February 2017

I happened to find this fabulously easy recipe perfect for dinner from my first book “Simply Delicious” today, and got so excited to share it with you. This is one of those all-time favourites of mine (and it will be yours too).
If you have never made it, then you simply must try it. There’s nothing quite like a delicious pasta to begin the week. Hope it’s a good one for all of you! Happy cooking!

TOMATO & MOZZARELLA SHELL PASTA

PREPARATION & COOKING TIME: 20 minutes

250g large shell pasta (Conchigle Rigate)

350g buffalo mozzarella, broken into small pieces (or mozzarella cut into cubes)

400g Rosa or grape tomatoes

4 tbs olive oil

4 large spring onions, sliced (or 1 packet baby leeks)

1 tbs dry marjoram

1 tbs dry thyme

2-3 tsps sugar

salt and black pepper

30g fresh rocket, shredded

Cut tomatoes in half and place in a frying pan with the spring onion and olive oil.  Sauté on medium heat until they begin to soften.  Then add herbs and seasoning and continue to cook until tomatoes are very soft.

Cook pasta in salty water until ‘al dente’ and toss with a drop of oil after draining.

Toss pasta with sauce, mozzarella pieces and rocket and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.  Serve immediately.

Serves 3-4

Even though we are all watching our diets and eating healthily, there’s always room for a little decadence in our lives. What I love about this pie, is it’s so delicate with the phyllo. It can be assembled in minutes and then popped into the oven to bake. And it’s a showstopper!! You have to try it! When you’ve made it, let me know what you think!

#sharonglasschef #phyllo #cheese

FILLING

250g feta, crumbled

125g cheddar, grated

125g Roquefort/blue cheese, crumbled

125g grated parmesan

2 tbs fresh mint, finely chopped

Mix all filling ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup (250ml) milk – I use about ½ cup milk and ½ cup cream

Whisk together and then set aside to pour over.

125g butter

8-10 sheets phyllo (depends on size of the dish)

breadcrumbs for sprinkling in between

paprika

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Grease an oven proof baking dish with butter.

Brush 2 sheets of phyllo and then sprinkle with breadcrumbs in between them. Fold buttered phyllo into fans and place the fans next to each other in the dish.

Spoon cheese filling mixture into each fold/ groove, till mixture is all used up.

Pour over the egg and milk mixture and then dust with paprika. Leave to stand for 15 minutes before you place in the oven

Bake for ±30 minutes until golden and cheeses are melted.

Serves 8-10 people

NOTE: Can be frozen (but without the egg and milk mixture). Defrost first then spoon over the egg mixture.