded coconut Once again in a very clean and dry bowl, add the eggwhites and starting slowly with the whisk attachment, whisk gently until small bubbles start to form, gradually increase the speed to medium until the whites have turned to soft peaks. Add the sugar a little at a time, about three batches should do it, whisking well in between each until the meringue is thick and glossy. Whisk in the vanilla. Gently fold in the coconut with a few turns. Bringing it all together. Spread the rhubarb over the top of the base then spoon over the meringue and either using the back of a spoon or an offset palette knife spread it all out evenly. Pop into the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the meringue is golden. Allow to cool in the tin and then slice into your desired shapes. I allowed my slice to rest in the fridge overnight and this also worked well and made slicing quite easy. It will keep in the fridge for at least 5 days.

There are numerous boxes stacked high on top of one another in my mum and dad's garage. A treasure trove of forgotten objects and childhood memories. Dust clings to my hands as I rifle through soft teddies, school books, little trinkets. My old Driz-a-bone jacket, which still holds aromas of wet days and horse hair. A floppy disc labelled "Financial studies" brings back memories I would rather forget. I could get lost for hours - my head buried deep. It was my wooden flower press that I was on the hunt for. Mum had said that she was sure she had spotted in the garage. Years had passed since I had even thought about it and the simple joys it used to bring. To lay pretty coloured flowers in between cardboard squares, tightening up the screws and waiting for the petals to flatten over time. to be preserved. Offers a moment of slowness, of quietness and the art of patience. It was a crisp sparkling Winters day, we took an empty honey container with us to collect treasures. Brightly coloured flowers mingled with leaves, red berries and handfuls of grass which Beau insisted on adding. It would be a shame to just let them wilt and fade away. So I pulled one of my thickest cookbooks from the pile on the floor and carefully laid out the purple, orange, yellow and white petals onto one of the pages, a piece of baking paper in between. I snapped it shut and placed it back into the middle of the pile and waited. I felt like a little girl again and have since been opening up the book to check on them every few days. I haven't found my flower press as yet, that's going to require a full day of exploring as I know that once I start opening those boxes of forgotten objects I will indeed be sucked into a vortex of a memory rabbit hole, surrounded by things that tell the story of my childhood and teenage years. I may never find that flower press but I ill always have cookbooks, and when its time for those cookbooks to be handed down or passed on, I smile at the thought of a preserved, dried flower slipping from its pages - a memory from a crisp, sparkling winters day. Lime, nasturtium and poppyseed syrup cake makes a 20cm cake 250g unsalted butter, at room tempertaure zest of 3 limes 220g caster sugar 4 free range eggs 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 200g fine semolina 150g almond meal 150g plain flour 2 tsp grated fresh ginger 1 tbsp poppyseeds 125ml yoghurt pinch of salt Nasturtium leaves, flowers, violas, marigolds, or other edible flowers of your choice Mascarpone for serving, I like to stir through about 1/2 tsp of vanilla bean extract through before dolloping on the side of the cake For the syrup 220g caster sugar 80ml lemon juice 80ml water Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Grease and line a 20 cm round cake tin. Then arrange your chosen edible flowers on the base to create a pretty pattern. Beat the butter, lime zest and sugar until thick and creamy, then add in the eggs one at a time until they are all combined. Sift baking powder and flour into a medium bowl and add semolina, almond meal, ginger, and poppyseeds then whisk together quickly just so its all combined. Add the flour mix into the creamed mixture along with the yoghurt and a pinch of salt and stir until it comes together. Spoon into the cake tin, being careful not to disrupt your flower design too much and bake for about 55-60 minutes. If at this time its not completely cooked just cover with some foil and continue to bake until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Meanwhile you can start with your syrup. Place everything into a saucepan and over a medium heat stir until the sugar has dissolved then bring to a boil, reduce down to a simmer and simmer away gently for at least 5 minutes. Once the cake is baked, carefully pour half of the hot syrup over the cake waiting for it to soak into the cake before adding a little more. Allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack so that the pressed flower side is now facing up. Pour the rest of the syrup over the top and using a pastry brush carefully brush the syrup over the top and around the sides. Serve with a dollop of vanilla bean speckled mascarpone for something a little extra special.

Margins of time are so very precious - these in-between stolen moments can be found right throughout the day, after putting a load of washing on; while folding washing; washing the dishes; showering; taking a breather after chasing around little ones and the numerous nappy changes that a 4 month old requires! It was this very pie that was in fact created in these margins. An idea began to form as I was feeding our little girl, Viviana. Potatoes, silverbeet, ricotta... I didn't have a pen close by and I couldn't stop the ideas from flowing, so as soon as she had finished her milk I jumped up and quickly scribbled them all down - cream cheese pastry and hot-smoked salmon followed. A tart. no, a pie! and then there was a nappy change. Once an idea sprouts I want to grab it with both hands and get lost in the creative moment right then and there. However, finding a large chunk of time to do this proves to be rather difficult when one has little ones to care for whose needs must be met immediately! When I re-tested this recipe last week it took me the majority of the day. It was indeed created in those magic margins of time. I had grand plans. Beau was staying at his Nanny and Poppy's and so I was hoping that Viviana would have a decent nap...She, on the other hand had very different plans. So it was in between folding pastry, chopping silverbeet - holding Viviana. Taking photos, flaking salmon - feeding Viviana. Washing dishes, writing down measurements-times-ingredients - changing Viviana. That I finally had a recipe that I was thrilled with and dinner was sorted too! Those moments in the margins, if used wisely, can lead to wonderful things, just like this Hot-smoked salmon and potato pie. Hot-smoked salmon & Potato pie serves 10-12 depending on the size of your slices For the pastry 450g plain flour pinch of salt 150g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes 70g cold cream cheese, cut into cubes 100-120ml chilled water While the pastry is resting in the fridge you can start with the filling. Wash and rinse spinach and silverbeet, remove the stalks from the silverbeet and chop these finely then set aside. In a large frypan with a lid pop the leaves into the pan, with water still clinging to them and over a medium heat cook until wilted. You may have to do this in batches. Once they have wilted place them into a colander and toss them about every now and then to let the steam escape and cool down. Once its cool enough to handle, squeeze as much liquid as you possibly can out of them and then chop. 300g spinach 300g silverbeet 400g potatoes, either dutch cream or sebago are my favourite 3 tbsp olive oil 1 large leek, sliced 6 spring onions, sliced and use most of the green too 2 garlic cloves, finely diced 2 free range eggs, plus 1 extra for glazing 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 50g parmesan, grated 250g ricotta 150 ml cream, plus an extra tablespoon for glazing a good handful of parsley, chopped finely 150g hot smoked salmon, skin removed salt and pepper Place the flour and salt into a bowl and give it a quick whisk. Rub the butter and cream cheese into the flour until it resembles course crumbs, don't worry too much if there are still a few larger chunks though. Drizzle over the water a little at a time until it forms a dough. Try to just squeeze it together without handling it too much as the more you work pastry the more chance it has of becoming tough and rubbery. Flatten it out into a small circle and wrap in baking paper to rest in the fridge for at least 40 minutes or overnight. If resting overnight you will want to take it out of the fridge so that it comes back to room temperature, or is pliable enough to roll out, this will depend on how warm or cold your home is. Cut 3/4 0f the dough off and wrap the other 1/4 up again and set to the side for the moment, this will be your pie lid. Grease a 24-25cm springform tin with butter. On a lightly floured bench roll the pastry out until it is slightly larger than your tin, about 2mm thick. Roll it back up onto your rolling pin and then ever so carefully drape it into your tin. Push down the sides gently so that you can press the pastry down into the tin, trim off any remaining overhang and wrap this up with the reserved pastry lid. Pop the tin into the fridge for at least 30 minutes to rest. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. While the pastry is resting in the fridge you can start with the filling. Wash and rinse spinach and silverbeet, remove the stalks from the silverbeet and chop these finely then set aside. In a large frypan with a lid pop the leaves into the pan, with water still clining to them and over a medium heat cook until wilted. You may have to do this in batches. Once they have wilted place them into a colander and toss them about every now and then to let the steam escape and cool down. Once its cool enough to handle, squeeze as much liquid as you possibly can out of them and then chop. Give the potatoes a scrub and then place into a pot with enough water to cover and bring to the boil. Cook until potatoes are tender and then drain and set aside to cool. Once cool, cut them into quarters. In the same frypan that you used for the leaves, add the olive oil and over a medium-low heat cook the leek, silverbeet stems and spring onions until softened, add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Turn the heat off and stir through the silverbeet and spinach leaves along with the potatoes. In a large bowl add the 2 eggs, mustard, ricotta, parmesan, cream, parsley and salt and pepper and mix it all to combine well. Spoon in the mixture from the pan, add the flaked salmon and then give everything a good stir to evenly coat. Now to blind bake your pastry. Take some foil and push this down on top of the pastry then pour in pie weights or dried beans or rice and pop into the oven for 15 minutes, carefully lift up the foil to take a peek at the pastry, if it looks almost dry remove from the oven and take the foil off then pop it back in for about 3 minutes or until lightly golden. Press down any lumps or bumps that may have popped up too. Check for any cracks or small holes and patch up with the reserved pastry. Spoon the filling into your case and even out the top. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured bench until 2mm thick and drape over the top then pinch it onto the sides of the pastry shell, trim off the overhang. Now is the fun part, cut out some decorative pieces from the remining dough and get creative with your pie art if you wish. Whisk together the remaining egg with the cream and then brush it all over the top with a pastry brush. Cut three little slits in the centre to allow any steam to escape. Tear off a sheet of baking paper and place onto a baking tray, put the pie onto this and then pop it all into the oven. Cook for about 40 - 50 minutes or until its golden. Allow to cool in the tin for 20-30 minutes, then remove carefully. Serve with a simple green salad, vibrant green beans or simply by itself with a dollop of chutney if you so desire. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 5 days. Its also lovely enjoyed cold too.

As the days become increasingly shorter and that late afternoon nip in the air has us retreating back into the warmth and comfort of our homes, I find myself craving thick slices of hot buttered toast, multiple cups of tea and creating meals that wrap us up in their rich sauces, their warming spices and that good, honest old-fashioned heartiness that makes one feel all warm and fuzzy inside. What could be more comforting than plump pork sausages cooked in a rich red tomato sauce. It is the type of meal that most definitely requires freshly sliced buttered bread to mop up any of those remaining saucy bits. Steaming hot potatoes tossed with a good glug of olive oil, salt and a few cracks of black pepper make this meal the perfect fare for those icy-cold, wood-smoke stained evenings. Oh, and if by chance you happen to have leftover sauce, it is perfect stirred through pasta the following day for a hot lunch or an easy dinner. Sausages with tomatoes and capsicums Serves 3-4 550-600g pork sausages (buy the best quality you can, it makes a huge difference) 3 tbsp olive oil 1 brown onion, sliced 2 large or 6 small capsicums, sliced and the membranes and seeds removed (I love using the reds, yellows and oranges for their sweetness) 500g passata 1/2 cup of water, just fill up the passata bottle with some water and give it a good swish around and then measure this out so that you make sure you don't leave any of that sauce behind sea salt and black pepper parsley for serving Over a medium heat add in the olive oil to a medium sized frypan with a lid, add the onion and capsicums along with a pinch of salt and cook until starting to caramelise. Add the passata and the water and bring to the boil, reduce to a steady simmer and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Next add in the sausages, arranging them so that they fit snuggly into the sauce. Bring to the boil once again and then cover and cook on a low-medium heat so that they just bubble away nicely for about 30 minutes (the sausages I use are quite thick). Halfway through cooking, turn them onto their other side. Remove the lid and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Season to taste. Scatter over the parsley and serve with fresh bread and boiled potatoes which have been tossed with a good glug of olive oil, salt and cracked black pepper.

It was one of those days where the air was crisp but the sun shone a soft glowing light, it fell over the trees and the fine blades of grass glistened with tiny droplets from the rain that escaped the water laden clouds before the sun rose early that morning. The light struggled to reach out her fingertips to the far corners of our yard and they remained shaded and damp. During these changes, these cosy seasons, I find myself forever bent over the garden pulling weeds, my hands cold and dirt-stained and my cheeks flushed a shade of pink. Beau requires multiple changes of clothes after jumping into the shallow, muddy puddles formed along the side of our house due to a leaking gutter. Our tummies rumble. It must be lunch time. The warm soapy water washes over our chilled hands and it is a welcome relief. Clean hands to wrap around these extra buttery, flaky, steaming silverbeet and herb hand pies. I can feel my body thawing out with every delicious, flaky, buttery crunch. They most certainly require a napkin of sorts to wipe away the golden crumbs which somehow become stuck to fingertips, lips and in Beau's case - his hair. I just hope that you can find yeast somewhere at the moment. It's like a treasure hunt trying to find it at the shops what with everyone delving into the wonderful world of baking during these self isolating, physical distancing times. My mum managed to find me a small box the other day and I cant tell you how excited I was. I feel as though I have a block of gold sitting in my pantry. The pastry has been inspired by a recipe for sweet jam pastries from Sophie Hansen's book, A Basket by the door, albeit adapted to suit the luscious savoury flavours of these comforting, warming pies. I hope you will enjoy the whole process from start to finish. Silverbeet, spinach and herb hand pies Makes approx. 13 For the rough puff pastry 1 tbsp dried yeast 150 ml lukewarm water a pinch of salt 1 free range egg 350g plain flour 320g cold unsalted butter cut into thin strips Egg wash 1 egg 2 tbsp milk Poppy seeds for scattering Mix the yeast with the lukewarm water and set aside for a moment while you put the salt, egg and flour into a bowl, give this a quick mix with your hand and then add in the yeast mixture and mix with your hand until it forms a shaggy dough. Tip it out onto a lightly floured bench and knead for about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Oil a bowl lightly with olive oil and place the dough into it and then cover and leave to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile you can start the filling... For the filling. 2 tbsp olive oil 300g ricotta a big bunch of silverbeet and spinach (about 500g) 1 brown onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, diced 60g grated parmesan 150g feta a handful each of parsley, mint and basil, chopped zest of a lemon 2 free range eggs a fine grating of nutmeg Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil, add the chopped silverbeet and spinach and blanch for a minute or so, drain and set aside, turning every now and then to allow the steam to escape. Once its cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as you can and chop it all up. In a medium frypan add the oil and cook the onion until starting to soften, adding the garlic for the last minute. Tip into a bowl with the ricotta, parmesan, feta, herbs, lemon zest, eggs and nutmeg. Mix it all together and then add in the silverbeet and spinach and stir it all together to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside while you continue on with the pastry. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured bench into a large rectangle about 40cm x 30cm, or thereabouts. Lay all of the butter over the top, keeping a border around the edges. now fold the edges in towards each other so they meet in the middle. Turn the dough over so that the seam is now facing the bench and then roll out again into a rectangle, 40cm x 30cm. Fold a third of the dough into the centre and then fold the other third over the top of this so that you now have three layers of dough on top of each other. Wrap it up in baking paper and allow to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. Take it out of the fridge after this time and reroll as before, rest in the fridge for another 20 minutes and then repeat this rolling and folding again. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside. On a lightly floured bench, roll out the pastry until it measures close to 50cm x 40cm, or thereabouts. Cut into 12cm squares, you should end up with 12 or 13, I ended up with a mini one as well (for Beau) Place a spoonful of the ricotta mixture into the centre and then bring each corner of the square into the centre to create a little parcel, crimp the edges together with your fingertips. Place onto the trays and preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius while the pastries rest, covered with a tea towel for 20 minutes. Whisk together the egg and milk and then brush this over the top of each parcel, scattering poppy seeds over the top if you desire. Pop them into the oven for 25-30 minutes until they start to fill the house with their buttery aroma and have turned a wonderful shade of gold. You may want to rotate the trays halfway through cooking as well. Allow to cool on the trays for 10 minutes or enjoy them straight away with a good dollop of chutney on top. Just be careful, they will be piping hot! They will keep in the fridge for 5 days or can be frozen. Any leftovers can be eaten cold or simply heated up in the oven, covered with baking paper or foil.

Luscious, creamy ricotta would have to be one of my favourite ingredients of late. Being so versatile it's always so handy to have sitting in the fridge to use in lasagne's, tarts, fritters, pancakes. Whipped until smooth with parmesan, the zest of a lemon and vibrant green herbs to make a creamy dip. It can also be used, of course, to create those soft little pillowy delights - gnocchi. Many a cake recipe also calls for the snow-white moulded cheese just like this Ricotta crumb cake. I stumbled across Juls' Kitchen blog and her Instagram page via one of Sophie Hansen's @locallovely newsletters (which by the way is always such a joy to receive in my inbox) and I fell instantly in love, not only with the food Giulia shares but the way in which she writes - transporting me to the very table in the wheat fields of Val d'Orcia, the place where she first tasted the still-warm, creamy ricotta filled, chocolate studded cake whilst sitting around the table in her friends' kitchen. ​​I printed out the recipe then and there, sticking it up onto the fridge with the other "to bake" recipes. It is a cake that can be the vehicle for so many different flavour combinations, varying throughout the changing seasons so that no matter what you happen to have on hand there will always be something to fill it with. Giulia gives a few examples on her blog including, grapes and rosemary, preserved apricots and jammy figs. I just so happened to have an almost empty jar of mixed berry jam and a few rogue strawberries in the fridge the first time I made it, which once baked, very quickly disappeared off the kitchen bench. A sure fire way to know that I should probably make it again. This time I added ruby red wedges of quince, a shower of shredded coconut and coarsely chopped dark chocolate - the latter being cheekily pinched by my little helper, Beau. The two of us made this just the other day on my Instagram stories, which I have saved in my highlights under "Beau bakes" if you fancy having a laugh. ​​ It really is such an easy, simply treat to create and a great one to make with little ones too, as they can get their hands into the crumbly buttery mixture, which does of course end up in a mess but it can always be very easily cleaned up. Giulia says that "it is an unpretentious, humble cake" the type that can be enjoyed still warm from the oven or straight from the fridge...I may have just enjoyed another piece as I write this while the sun warms my shoulders and I dream once again of sitting in an Italian kitchen; scents of lemon drifting through the open windows and the olive trees swaying in the late afternoon breeze, all intermingled with the musical notes of Italian conversations. I highly recommend heading over to Giulia's page @julskitchen to immerse yourself in the heart-warming, soul nourishing Italian way of cooking. She also has a podcast, Cooking with an Italian accent that will transport you once again to the beauty that is Italy. Quince and dark chocolate ricotta crumb cake. This recipe has been slightly adapted from Giulia's Ricotta Crumb Cake which can be found on her blog https://en.julskitchen.com/ Makes a 25cm cake For the cake 250g plain flour 1tbsp baking powder pinch of salt zest of a lemon 1/4 cup shredded coconut 100g almond meal 50g caster sugar 100g chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 1 free range egg, lightly beaten For the filling 500g ricotta 1 tbsp caster sugar 1/4 cup apricot syrup (or you could use some of your favourite dessert wine, or syrup from the poached quinces) zest of a lemon 1/4 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped enough poached quince slices to cover the base, you can find the recipe for the poached quinces here Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease and line a 25cm springfrom cake tin with butter and baking paper and set aside. Place the flour, almond meal, sugar, baking powder, salt, coconut and lemon zest in a bowl and give it a quick whisk to combine. Add in the butter and using your fingertips rub it into the dry ingredients until it resembles fine crumbs. Add the beaten egg and using the fingertips again bring it all togther until its combined. you should be able to squeeze a handful and it wil stick togther. It doesnt have to come togther like a dough. In a separate bowl, add the ricotta, sugar, syrup or poaching liquid and lemon zest and give it a good stir until its smooth, add in the chopped dark chocolate and stir to combine. Now place about half of the crumb mixture into the base of your tin and press down firmly until its all even. Spoon in the ricotta and smooth this out with the back of a spoon or offset spatula and then place the sliced quinces in a pretty pattern on top. Scatter over the remaining crumb mixture and very lightly pat it down. Pop it into the oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until its pale golden and set in the middle when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. You can enjoy this either warm or at room temperature and its also lovely straight from the fridge too.

It had been raining all day, the type of rain that soaks into the earth saturating everything in sight. A very pungent onion caused my eyes to pool with water. I closed them tight and blinked, as I continued talking to mum, my phone resting on the windowsill so that she could see both myself and my little sous-chef beside me. He was busying himself by attempting to cut into a juicy red tomato with a butter knife. I overheard Ben talking to someone at the front door, it was our neighbour. He had snuck over when there was a break in the weather to drop in some of his legume stew and a bottle of champagne. There was a note attached, "firstly thank you for your kindness and generosity in giving us the fig tart. The fact that it may be the best cake I have ever had is another matter entirely. I just did a batch of my legume stew which I hope you might enjoy." ​​In a world that has changed dramatically in just a short amount of time, where words like "social distancing" have now become part of our daily lives, could it be that perhaps we have in fact become more social? more connected? A greater sense of community seems to be unfolding. Sharing, kindness and generosity are in abundance to lesser known people in our lives, to our neighbours and also to our family and friends whom we have had to distance ourselves from. Its hard, it's challenging but I also feel that this is making us realise just how special it is to be able to see the people we want to see, whenever we want to see them, to be able to hug them, to share a laugh, to have a long conversation face to face in the comfort of our homes, a cup of tea and a piece of cake by our sides. It is these simple things that we have taken for granted up until now. It's not until something is taken from us that we begin to realise just how much we miss it, how much we crave it. Out of a bad situation good always comes, we just have to wait a little bit longer to realise the fullness, when all of this is a distant memory my hope is that the world and the way we live in it is a better one. Maybe I'm being naïve, but all I'm trying to do is remain positive in an ever changing landscape. If we remain positive we are halfway there. One thing is certain - food will always be there to share, to comfort, to enjoy and to connect. And however lovely it would be to share a piece of this Fig and walnut frangipane tart with a friend, in real-life, over a cup of tea, my hope is that by sharing this recipe with you that you may add it to your "to bake list" and perhaps leave it on a neighbours doorstep. It's the next best thing. ​​ Fig & Walnut frangipane tart Makes a 23cm tart For the pastry 225g spelt (you could use plain flour as well, but I like the flavour the spelt has for this tart) 2 tbsp caster sugar pinch of salt 125g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into smallish chunks 60-70ml iced water For the filling 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature 250g caster sugar 4 free-range eggs, at room temperature 250g walnut meal (Blitz whole walnuts in a food processor until fine crumbs, or you could use almond meal) 50g plain flour 1 tsp ground ginger pinch of salt 1/4 cup of fig jam (orange marmalade would also work too) 3-4 figs, depending on their size, sliced a small handful of raw almonds, chopped coarsely In medium bowl place the flour, sugar and salt in and give it a whisk to combine. Pop the butter in and then using your fingertips rub it into the flour until it resembles course crumbs. Its ok to have a few larger chunks of butter. Add in the iced water bit by bit until you have a ball of dough. You may need a little more or a little less, just feel it with your hands, if it feels too dry and is crumbly you need more water and if it's too wet and sticky then add a little more flour. Shape it into a disc and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Wrap up in baking paper and place into the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes. You can even rest it overnight. Just take it out of the fridge to bring to room temperature, as it will make the rolling process easier. While waiting, cream the butter and sugar together, then add in the eggs one by one until they are all combined well. Put the walnut meal, flour, ginger and salt in and beat on low speed until everything is combined. Set aside. Grease a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin with a little butter and then roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until its slightly bigger than the tin. Roll it up onto the rolling pin and then drape it over and into the tin, pressing the sides in and down until its snug. Trim off any excess and set aside. Pop the tart tin back into the fridge to rest for another 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Next, place some foil in to the pastry base and pour in baking weights or rice, or dried beans. Place the tin onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and put into the oven on the bottom shelf for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and then pop back into the oven on the middle shelf for another 5 minutes or until its just golden and feels slightly dry to the touch. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees Celsius. Spread the jam over the base and then spread the frangipane filling evenly over the top. Top with the sliced figs and then scatter over the chopped almonds. Pop it back into the oven for about 50 minutes, or until its golden and set in the middle. Just give it a little shake, if it doesn't wobble then its ready. Take it out and allow to rest in the tin until cool enough to remove. Slice and serve with a dollop of yoghurt, cream or creme friache and slice the rest up, wrap it up and tie with a pretty string and take pleasure in dropping it off on the doorsteps of your neighbours. It keeps well in the fridge for at least 5 days if you keep it all for yourself!

The smell of tomato plants always reminds me of my Nanna. As I brush my hand over their leaves and bring them to my nose I am a little girl once again, in the backyard of their garden, under the clothesline where the cherry tomatoes grew up the trellis against the fence. I can almost feel the warmth of the summer sunshine on the backs of my shoulders. ​My Nanna would spread two slices of lightly toasted bread with generous lashings of butter, which was applied with a bone handled knife with great precision right into the corners of the crusts. Sliced tomatoes would follow along with cracked black pepper and a rather hefty pinch of salt! ​​When tomato season arrives I can almost hear the collective squeals of delight from all who admire these shiny, taught-skinned treasures. They really are very deserving of a celebration. Which is why I decided to make this honey-roasted tomato and goat cheese tart. Its luscious and all that is needed to accompany it is a vibrant green leafy salad dressed in nothing but a good glug of extra virgin olive oil, a splash of apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper to make it perfect for any time of the day. We enjoy the leftovers straight from the fridge in the days that follow but it also re-heats extremely well too. The polenta adds a lovely texture to the pastry making it one of my favourite tarts to date. ​ ​ I have shared the recipe below for you, in the hope that during this somewhat slower pace of life that most of us find ourselves in at the moment, that you can enjoy the process of standing at a floured bench, rolling out butter streaked pastry and filling it with ingredients that deserve to be celebrated. Because at the end of the day it is the simple things in life that really matter. ​ ​ Honey-roasted tomato and goat cheese tart Makes a 23cm tart 500g tomatoes, I used a mixture of cherry tomatoes and slightly larger ones as well. The smaller ones can be halved and the larger can be quartered. 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp honey 3 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed 1 garlic clove, finely diced 1 cup of cream 3 free range eggs 1 cup of milk 100g goat cheese For the pastry 225g plain flour pinch of salt 1 tbsp polenta 125g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes about 60ml of cold water Put the flour, salt and polenta into a medium bowl and give it a quick stir with your hand. Add in the butter and using your fingertips rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs, some larger chunks of butter are ok. add in some water a little at a time and bring the dough together into a ball. Wrap it in a sheet of baking paper and pop it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight. If you are keeping it overnight just make sure you take it out of the fridge to come to room temperature again, this will make it easier when it comes to rolling it out. Grease a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin with butter. On a lightly floured bench, roll out your pastry until its slightly bigger then your tart tin, roll the pastry back onto your rolling pin and then drape it over the top of the tin. Carefully ease the pastry into the tin, pressing down into the sides. Trim the top and keep to the side just in case you need to use it to patch up any cracks. Place the tin on a baking tray and pop back into the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Tear off a sheet of foil and press into the tart shell, making sure you have covered the sides as well, pour in baking beads or rice to weigh it down and place into the oven for 20 minutes, after this time remove the foil and weights, check to see if there are any cracks and if there are, simply patch them up with the reserved pastry offcuts, pressing it into the cracks, the heat from the tart shell will make it stick, pop back into the oven for another 5 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Adjust your oven to 180 degrees. Place the tomatoes onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and mix the olive oil, honey, thyme and garlic along with salt and pepper into a small bowl and stir well. Pour over the tomatoes and stir it all really well to coat. Pop into the oven for about 30 minutes. The tomatoes should collapse and will be swimming in a delicious pool of honey spiked juice. Set aside. Whip half the cream until soft peaks are reached. In a medium bowl pour in the remaining cream along with the eggs, milk and half of the goat cheese, a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Pour this into the tart shell and then place the tomatoes on top, drizzle over a couple of spoonfuls of the juices and crumble over the remaining goat cheese. Place into the oven for 40-45 minutes or until its golden and just set when shaken gently. Remove from the oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.. Remove very carefully from the tin, I find it easier to place a small bowl underneath the tin so that you can then pull down the rim and then place the tart onto a plate and serve.