food – St GEORGIA & Boo

lemon slice

nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul.

-OSCAR WILDE

Lemon Slice Recipe

ingredients:150g unsalted butter softened,1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/3 cup caster sugar,1 1/3 cups plain flour,

lemon topping ingredients:4 free range eggs,1 tsp finely grated lemon rind,1/3 cup plain flour,1 1/3 cups caster sugar,2/3 cup lemon juice

method:Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a slice pan and line with baking paper.

Place softened butter into a kitchen mixer with the sugar and vanilla and beat on low-speed for 2 minutes then add flour and continue mixing until a soft dough forms. Transfer to pan and press evenly into the base. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven. Set aside to cool.

Make topping Mix eggs, lemon rind, flour and sugar together on low-speed until smooth. Add lemon juice and continue mixing until combined. Pour over base. Bake for 15 minutes or until just set. Cool completely in pan. Dust with icing sugar. Slice into bite size pieces, serve, enjoy with tea.

artists apartment

Of all the places we stayed while on this wonderful adventure, this was probably the one I would say we fell in love with the most. Called the Artist Apartment set in the heart of Trastevere; it was love at first sight. From the moment the door opened and we were introduced my heart knew that this place was going to be hard to leave. We were welcomed with wonderful art, hanging plants, crisp white sheets.. it was like it already knew who we were. The windows were large and when left open, we would wake to the warm air and sound of Rome beginning its day, coffee grinders and pleasant chatter, the smell of fresh croissants and pastries. Such a world away from all that I have ever known. This place, lent itself to inspiration, for writing, for dreaming, loving and being still. It was here that we found our Italy,the one we held so close in our hearts. It was here that all we ever thought it would be, Was.

Artists Apartment Trastereve, Rome https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/1418867?s=2k-A

at work and play..

weekend work, BAY ROAD NURSERY CAFE;sandringham melbourne,LUKE wears CLASSIC HAT bay road nursery gift shop,GLASSES vintage, retro star melbourne, SKYE and NASH enjoy lattes and chocolate milkshakes

pumpkin and spinach pasta rotolo Jamie Style

This is a fabulous recipe that i have used over and over again. It is really easy, tasty and vegetarian. I like using a whole butter nut pumpkin that i just throw in the oven without any preparation and let it roast in the skin. It holds all the flavour and is really easy to slice and scoop out when cooked, defiantly a must try for anyone who loves roasted pumpkin. I used home-made fresh pasta however bought pasta sheets work just as well, if dried you will need to blanch the sheets for a couple of minutes in boiling water.

ingredients: 1 butternut pumpkin, 1 spanish onion,olive oil,500g frozen spinach,1/2tsp nutmeg,4 cloves garlic,2 can whole tomatoes,6+ fresh pasta sheets,50g feta,300g fresh ricotta,20g parmesan cheese,bunch of fresh sage, 1tsp raw sugar,sea salt,cracked pepper

method: Preheat the oven to 180°C, cook the pumpkin whole in a baking tray for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. when cooked remove and set aside. in a pan add olive oil and diced onion sauté for a few minutes then add cans of tomatoes with the juice, season generously with salt, cracked pepper and the raw sugar, turn heat to low at let sauce simmer for 20 minutes.

In a separate pan add olive oil and frozen spinach and the nut meg then season lightly, cook for 10 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool slightly, then add to the fresh ricotta and gently mix together. With a sharp knife slice the pumpkin length ways and discard seeds and skin, then scoop out flesh and roughly mash with a fork.

On a clean work surface , lay out pasta sheets facing length ways away from you. working quickly so the pasta doesn’t dry out, evenly divide and spread the pumpkin over the sheets. Then add a layer of spinach and ricotta and then crumble over the feta. Roll each sheet up and the cut evenly into four chunks and place facing up into half of the tomato sauce in a deep baking tray. Add remaining sauce over the top and place sage leaves and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the oven until golden and crisp.

recipe slightly modified from Jamie Oliver,jamie’s italy.

hazelnut meal and pear tart

Hazelnut Meal and Pear Tart

sweet short crust pastry ingredients;125g unsalted softened butter,1 egg,90g icing sugar,30g hazelnut meal,250g plain flour

method

Place butter,egg,sugar and hazelnut meal in an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add the flour a little at a time, until all combined then stop mixing.turn onto floured surface and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Hazelnut Meal Tart Filling ingredients; 50g softened butter,100g caster sugar,100g hazelnut meal,2 eggs,1 tablespoon of brandy, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,4 pears poached, halved and sliced

method

Roll out the pastry in between baking paper, this helps to keep the pastry from sticking to the rolling pin. Try to get the pastry to 4mm thickness and then use a 25cm tart tin with a removable base. Lift the pastry while on the baking paper and flip into the tin. Just press any breakages back together and smooth out. Trim the edges with a sharp knife and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Pre heat the oven to 160°C. Place butter and sugar in a kitchen mixer beat until light and fluffy, add the hazelnut meal,eggs, brandy and vanilla, beat until combined. Spoon mixture into tart shell and arrange sliced pears evenly around the tart. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry and filling are golden. Serve warm with cream.

boston baked beans

This is a fantastic quick weeknight dinner option and left overs for breakfast a couple of days later when the flavours have developed to their full potential, is even better. I tend to make this dish without the bacon most of the time to cater for my vegetarians and it really doest seem to impact on the flavour at all. We often have this dish with scoops of creamy mash potato and fresh bread, its real comfort food for those winter nights or it is just as yummy served with flat bread and sour cream.

boston baked beans

ingredients

olive oil,1 brown onion,4 rashes of free range rindless bacon,1 clove garlic,1 teaspoon of smoked paprika,2 tablespoons brown sugar,2 tablespoons tomato paste,2 tablespoons golden syrup,2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce,4 cans borlotti beans rinsed,3 cans of whole peeled tomatoes,season to taste

method

Using a large heavy based sauce pan gently fry the onion in the olive oil a few minutes then add garlic and chopped bacon if using, cook until bacon is slightly browned. Add paprika, sugar,tomato paste, golden syrup and worcestershire sauce. Stir for a few minutes until combined and fragrant. Add beans with the whole tomatoes, bring to the boil and then simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. serve with buttered toast or mashed potato.

play dough

there is quite a gap between our two-year old and his older siblings. i must admit it’s taken a little adjusting to get myself back into toddler mode. we are beginning to introduce some forms of structured play to our boo. i had forgotten how much fun play dough actually is… my older children would never admit it but they too enjoy a good round of play dough

play dough recipe

ingredients

2cups plain flour,2tbls cream of tarte,2 tbls canola oil,3/4 cup table salt,food colouring,2 cups water,

method

combine all of the ingredients together in a saucepan and stir over a medium heat for approximately 5 minutes or until mixture comes together. be carful not to over cook as this will make the play dough dry. need on a lightly floured surface.