Well,it has pretty much been raining cats and dogs since last night,but the rain actually refreshes me and everything smells so crisp and clean.Oh and let's not forget the sound of Joburg thunder rolling in the distance.I am reminded today of God's greatness and the way He created everything in heaven and earth for His glory.
So,I've been thinking about what recipe to post next,and I've actually been struggling because my head is so full of ideas and inspiration.I must admit that watching cooking programs is my guilty pleasure,and if I had the luxury to do so,I'd sit and watch them all day long (but I know I'd be a drooling mess by the time Adam came home).I'm especially enjoying Junior Masterchef Australia that's currently showing four nights a week (on DSTV channel 101, at18h00 from Monday to Thursday).Whoever thought that putting a bunch of 9 to 12 year-old kids in a kitchen would be a good idea,was right.It's a flipping great idea.And those kids have me in tears nearly every day!
Anyway,let's get back to today's recipe.This has been a firm favourite of mine for years,and one of my best friends' mother showed me how to make "Cheesy Wheels" while I was still in school.I've made this recipe over and over again,and it works great as an appetiser,or even as a light meal (when served with salad).What's great about "Cheesy Wheels" is the fact that they can be prepared well in advance,frozen for months,and when your guests arrive you can just cut the wheels and pop them into the oven.Easy,convenient,delicious and very addictive.So here we go (pen and paper ready?):
"Cheesy Wheels" (makes about 12-14 wheels)
Ingredients:
One roll of ready-made puff pastry
One packet of lean bacon,cut into pieces
Roughly one and 1/2 cups of grated cheese
Dried herbs like oregano or basil
Method
Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius,and lightly grease a baking tray with cooking spray/butter.
Roll your puff pastry out onto a flat surface.This works best if the pastry is NOT frozen,so leave the pastry in the fridge overnight to defrost (if it's coming out of the freezer).Make sure your pastry is not too soft either,otherwise it gets near-impossible to roll up again.
Sprinkle the pastry evenly with the cheese.
Put the bacon pieces on top of the cheese,making sure they are spread out evenly too.
Sprinkle with the herbs of your choice.
Now carefully roll the pastry up again,making sure there are no cracks and that it forms a firm roll/sausage (almost like you would roll up a towel).
If your pastry is still semi-firm at that point,use a knife with a serrated edge to cut "wheels" off the roll,starting on the one end and working your way to the other.Make sure you don't cut the wheels too thick,as you want them all to bake evenly.
(Quick tip:If you have an hour or two to spare,you could wrap the entire roll back in its plastic,and pop it into the freezer again - this makes the cutting process easier,but it's not a must if you're strapped for time).
When you cut your wheels,try to hold all the fillings together,and when you put them onto the baking tray,make sure to shape them into nice-looking wheels.
Now place the baking tray into the pre-heated oven,and bake the Cheesy Wheels for 20-25 minutes,but check on them regularly to see that they're not burning.When the pastry is flaky and golden brown and the cheese melted,your Cheesy Wheels are ready to come out of the oven.
Remove the Cheesy Wheels from the baking tray by using a spatula,and put them straight onto a plate and serve them immediately - fresh from the oven and full of deliciousness.You can serve them with a sauce of your choice,I found that sweet chili sauce works very well.
Voila!
Variations:
I know cheese and bacon isn't for everyone,but the great thing about this recipe is that you can put just about anything into these wheels.Here are some variations that you can try out - there are also many great vegetarian options available.Improvise,me hearties:
- Basil pesto and Mozzarella
- Tomato paste and Cheese
- Olive tapenade and finely chopped mushrooms
- Tuna mayonnaise with spring onions
- Spinach and feta cheese
And as a dessert option:
- Nutella with pieces of banana,served with ice cream.
I hope you all have a brilliant weekend,filled with love,laughter,quality family time and just plain put-your-feet-up goodness.
M
xxx
No comments:
Post a Comment