A delicious savoury tart with mozzarella, perfect for a buffet or as a starter, and ideal for vegetarian guests. This is also a great idea if you are wanting to make cocktail snacks, just use small muffin pans.

Pastry
1 cup flour
Pinch of salt
50g butter, cubed
1 egg yolk
±2T ice cold water

Filling
150g mozzarella, thinly sliced
500g punnet medium roma tomatoes, halved, or 4 large tomatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
1 packet basil leaves
±2T olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
2T stale breadcrumbs
2T grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a 23cm flan tin.
Pastry

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour to create a breadcrumb consistency. Add the egg yolk and mix in well, then add the cold water to make a dough that just comes together. Place in a plastic packet and allow to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Roll the pastry out and carefully press into the prepared flan tin. Prick well with a fork and bake in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until firm. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 180°C. Allow to cool.

Filling

1. Arrange the mozzarella slices over the base.
2. Top with a layer of tomato, cut side up (overlapping slightly if using large tomatoes).
3. Dip the basil leaves in the olive oil and arrange on the tomatoes, together with the garlic slices. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Mix together the breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese, and sprinkle over the top.
5. Place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

Wickedfood Cooking School

Sunninghill – (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

Wickedfood Cooking school runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking studios. Cookery classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.

Our cooking lessons are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and teambuilding cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.

The soup can be served either hot or chilled, with sour cream. It is perfect made a day or 2 in advance, and leftovers are delicious the following day. It is important to purée the soup and pass it through a sieve to get rid of the spice kernels.

60ml olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small chilli, cut in half
3t cumin seeds
2t coriander seeds
750g carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 large onions, peeled and cut into large chunks
4 sticks celery, washed and cut into chunks
1 medium fennel bulb, washed and sliced
±700ml water
2t salt
1 large bunch coriander, washed, and leaves separated from stalks
1 handful of leaves retained for garnish

120ml soured cream (optional)

1. Over a medium heat in a heavy-based pot warm the olive oil with the garlic, chilli, cumin and coriander seeds until the spices begin to sizzle and the aroma is released.
2. Turn up the heat, add the vegetables and stir well to coat each piece with the flavoured oil.
3. Cover with a lid and cook without colouring for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add water to barely cover, add salt and the coriander stalks. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer until all the vegetables are soft, ±20 minutes. Strain the vegetables, retaining the stock (the water that the vegetables were boiled in).
5. In a food processor or liquidiser, purée the vegetables. Push the soup through a sieve into a clean pot. Mix the stock into the puréed vegetables to your desired consistency (more stock for a thinner soup) and re-heat (or place in fridge until required).
6. Chop the coriander leaves and stir into the soup, taste and adjust the seasoning.
7. To serve
8. Serve hot or chilled with a scoop of soured cream, a sprig of fresh coriander and focaccia or other crusty bread.

Serves 6

Wickedfood Cooking School

Sunninghill – (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

Boksburg – (011) 823-5365 boksburg@wickedfood.co.za

Runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built cooking studios. Classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.

Our classes are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and teambuilding cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.

SUNNINGHILL – Information & bookings (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

BOKSBURG – Information & bookings (011) 823-5365 boksburg@wickedfood.co.za

Hi all,

Congratulations to the Blue Bulls for winning the Currie Cup final it was a fantastic game and I’m sure all the rugby fans out there enjoyed it thoroughly, We would also like to welcome Mundial Knives on board at Wickedfood Cooking School Sunninghill. We will now only be using these excellent knives at the school. Wickedfood Chef had a chance to use a set while learning how to butcher a wild pig and it made the job so much much easier. Wickedfood Sunninghill has a variety of these knives for sale at a special price.

Also follow us on Facebook and Twitter – just search for Wickedfood and you will find us.

Wickedfood Cooking School, Sunninghill

Wickedfood Cooking School, Boksburg

In Desserts James Martin (renowned TV chef) indulges his sweet tooth, providing an irresistible selection of more than 100 hot puddings, cold desserts, cakes, bakes, ice creams and sorbets.

Following the very successful BBC series Sweet Baby James, this book features classic desserts including tarte tatin and pavlova, comfort food such as sticky toffee pudding and chocolate chip cookies and old favourites including spicy plum crumble and lemon meringue pie, as well as many new ideas destined to become classics in their own right. An illustrated basics chapter explains different techniques and the book’s illustrated throughout with mouthwatering photographs. Desserts is the book James Martin’s fans have been waiting for.

Most cookbooks have a section for starters, fish and seafood, meat, poultry and so on but for those of you who quickly page through to the desserts section and are disappointed with the small display of tarts and sponges this book is for you. It has a detailed look at many of your favourite desserts with easy-to-follow recipes and detailed pictures. It is a desserts’ lover’s must have book. It starts with the basics ie: short crust pastry and Victoria sponge to interesting ideas on how to make more advance things like cinder toffee honeycomb (the stuff you find in Crunchy chocolates) and how to spin sugar. This is a book that any dessert lover would be kept busy with for weeks.

Wickedfood Cooking School

Sunninghill – (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

Boksburg – (011) 823-5365 boksburg@wickedfood.co.za

Runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built cooking studios. Classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.

Our classes are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and teambuilding cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.

A quick-to-make savoury bread, with chunks of Chourizo. This is delicious served with any starter.

500g cake flour
2T baking powder
1t salt
4 eggs
1 cup oil
±1 cup milk
1 egg yolk
1/2 Chourico, chopped – reserve 3-4 slices for garnishing

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. Grease a loaf tin or muffin pans.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
3. Add eggs, oil and milk. Beat well, adding a little extra milk if the mixture seems too dry.
4. Add sliced sausage (reserve 3-4 slices for garnishing).
5. Place in a loaf pan (or muffin pan) and brush the top with egg yolk. Garnish with the leftover slices of sausage.
6. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°C for 1 hour (±15-20 minutes for muffins).

Makes 8-10 large muffins or mini loaves.

Try it with this Delicious Carrot and Coriander Soup.

Wickedfood Cooking School

Sunninghill – (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

Boksburg – (011) 823-5365 boksburg@wickedfood.co.za

Runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built cooking studios. Classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.

Our classes are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and teambuilding cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.