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:

• 4 oz plain flour

• Pinch of salt

• Water

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

 

For my Filling:

• One box of tomatoes Isle of Wight tomatoes

• One packet of goats cheese - soft and mild 

• Fresh basil 

• One packet of pine nuts

• Balsamic vinegar

• Sugar

• Salt and pepper

• Balsamic glaze 

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​Method

1. 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.

2. Meanwhile, I pan fried the red onions in olive oil and then added balsamic vinegar.

3. Once brown and sizzling, I added the sugar to caramelise the onions.

4. Meanwhile I toasted the pinenuts in the oven.

5. I then laid sheets of my filo pastry into the baking tray, brushing each layer with butter.

6. I then crumbled the goats cheese onto the pastry and I added the halves of tomatoes and seasoning.

7. I baked this in the oven for 30 minutes adding the pine nuts at the conclusion of the baking.

8. I garnished with basil grown in my grandad’s greenhouse.

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