I thought this pav was blogworthy just for how good it looks. Admittedly it didn’t require much effort on my part because I bought the shell pre-made. Which brings me to my title – bought pavlova has nothing on a home made version. It’s just that I’m scared of making my own after having a flop previously.
After tasting the shop bought shell my husband quipped that he was making pavs when he was 10 years old. Guess who’s making the next one now?
It does look good though – doesn’t it?
It’s a strange name for a dish but I’m at a loss to know what else to call it. It’s one of those dishes you make over the years and alter to suit what you have available. I have made this a lot since we have been keeping chooks and have plenty of eggs. So here’s a basic recipe to get you started:
10 large or 12 smaller eggs
1 onion
3 – 4 rashers of bacon
1 cup milk
1/2 to 1 cup of milk
1/2 cup self raising flour
1 cup cheddar cheese (use some parmesan too if you have it, it’s delicious!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tomato
salt & pepper
garlic salt, herbs, other seasoning (optional)
Cut up your bacon into small pieces and fry in olive oil until browning and smelling amazing. Add in chopped onion and continue to fry until browning. Lay into a large greased dish. (I use a large rectangular dish or roasting tray, as long as it has deep sides).
Whisk eggs in a bowl, add olive oil, salt, pepper and other seasoning if using. In a cup mix the flour with enough milk to make a paste, continue to mix in milk until runny in consistency.
Whisk the milk and flour as well as remaining milk into the eggs. Pour the mixture into your dish, over the bacon and onion.
Sprinkle grated cheese all over, then place thin slices of tomato on top.
Bake in a hot oven (200 degrees celscius) until golden brown on top.
Beautiful served with fresh, crisp salad.
There are plenty of other ingredients you can add to this, lastnight I dumped in a cup of leftover cooked rice. You can add grated zucchini, leftover roast vegetables, capsicum, tuna etc.
A very quick and easy dinner that all the family loves! If you try it let me know what you think.
We just got our new batch of Isa Browns which is always exciting. We keep them in a large enclosed pen which also has a wooden house and laying boxes (a converted dog kennel), nothing fancy but warm. cosy and comfortable.
We bought these ladies from a local cage egg farm, which is a bit strange because I’m completely against cage egg farms. But my reasoning is quite simple. You buy the young chooks from their elevated cages from which they’ve just been yanked out of by the legs by the staff member. You get them home and let them out of a cardboard box into the yard you have prepared for them. And this is the good part. You watch.
These feet have never stepped on bare earth. They have never pecked at a worm or insect. They have never walked freely!
So, my husband and I both agree it’s worth freeing these chooks from a life of misery in a cage and giving them the opportunity to do what comes naturally. This morning they had their first hot mash and were suitably impressed.
I’ll discuss egg farms again in a later post, I think it’s time for change.
How many times have you gone to the fridge to use the tomato paste only to find some unwanted fuzzies on top because you haven’t used any for a while? I wasted a lot of tomato paste until I came across this tip:
After opening your jar and using the tomato paste pour a layer of olive oil on top and evenly distribute. Replace the lid. The next time you use the tomato paste there will be a layer of solidified oil that is white, don’t worry – it’s only oil, just use the paste as normal. Do this after each use. Tomato paste lasts for absolutely ages in the fridge using this trick.
Place the muslin in a double layer over the bowl and secure around the rim with a rubber band. Spoon in the yoghurt. Place on a plate (the muslin takes up a lot of liquid). Stick it in the fridge. The length of time you leave it for is up to you. If you want it spread consistency a few hours will do it. If you want it thicker you can leave it overnight.
When it’s really thick you can roll it into balls, coat with herbs, paprika and the like and keep in good olive oil in the fridge.
You can use it to spread on bread (home made of course!!) then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
You can use it in place of sour cream, make a dip – the uses are only limited by your imagination.
That’s even easier than making the yoghurt, right?
I had the idea of treating the children will these, but was a little let down by their response. Only 1 child liked them, I’m not sure why, but they were pretty dry. I feel like I still have to get to know my oven and it’s temperatures, I seem to slightly overbake things sometimes and they end up dry.
There are plenty of other recipes I want to try in this book, so I’ll be giving them a go over the next few days.
