Cut the broccoli into small florets and steam for 7-8 minutes, until crisp tender.

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions in salted water with a dash of olive oil.

If using fresh bread slices, toast them. Dice the bread into small cubes and shred the bacon slices. Mix both with the garlic, olive oil and herbs. Spread on a piece of greaseproof paper and broil under the grill for 8-9 minutes, mixing half-way through, until the mix is nicely browned.

When the pasta is ready, drizzle it generously with olive oil and adjust the seasoning. Mix with the broccoli and top with the crumbs, and serve with parmsesan flakes on the side.

With a small pairing knife, remove the green peduncles off the tomatoes and score a cross into the skin at the bottom of each tomato.

Bring a pan of water to the boil and plunge the tomatoes into the boiling water for a few seconds, until the skin starts peeling off.

Drain and plunge the tomatoes into cold water to stop the cooking. Peel their skin off (it should come off very easily) and quarter them. Remove the seeds off each quarter and place the deseeded flesh back into cold water to clean up any remaining soft parts. Pat the quarters dry and dice finely.

Mix the tomato cubes with the choppedd basil leaves, vinegar, olive oil, and a bit of salt and pepper. Cover tightly and marinate in the fridge overnight or for a couple of days if possible.

When ready to use, grill the lightly oiled fish fillets on the barbecue skin side down for 4-5 minutes or until cooked through, or sauté the fillets in a frying pan in a little bit of olive oil, 2-3 minutes skin side and 30s flesh side.

Serve the fish drizled liberally with sauce vierge on a thick slice of rustic bread or with fresh tagliatelle or spaghetti.

Meanwhile, sift the flour.

When the water-butter mixture is boiling, take the saucepan off the heat and pour the flour over at once. With a wooden spatula, mix energetically until you obtain a compact and homogeneous dough that leaves the edges of the saucepan clean. If the dough sticks to the saucepan, place it back on the heat and keep stirring until it gathers around the spatula.

Stir in one by one 4 eggs, adding the next only after the previous one has been well mixed in. The dough must be firm and supple.

Add the Piment d’Espelette, a pinch of nutmeg and 3/4 of the cheese and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 210 degrees.

Line an oven tray with baking paper. Fill a cup with cold water. Dip 2 teaspoons in it and with the help of the wet spoons, scoop out some dough from the saucepan and shape it into a little ball of a diameter of about 3 cm (a bit over 1 inch).

Leave at least 3 cms between each ball. You may insert a grape in the middle of some gougères so add variety and because grapes and cheese go so well together (see my picture).

Beat the last egg and brush the dough balls with it. Finish by sprinkling the remaining cheese on top of each ball.

Place the gougères in the oven and bake them for 5 minutes with the oven door slightly open (stick a bunched up tea towel between the top of the door and the oven). Then close the door and bake for another 20 minutes, until the gougères are all puffed up and browned.

When ready, turn the oven off, open the oven door wide and for extra crispiness, leave the gougères in the open oven for another 5 minutes.

Serve immediately or transfer to a grid and let cool completely.

If using large seeds such as sunflower seeds, crush them into small pieces by rolling a rolling pin or bottle over them.

Add the flour, salt, oats, and sugar if using, and mix.

Add the olive oil and almond purée if using. Mix with a mixer or with your hands to obtain fine crumbs.

Then add the egg if using, mix and add water little by little, mixing constantly and stopping as soon as the dough is moist enough to form a ball.  Based on the type of flour and seeds you are using and whether or not you are using an egg, the quantity of water needed can vary from nearly none to 6 tablespoons.

Roll down the pastry right away and place it 15 minutes in the freezer or 30 minutes in the fridge  before using it.

]]> http://tastydiaries.com/newtasty/olive-oil-oats-and-grains-shortcrust-pastry/feed 0 http://tastydiaries.com/newtasty/marvelous-homemade-tapenade-olives-anchovies-and-capers-spread http://tastydiaries.com/newtasty/marvelous-homemade-tapenade-olives-anchovies-and-capers-spread#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:00:21 +0000 Anne-Laure http://tastydiaries.com/newtasty/?p=605 Makes a small jar

Peel the garlic clove and chop coarsely.

Using a mixer, blend the olives, anchovies, garlic and lemon juice together. Pour the olive oil slowly and mix it in.

Depending on your taste, you may want to blend the ingredients into a chunky texture or keep blending until smooth. I like it slightly chunky.

Using a small, sharp knife, cut a cross into the skin of each chestnut, making sure you cut through it. This will allow the steam to escape.

Place the chestnuts onto your oven tray with 1/3 of a glass of water. The water will keep them moist and stop them from shriveling up.

Sprinkle with salt and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until chestnuts are tender and easy to peel.

Peel the nuts when they are cool enough to handle, and enjoy. If they have become too cold to peel, just reheat them briefly and you will be able to finish the job.

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium-low heat and add the onions.

When the onions become translucent (but not browned), add the sugar, wine and vinegar and a bit of salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat until all the liquids have evaporated and the onions start caramelizing. This should take about 30 minutes.

Cook for another 10-15 minutes on low heat.

When ready, transfer to a jar and allow to cool. Keep in the fridge with an airtight lid and sprinkle on all things edible!