Spinach and feta cheese pies for the journey ahead

I made 12 individual spinach and feta cheese pies so that my nephews could take some with them for their return train journey back home.
The rest were refrigerated and have been dwindling in numbers, being consumed for a working lunch or like tonight for our evening meal. All that is required is gentle reheating in the oven and a serving of salad. The pies were packed and flavourful.

I served these with a butter bean salad. I feel a little guilty as I did go out of my way to buy some imported fresh tomatoes. Whilst eating the salad, it did occur to me that sun dried or sun-blush tomatoes would have worked equally well.

If you do decide to make this recipe, please be warned that you will have quite a bit of filling left over. I decided to use the remainder in filo pastry like this, which we all shared for lunch on Wednesday. However, if you wish, you can double the hot water crust pastry recipe below, to make 2 x 8 inch pie like this Mosaic carrot and bean pie for example, or about 16 - 18 individual pies. I think this filling is quite versatile, so it is completely up to you how you encase it.
UPDATED: Dec 2013 Its always a huge compliment when I see a fellow blogger make a recipe of mine and it turns out to be a hit such as this one made by Nicola over at Lemon and Cheese see here.
Spinach and feta cheese pies
For the fillingIngredients
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, finely sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 medium leeks, chopped
6 – 8 spring onions, sliced
450g fresh spinach, washed and chopped
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
200g feta cheese, crumbled
50g sliced black olives
2 tablespoons raw rice
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large pan and sauté the onions, garlic and leek until they vegetables are soft and beginning to colour. Add the spring onions, dill, chopped spinach and toss everything together until the spinach wilts. Cover and keep cooking on low heat for about 10 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat and stir occasionally for a few minutes more until the excess moisture completely cooks away. Stir in the cider vinegar and move from the heat. When cool, add the raw rice, crumbled feta cheese and sliced olives. Stir well to combine.
For the hot water crust pastry

Follow this link and scroll down for instructions. Either make 12 individuals pies or 1 large 8 inch cake tin. Once the muffin tin or cake tin has been lined with the pastry, spoon in enough filling before topping with lid. Ensure that you pierce a hole in each lid. Bake at Gas mark 7 for individual pies, 30 – 35 minutes or 45 – 55 minutes for large. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Butter bean and Tomato salad
1 x 400g butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil
2 large stalks, sliced thinly
½ medium red onion, finely sliced
12 black olives, sliced
½ cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and then thinly sliced (I also tend to spoon out the soft middle, but that is up to you).
6 tablespoons of parsley, coarsely
A handful of cherry or baby plum tomatoes, cut in half
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a large bowl, combine the beans with the celery, garlic, onions, olives, cucumber, chopped herb, tomatoes, olive oil and seasoning to taste. Toss gently. Recipes adapted From Anna's Kitchen.

Black coffee and walnut muffins

Yesterday afternoon, a bit like a scene from one of those soppy black and white movies, I kissed the nephews goodbye and waved frantically at the moving train. Awww. Then I got home, sulked a little, sorry that they were gone, but then silently pleased as I was getting the sitting room back. You see my flat is quite small and the TV room had temporarily been converted into a guest bedroom (thank goodness for bed settee's). Not just that, we live above a small family and I am always conscious of my own and my guests footsteps on the creaky floor. After all our floor is there ceiling, and my nephews, well lets say they are not exactly light footed. Other than brotherly arguments and the occasional loud music, they were very good. The next time I’ll see them together will probably be in the summer.

With their lack of presence, it also became apparent to me that I was due to go back to work tomorrow, not a thought that filled me with much excitement, but hey its only a couple of days and then it’s the weekend. With the next two working days in mind, I decided to make half a dozen muffins, these were not fruity juicy ones, but ones that would play more of a 'wake me up' and get me through the working day. Yes these were coffee and walnut muffins.

I have to admit, although a little dry, I did appreciate them this morning for my break. The flavour of the coffee really came through and you could just about smell the coffee too. In fact, I had double the dose of caffeine: in these muffins and my mug. Good job it was first thing in the morning, if it was the evening. I don't think I'd be sleeping well.

The recipe for these Coffee muffins is really simple. To a basic muffin recipe for six, I added 2 tablespoons of cold black coffee and about 60g chopped walnuts. Stirred the mixture gently and then spooned it into 6 muffin cases. Bake for 20- 25 minutes, or until risen and firm to the touch.

Jalapeño Muffins with Smoky black bean chilli

This is what we had last night. I made an assumption that this chilli bean recipe adapted From Anna's Kitchen was going to be a breeze to make, but I was foolish. This is one of those recipes a person ought to make in advance or when they've got time to potter around in the kitchen, as there are quite a few processes involved. One thing that was in my favour though was I did soak the black beans overnight, plus we recently purchased a pressure cooker. As I am still quite nervous with the pressure cooker hissing and spinning round and round, I permitted D to cook the black beans for me. Once that stage was completed, it was over to me. It was a good two hours before there was food on the table.

To accompany the Smoky Black Bean chilli, I made some Jalapeño and corn muffins. The immediate reaction I got to this was cakes with a spicy -savoury dish. Well these are not the sweet muffins, but savoury ones. Perhaps I should have sold them as Jalapeño and corn bread. But I didn't have to, once they all tucked in, they were enjoying the dish or so I thought. The youngest did not appreciate the smoky flavour of the chipotle peppers in the chilli, but he did quietly eat it all. What a good nephew.
I thought the muffins were exceptional. As you bit in the soft warm texture, the sweetcorn would burst in your mouth, then you would get a gentle kick from the chopped Jalapeño and a hint of coriander. Delicious. I will be making these again.
Unlike other chilli bean recipes I've made in this past, this black bean chilli is deep and dark like chocolate. I really liked it. You don't have to serve it just with the Jalapeño and corn muffins, tortilla wraps and plain boiled rice would work well too, and that's what I'll be having with the left overs this evening.
Smoky Black Bean Chilli
Serves 6-8 generously
Ingredients
500 g dried black beans, soaked and cooked (reserve the liquid)
1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced
4 dried Ancho chillies
3 dried chipotle chillies
4 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
4 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
4 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 fresh green chillies, sliced
1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
Salt to taste
Method
Put the dried chillies in a small pot with just enough water to cover them, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until they are soft. Remove the chillies from the water (reserve the water), let cool for a few minutes, then pull off and discard the stems and seeds. Place the chillies and their simmering water in a blender and puree. Add the dried oregano, ground cumin and paprika to the mixture and puree. Set aside.
Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan, and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, then stir in the chilli puree, the chopped tomatoes and their juices, vinegar, sliced green chillies and salt to taste. Add the beans and as much of their cooking liquid as you like. Bring to a boil, then turn down and allow to simmer over low heat for at least 30-45 minutes, until it has the consistency you prefer. When ready to serve, stir in the chopped coriander leaves, taste and adjust seasoning if required.
The dried Ancho and chipotle chillies I used in these muffins, were those that my nephew bought for me a few months ago from a delicatessen in Cardiff. I may need to place another order.

Jalapeño and corn muffins
Makes 12
Ingredients
150g plain flour
180g cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ onion, finely sliced
3 tablespoons of Jalapeño from a jar, sliced
Tin of corn (about 125g) drained and rinsed (mine also included some chopped red peppers)
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 egg
250ml milk
oil for greasing muffin tin
Method
In a bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In a wide pan, add the oil and the onions and cook until translucent. Stir in the corn kernel, Jalapenos and coriander, and gently heat through and remove from the heat.
Beat together the egg and milk, and stir into the dry mixture. Then fold in the oniony corn mixture into the batter thoroughly but gently. Spoon the batter into 12 muffin cups, and bake at Gas mark 6 for 20 – 25 minutes, or until they are golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Serve hot or warm.

This is one of my nephews plates where he whirled in some soured cream. MMMmmm I'm not sure, looks like a funny face to me!