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  7. Serve the stuffed pockets with a little stock in soup bowls.

  Tip: Drain the cooked stuffed pockets and fry on both sides in melted butter. Then serve with breadcrumbs browned in butter and onion rings (from 6–8 onions) fried in clarified butter or vegetable oil.

  Variation: Pockets stuffed with minced meat. Peel and chop 1 onion. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion and fry over medium heat. Add the fried onion to 300 g/10 oz minced meat (half beef, half pork), 1 medium egg, yolk of 1 medium egg and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, mix well and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the dough squares and poach as described above.

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  149 | Colourful meat risotto

  Sophisticated

  Preparation time: about 65 minutes

  1 red and 1 green pepper, 175 g/6 oz each

  250 g/9 oz onions

  500 g/18 oz pork without bones, e.g. from the neck

  60 g/2 oz streaky bacon

  4 teaspoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil

  4 teaspoons tomato purée

  1–2 teaspoon paprika

  salt

  freshly ground pepper

  1 pinch cayenne pepper

  1 teaspoon chopped lovage leaves

  500 ml/17 fl oz (21⁄4 cups) vegetable stock

  250 g/9 oz long-grain rice

  500 g/18 oz tomatoes

  2 teaspoons chopped small-leaved basil

  Per serving:

  P: 35 g, F: 24 g, C: 60 g, kJ: 2505, kcal: 598

  1. Cut the peppers in half, remove the stalks and seeds, including the white membrane inside. Wash the peppers and cut into pieces. Peel the onions and cut into four or eight segments.

  2. Rinse the pork under cold running water, pat dry and cut into cubes of 1.5 cm/5⁄8 in. Chop the bacon finely.

  3. Heat the oil in a pan, add the bacon and fry to release the fat. Now add the cubed pork and fry while stirring. Finally, add the onions and fry with the rest of the ingredients.

  4. Stir in the tomato purée and season with paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and lovage. Add 250 ml/8 fl oz (1 cup) of the vegetable stock, cover and braise the meat and onions over low heat for about 10–15 minutes.

  5. Now add the cut peppers and rice to the meat and onion, add the rest of the vegetable stock, cover and braise for a further 15–20 minutes.

  6. Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes, drain, make cross-shaped cuts in the ends, dip briefly in boiling water and then dip in cold water. Peel the tomatoes, remove the stalks and cut the tomatoes into quarters.

  7. Add the tomatoes and braise for another 3–5 minutes. Season with salt and cayenne pepper and sprinkle with a few basil leaves just before serving.

  Tip: Serve with a mixed green salad.

  Variation: You can also add a can of drained sweet corn (drained weight 285 g/10 oz) to the risotto.

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  150 | Yeast dumplings

  For children (8 dumplings)

  Preparation time: about 50 minutes, excluding rising time

  125 ml/4 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) milk

  50 g/2 oz (4 tablespoons) butter or margarine

  300 g/12 oz (3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 packet dried yeast

  50 g/2 oz (1⁄4 cup) sugar

  1 sachet vanilla sugar or 2–3 drops natural vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  1 scant teaspoon salt

  1 medium egg

  Per serving:

  P: 12 g, F: 14 g, C: 74 g, kJ: 1951, kcal: 466

  1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan, add the butter or margarine and melt in the milk. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl, add the dried yeast and mix well. Next, add the sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, egg and the milk and butter or margarine mixture. Knead all the ingredients with a hand-held mixer with a kneading attachment, first on the lowest setting, then on the highest setting for about 5 minutes until a smooth, homogenous dough is obtained. Leave the dough in warm place until it has risen sufficiently (about 40 minutes).

  2. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour, remove from the bowl and knead again briefly on a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough into a long cylinder and cut into 8 pieces of similar length. Form these into balls with lightly floured hands. Place the dumplings on a floured baking sheet, cover and put in a warm place to rise again (about 15 minutes).

  3. Stretch a tea towel taut across the widest possible pan filled with boiling water and secure it at the handles. Sprinkle with flour and put the dumplings on the cloth, then cover with an inverted bowl. Cook the dumplings over medium heat for about 15–20 minutes (check by pricking with a wooden cocktail stick: if the dough does not stick to it, it is done).

  Tip: Serve the dumplings with melted, browned butter, cinnamon sugar and grated almonds or stewed fruit.

  Variation 1: Bavarian steamed dumplings. Prepare the dough as described above and form 8 dumplings of similar size. Leave to rise on the floured work surface for about 30 minutes. Heat 30 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) butter, 100 ml/ 31⁄2 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) whipping cream and 100 ml/31⁄2 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) milk in a wide pan (if you do not have a wide pan, use 2 smaller ones). Put the dough balls in this mixture, cover and cook over medium heat for about 20–25 minutes. Serve the dumplings with this mixture.

  Variation 2: Stuffed tubular dumplings. Make the dough as described above (but with only a pinch of salt), shape into a cylinder and cut into 12 pieces. Put a teaspoon of plum purée on each slice, then push the dough over the plum purée to make a kind of pouch. Pour 40–50 g/11⁄2–2 oz melted butter into a soufflé dish about 30 x 20 cm/12 x 8 in and arrange the dumplings in the dish with the “seam” downward. Put the dish in a warm place to rise for about 10 minutes. Put the dish with the dumplings in the preheated oven (Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F, Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F, Gas mark 4) and bake for about 25–30 minutes. Serve hot.

  POTATOES, RICE & PASTA

  151 | Breadcrumb dumplings

  Classic (12 dumplings)

  Preparation time: about 50 minutes, excluding cooling time

  50 g/2 oz streaky bacon

  2 onions

  2 teaspoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil

  300 g/10 oz (about 8 pieces) dry rolls

  300 ml/10 fl oz (11⁄4 cups) milk

  30 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons)

  butter

  4 medium eggs

  4 teaspoons chopped parsley

  salt

  salted water – 1 litre/13⁄4 pints (41⁄2 cups) water with 1 teaspoon salt

  Per serving:

  P: 19 g, F: 20 g, C: 51 g, kJ: 1922, kcal: 459

  1. Cut the bacon into cubes. Peel the onions and chop finely. Heat the oil in a pan, add the diced bacon and fry until crisp. Add the chopped onions and continue frying over low heat while stirring.

  2. Cut the rolls into small cubes and put in a bowl. Heat the milk with the butter, pour over the diced rolls and stir well. Now stir in the onion and bacon mixture together with the fat from the frying and leave to cool.

  3. Beat the eggs with the parsley, stir into the cooled onion and bacon mixture and season with salt. Make 12 dumplings from this mixture, using your hands, lightly floured. Fill a large saucepan with enough boiling salted water for the dumplings to be able to “swim” in the liquid. Put the dumplings in the boiling water, bring back to the boil and poach uncovered for about 20 minutes (the water should only move very slightly). When the dumplings are done, remove from the water with a skimming ladle and drain well.

  Tip: Serve with roasts.

  Leave the rolls to dry for 2–3 days before using them to make the dumplings.

  Variation: Pretzel dumplings. Use pretzels instead of rolls and add 1 tablespoon of chopped chives to the dumpling mixture.

  BAKED DISHES

  152 | Spinach and sheep’s cheese lasagne

  Vegetarian

  Preparation time: about 50 minutes

  3 cloves garlic

  3 onions
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  3 tablespoons olive oil

  600 g/11⁄4 lb frozen leaf spinach

  about 2 tablespoons water

  salt

  freshly ground pepper

  grated nutmeg

  For the béchamel sauce:

  50 g/2 oz (4 tablespoons) butter or margarine

  50 g/2 oz (1⁄2 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

  500 ml/17 fl oz (21⁄4 cups) milk

  500 ml/17 fl oz (21⁄4 cups) vegetable stock

  salt

  freshly ground pepper

  grated nutmeg

  300 g/10 oz sheep’s cheese

  225 g/8 oz sheets lasagne, not pre-cooked

  100 g/31⁄2 oz grated gratin cheese

  Per serving:

  P: 37 g, F: 47g, C: 57 g, kJ: 3384, kcal: 808

  1. Peel the garlic and onions and chop finely. Heat the oil in a saucepan or frying pan. Add the chopped onions and garlic and fry until transparent. Add the frozen spinach and water, cover and defrost the spinach over low heat. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Preheat the oven.

  2. To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter or margarine in a pan and stir in the flour until the mixture turns pale yellow. Add the milk and vegetable stock and beat with a whisk, making sure that there are no lumps in the mixture. Bring the sauce to the boil and cook uncovered over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

  3. Crumble the sheep’s cheese. Pour a little sauce in a rectangular gratin dish, then line the bottom with a sheet of lasagne, followed by a layer of spinach and some sheep’s cheese on top and cover with more béchamel sauce.

  4. Continue with alternate layers of lasagne, spinach, sheep’s cheese and béchamel until you have four layers of lasagne. Now pour the rest of the béchamel sauce over the lasagne and sprinkle gratin cheese on top. Bake in the oven uncovered .

  Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),

  Cooking time: 35 minutes.

  BAKED DISHES

  153 | Potato bake

  Good value

  Preparation time: about 75 minutes, excluding cooling time

  1 kg/21⁄4 lb firm cooking potatoes

  5 hard-boiled eggs

  3 smoked sausages, 100 g/31⁄2 oz each

  salt

  freshly ground pepper

  300 g/10 oz sour cream

  30 g/1 oz breadcrumbs

  50 g/2 oz (4 tablespoons) butter

  Per serving:

  P: 29 g, F: 53 g, C: 42 g, kJ: 3192, kcal: 762

  1. Wash the potatoes thoroughly, put in a pan filled with water and bring to the boil. Cover and cook for about 20–25 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then place them in cold water and drain. Peel immediately and leave to cool down. Meanwhile, preheat the oven.

  2. Shell the eggs and slice them. Then slice the potatoes and the smoked sausages. Arrange these ingredients in alternate layers in a shallow gratin dish. Sprinkle salt and pepper on layers of sliced potatoes and sliced eggs. Finish with a layer of potatoes.

  3. Season the soured cream with salt and pepper, mix well and pour over the potatoes. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top and dot with knobs of butter. Bake the potato gratin uncovered in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (not preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),

  Cooking time: about 35 minutes.

  Tip: Serve potato bake with a carrot and apple salad. If you use thick soured cream you can make it less thick by adding 5 tablespoons milk.

  Variation: Potato and courgette bake with cabanossi. Instead of hard-boiled eggs use 300 g/10 oz courgettes. Wash the courgettes, wipe dry, cut both ends and slice. Sprinkle with salt and leave for about 10 minutes. Use 300 g/10 oz cabanossi (garlic sausage) instead of the smoked sausages and cut into slices. Pat the courgettes dry and arrange with the sliced potatoes and cabanossi so that they overlap. Sprinkle pepper on the potato and courgette slices. Beat together the sour cream and 2 medium eggs, season with salt and pepper and pour over the gratin. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top, dot with knobs of butter and bake as above.

  BAKED DISHES

  154 | Pancake gratin

  Vegetarian

  Preparation time: about 100 minutes, excluding batter resting and cooling time

  For the pancakes:

  185 g/61⁄2 oz (11⁄2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  3 medium eggs

  1 pinch sugar

  1 pinch salt

  225 ml/71⁄2 fl oz (1 cup) milk

  150 ml/5 fl oz (5⁄8 cup) mineral water

  40 g/11⁄2 oz margarine or 3 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil

  For the filling:

  2 onions, 2 cloves garlic

  250 g/9 oz carrots 30 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) margarine or 2 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil

  450 g/1 lb frozen leaf spinach

  salt, pepper

  grated nutmeg

  For the sauce:

  200 g/7 oz fromage frais

  1 medium egg

  salt, pepper

  In addition:

  fat for the mould

  125 g/41⁄2 oz mozzarella cheese

  some small-leaved basil

  Per serving:

  P: 29 g, F: 52 g, C: 43 g, kJ: 3151, kcal: 752

  1. Sieve the flour for the pancakes into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt, milk and mineral water and pour a little of this mixture into the well. Starting from the middle, mix together a little of the egg mixture and the flour, adding the rest of the egg mixture little by little, making sure that there are no lumps. Leave the batter to stand for 20–30 minutes.

  2. Heat some of the margarine or oil in a pan and pour a thin layer of batter into the pan. As soon as the edges turn golden yellow, carefully turn over the pancake using a wooden spatula. Alternatively, slide the pancake onto a plate and return to the pan on the other side. Fry the second side until it is golden yellow, too. Add a little more oil or margarine before turning the pancake. Make sure the pancake is golden brown on both sides. Make 6–8 pancakes (depending on the size of the frying pan), stacking the pancakes on top of each other and let them cool down.

  3. To make the stuffing, peel and chop the onions and garlic. Peel the carrots and cut off the green leaves and tips, then wash, drain and cut into small dice.

  4. Heat the oil or margarine in a pan. Add the chopped onions and garlic and fry while stirring. Add the carrots and frozen spinach, cover and cook over low heat for about 10–15 minutes until the spinach is defrosted, stirring occasionally. Preheat the oven. Boil way any excess liquid in the vegetable mixture. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and leave to cool.

  5. Meanwhile mix together the fromage frais, milk and egg and season with salt and pepper.

  6. Put the pancakes next to each other on the worktop and spoon the stuffing onto each pancake. Roll them up and arrange next to each other in a shallow, greased gratin dish (about 30 x 24 cm/ 12 x 10 in). Pour the sauce over each one. Cut the mozzarella into thin strips and scatter on top. Bake uncovered in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),

  Cooking time: about 35 minutes.

  7. Garnish with basil leaves just before serving.

  Variation: Pancake gratin with sheep’s cheese and raisins. Add 50 g/2 oz raisins and fry with the vegetables. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, ground cumin and ground coriander seeds. Prepare the sauce with puréed sheep’s or goat’s cheese instead of fromage frais. Make the gratin as described in the recipe and bake.

  BAKED DISHES

  155 | Rice and vegetable gratin

  For children

  Preparation time: about 50 minutes

  300 g/10 oz carrots

  4 teaspoons
cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil

  250 g/9 oz long-grain rice

  4 teaspoons curry powder

  500 ml/17 fl oz (21⁄4 cups) vegetable stock

  40 g/11⁄2 oz butter or margarine

  300 g/10 oz frozen peas

  salt

  freshly ground pepper

  1 pinch sugar

  2 medium eggs

  200 ml/7 fl oz (7⁄8 cup) whipping cream

  grated nutmeg

  125 g/41⁄2 oz grated, medium mature Gouda cheese

  Per serving:

  P: 23 g, F: 41 g, C: 64 g, kJ: 3042, kcal: 726

  1. Peel the carrots and cut off the green leaves and tips. Wash the carrots, drain and cut into small dice.

  2. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the rice and fry until transparent. Sprinkle the curry powder over the rice and fry briefly. Add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Preheat the oven.

  3. Meanwhile melt the butter or margarine. Add the diced carrots and fry. Stir in the peas and season with salt, pepper and sugar. Mix the rice and vegetables together and put in a shallow gratin dish.

  4. Whisk the eggs into the cream, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir in the cheese. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the rice and vegetables in the gratin dish. Bake in the oven without a lid.

  Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (preheated), Gas mark 4 (not preheated),

  Cooking time: about 25 minutes.

  Tip: Serve the rice and vegetable gratin with green salad, cold roast or ham. You can use a similar amount of brown rice, but in this case the cooking time for the rice will be about 20 minutes.

  Variation: Rice and vegetable gratin with chicken fillets. Rinse 300 g/10 oz chicken fillets under cold running water, pat dry, cut into strips and brown on all sides in the oil. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the pan. Fry the rice in the remaining cooking fat until transparent and continue as indicated above. Stir the chicken into the rice and vegetable mixture, put in a gratin dish and bake as indicated above.