2019 KEEN YOUNG COOK FINALIST: JAMES JUPP
Filo tray bake with Goat’s Cheese, Isle of Wight Tomatoes & Caramelised Onions
"I chose this recipe following my holiday this year in Kefalonia, Greece where I had the opportunity to try lots of filo pastry dishes and goats cheese - I loved them!
Also, my family live in the Isle of Wight and I tried multi-coloured tomatoes there. I then saw them in our local farm shop (Calcott farm) and I was also able to buy locally sourced goats cheese from there too.
I love the flavours that are involved in this dish and I thought that they would all contrast well together due to bright colours of the tomatoes and purple onions. The golden crust of the filo gives a nice texture and colouring. I love the toasted flavour of the pine nuts and the short bursts of freshness and fragrance from my grandad’s basil. I think this has a good balance of protein as well as vegetables and makes a great lunch with a salad."
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
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4 oz plain flour
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Pinch of salt
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Water
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2 tablespoons olive oil
For my Filling:
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One box of tomatoes Isle of Wight tomatoes
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One packet of goats cheese - soft and mild
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Fresh basil
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One packet of pine nuts
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Balsamic vinegar
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Sugar
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Salt and pepper
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Balsamic glaze
Method
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Following lots of practice for weeks (!), I made my own filo pastry, let it rest in balls and stretched and then rolled this out into thin square sheets.
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Meanwhile, I pan fried the red onions in olive oil and then added balsamic vinegar.
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Once brown and sizzling, I added the sugar to caramelise the onions.
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Meanwhile I toasted the pinenuts in the oven.
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I then laid sheets of my filo pastry into the baking tray, brushing each layer with butter.
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I then crumbled the goats cheese onto the pastry and I added the halves of tomatoes and seasoning.
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I baked this in the oven for 30 minutes adding the pine nuts at the conclusion of the baking.
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I garnished with basil grown in my grandad’s greenhouse.