Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Damper Scrolls

I originally found this recipe from http://www.taste.com.au and made a few adjustments to it.  To make it suitable for students with nut allergies I replaced pinenuts with sunflower seeds. I also reduced the amount of feta and replaced semi-dried tomatoes with sun-dried tomatoes to make the recipe more budget friendly.  I also halved the damper ingredients to suit a group of two to three students (and again to keep the recipe budget friendly)

To cut down on preparation time, you could also use ready-made pesto instead of making it from scratch, although the kids love using the blender to make the pesto.

Despite being a little apprehensive about some of the ingredients, my students (and their parents) loved this recipe and I have had many requests for it.

It's great as a lunch box filler or an afternoon tea snack.

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Damper Scrolls

 (Makes 8)

225g (1.5 cups) self-raising flour 40 g butter, chopped 1 T finely shredded fresh basil Salt & freshly ground black pepper

¾ c milk 50 g feta, crumbled Milk, extra, to brush

 

Sun-dried tomato pesto ·         80 g (1/3 cup) sun-dried tomatoes ·         2 T sunflower seeds ·         15 g (1 T) finely shredded parmesan

·         1 t crushed garlic ·         30 ml (2 T) vegetable oil ·         Salt & freshly ground black pepper

 

1.      Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

 

2.      To make the sun-dried tomato pesto, place the sun-dried tomatoes, sunflower seeds, parmesan and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually add the oil in a thin steady stream until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside until required.

 

3.      Sift the flour into a large bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the basil and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

 

4.      Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until evenly incorporated and the mixture begins to hold together. (Do not over mix. The dough should be soft but not sticky.) Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until just smooth.

 

5.      Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the dough to a 15 x 20 cm rectangle, about 1cm-thick.

 

6.      Spread the sun-dried tomato pesto evenly over the dough and sprinkle with feta.

 

7.      Starting from a long side, roll up firmly to form a log. Brush the edge with a little extra milk and press down firmly to seal.

 

8.      Cut log crossways into 8 equal portions, about 2cm thick. Place the scrolls on prepared tray.

 

9.      Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and just cooked through.

 

10.  Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Note:   If you are short of time, you can use ready-made basil pesto for this recipe.

 

 

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/3268/semi+dried+tomato+pesto+damper+scrolls

Citrus Slice - use any citrus fruit in this delicious slice

This is quite similar to the recipe Liss has for Lemon slice on her blog over at Frills in the Hills.  I've tried her recipe and it's fantastic.


For something slightly different, this recipe (from NZ icon, Alison Holst) is a citrus slice in which you can use any citrus fruit that is in season.  We have an orange tree in the back yard which is covered in fruit ready to use so I am going to save some money for the school and take in my own oranges to use in this recipe.


I love anything with a condensed milk, butter, and biscuit base!  An Australian friend of mine teased me that NZ baking always involves crushed biscuits and condensed milk :)


Give this recipe a go with lemons, oranges, mandarins and tangelos in season.

Citrus slice


Base
100 g butter
¾ c (1/2 can) sweetened condensed milk
1 c coconut
Grated rind of 1 or 2 citrus fruit
1 (200g) packet of plain sweet biscuits


Icing
1 c icing sugar
1 T soft butter
Citrus fruit juice


1. Collect equipment and measure all ingredients.


2. Grate rind of fruit using fine side of grater.


3. Make biscuits into crumbs using a food processor


4. Melt the butter in a saucepan.


5. Add condensed milk, finely grated rind of citrus fruit, coconut and the biscuit crumbs to the melted butter. Mix well.


6. Press mixture into a lined slice tin.


7. Mix icing sugar with soft butter than add juice, a few drops at a time, to icing consistency.


8. Spread with a knife and decorate with a fork if desire.


9. Refrigerate until firm.


10. Cut into squares or rectangles and store in the refrigerator.

Pizza Mix

Everyone loves pizza and a homemade dough is so much better than a bought one.

This is quite an involved lesson as making the dough, kneading it and then putting the pizza toppings together all takes time, but it is well worth the effort.

This is a quick-mix dough which does not need rising time which is an extra bonus.

The thing which makes this dough special for the students is that they choose the various herbs and spices to flavour the base and to make it an original product. Everyone makes their own pizza too (instead of in pairs), which means they all have the chance to make a base.

As with all of these lessons, the students make and package the mix first before making and baking a real pizza.

Pizza Mix

4 c flour
2 x 8 g sachets instant yeast
2 t sugar

1. In a bowl, mix together the flour, yeast and sugar.
2. Add 1 or more flavourings of your choice from the list below.

Flavouring ingredients:

1 t Garlic powder
1 t Oregano
1 t Parsley
1 t Basil
1 t Tarragon
1 t Thyme
1 t Rosemary
1 t other herbs (as provided)

3. Take out one cup of mixture and put it in a snap lock bag. Take out another cup of mixture and put it in a second snap lock bag. Attach the instructions – this is for you and your partner to take home to give as a gift.
4. Divide the pizza mix left in the bowl into 2 bowls.

Instructions for making the pizza

• 1 c pizza mix
• 1 T olive oil
• 90 mL warm water

• 2 T tomato paste or pizza sauce
• 1 c grated cheese (mozzarella is best)
• Your favourite pizza toppings – mushrooms, pineapple, ham, capsicum, onions, etc

1. Preheat the oven to 190 ºC.
2. Put the pizza mix into a bowl.
3. Mix the warm water and oil together
4. Pour the oil and water into the dry ingredients and mix until the dough just comes together.
4. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead for approximately 5 – 8 minutes or until elastic (when you press the top it should bounce back and leave no indentation).
5. Divide the dough into two pieces and form into round, flat shapes.
6. Place on an oven tray which has been lined with baking paper.
7. Spread the pizza bases with tomato paste then sprinkle with cheese.
8. Arrange other pizza ingredients on top of the cheese and bake at 190º C for 15 to 20 mins or until pizza crusts are crisp and the cheese is melted.