Back Roads Recipes

Serving: 5

Preparation time: 5 minute

Execution time: 5 minute

Back Roads Recipes 

 

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Croquetas With Manchego and Serano Ham 

Cacio E Pepe - Fresh Pasta with Parmigiano Reggiano and Pepper 

Tourtiere Landaise- Apple Tart with Brandy and Rum Butter 



 


 



Serrano Ham and Manchego Croquetas

Serves 4

Ingredients

30ml Olive oil 

60g Unsalted butter 

80g Plain Flour 

340ml Full cream Milk 

Pinch of nutmeg 

Pinch of white pepper 

100g Chopped Serrano Ham 

100g Manchego cheese 

¼ Bunch of Chives finely chopped 

2 Eggs whisked 

100g Panko breadcrumbs 

300ml Canola oil (for frying)

 

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, warm oil and melt butter on low heat. Add 60g Flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk, nutmeg and pepper. Continue to whisk until it becomes a thick sauce (a roux), 2-3 minutes. Mix in ham, cheese and chives and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring until well combined. If mixture is to dry as a splash on milk. 

  2. Transfer the mixture into a 10cm x10cm baking pan ( or bowl ) cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hrs 

  3. Once cool and stiff remove filling from refrigerator. Shape mixture into 6cm-7cm balls 

  4. In a bowl whisk egg and set aside. In another bowl place 20g remaining flour. In a third bowl place the bread crumbs. 

  5. Dip each croquetas in the flour, then egg wash and then coat with panko bread crumbs 

  6. In a large pan, heat enough oil to cover the croquetas completely, working in batches, fry each croquetas until golden brown. Approximately 3-4 mins 

  7. Serve immediately


Chef tips/ Cooking school notes: 

  • These can be made and frozen in advance for a dinner party! (Just need to fry to serve) 

  • Feel free to play around with shapes and sizes just note the bigger they are the longer cooking time

  • When frying you are wanting an oil temp of 160-180 degrees as the heat the centre 

  • When cooking out the flour and butter make sure to properly cook out to help thicken the sauce but also to avoid doughy taste

  • Can serve with a smoked paprika aioli as a option

  • If the mixture is a little soft or is a hot day can slightly freeze mix so that it holds its shape 

  • Can also double crumb 






 


 










Cacio e pepe

Serves 4 

Fresh Pasta Dough

200g plain flour (Preferably type 00 Italian flour)

Plus, Extra for dusting

2 Eggs, lightly beaten

1 Egg Yolk

Salt

  • Place flour on the bench and make a 20cm well, Beat the eggs and yolk together and place in well.

  • Using your finger gradually incorporate flour, then knead for around 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and satiny.  If the Dough is to firm add little water, if too soft add extra flour. Once kneaded shape in a ball, wrap in cling film and rest for 1hr.

  • Once rested roll out on lightly floured surface or pasta machine until a thin sheet 4mm thick. Hang to dry until it feels leathery and no longer sticks when pressed together. Once dry they are ready to be cut into 1cm strips. Can be made a Stored in freezer 24hr before

 

Cacio e pepe Sauce 

20ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

2 Teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper 

1 Pasta recipe batch 

¾ Cup Pasta water 

70g Unsalted butter 

80g of Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated 

(Pecorino or quality parmesan)



  1. Cook your Pasta in a well salted pot, I tend to slightly undercook the pasta so it finishes in the sauce. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining, as this thickens the sauce. 

  2. In a large saucepan on medium heat melt butter and add pepper, add pepper and let sizzle for 1 minute 

  3. Add ¾ cup of pasta water and whisk vigorously to emulsify, it will bubble up a lot, let bubble gently and thicken.

  4. Add your cooked pasta and give a toss in the sauce, Arrange the pasta in a nice even layer 

  5. Lower heat and sprinkle cheese directly on pasta and let gently melt, with tongs spin the pasta around for 30 seconds or until silky sauce starts to emerge.

  6. Serve Immediately 


COOKING CLASS TIPS

 

Chef tips/ Cooking school notes: 

  • A easy a quick way to do this is add all the ingredients into a blender and blend for 2-3 mins until combined then roll into a ball and rest. 

  • At home if you don’t feel like making fresh pasta any good quality spaghetti or other pasta variations also work well, thicker pasta work best 

  • For a richer dough use 2 yolks and 1 whole egg , this will be a yellow dough and richer in taste 

 

Chef tips/ Cooking school notes: 

  • The starch in the water helps thicken the sauce, that why we use the pasta water 

  • A good tip is to lightly toast the pepper corns before being ground to release the oils within.

  • Don’t use packet parmesan as they usually have a coating to help no stick, For best result always use good quality Pecorino or Reggiano 



 


 



Tourtière Landaise

Apple and Armagnac Pie 


Ingredients 

100g Butter

40ml Armagnac

20ml Rum

20g Vanilla extract

30   Sheets of Phyllo Pastry

90g Granulated sugar

5 Tart Green apples, peeled, cored and sliced very thin 

20g Icing sugar for dusting 

20g Butter ( For greasing ) 

 

Instructions 

  1. In a small saucepan, warm butter over low heat until melted. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl discarding any solids at the bottom.

  2. Add Armagnac, rum and vanilla to butter and whisk to combine 

  3. Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease a 20cm pie dish. 

  4. Using a Pastry brush, brush one sheet of phyllo with the Armagnac mixture. Then crumple into a ball and place in bottom of dish. Repeat this process 8 more times covering to bottom of the dish 

  5. Sprinkle the phyllo with 1/3 the granulated sugar then top with half the apple slices

  6. Brush 9 more sheets of phyllo with butter Armagnac mixture, crumple and arrange over apples 

  7. Sprinkle phyllo with 1/3 sugar and top with remaining apples 

  8. Brush another 9 sheet of phyllo and arrange over apples

  9. Drizzle the pie with remaining Armagnac mix and sugar

  10. Baking until phyllo is golden brown and apples are tender 45-50 minutes 

  11. Serve 

 

Chef tips/ Cooking school notes:

  • A good tip is to peel and slice your apples into acidulated water so they don’t go brown 

  • I’ve have attached a recipe for homemade phyllo for the cooking class that can be made a day before the event so they can make it traditionally, and can use bought phyllo at home 

  • Spiced rum also goes great with this! 

 

For 2 large pies (8 portions each)

4 eggs
4 tablespoons of oil
4 glasses of lukewarm water
1 teaspoon of fine salt
2 kg of flour


The day before:

  1. In a  bowl, break the eggs, then add the water, oil and salt.

  2. Beat them for about ten minutes then slowly add about 1 kg of sifted flour.

  3. Stir and beat until the dough comes apart in shreds.
    Spread a cloth on the table.

  4. Sprinkle 2 handfuls of flour on top and place the dough in the middle.
    Add flour on top, roll with the cloth, and add more flour several times until the dough no longer sticks.

  5. fold it and stretch it 12 times.

  6. Make 3 equal parts and roll them into balls to obtain a smooth shape.
    Place them on a plate and cover with oil.

Let stand for 8 hours in a cool place.



Back Roads Recipes

Ingredients

Directions

Italian