Cheese Pastry

This is the basic recipe for cheese pastry and also cheese straws. This pastry makes a superb quiche or savoury tart. You can use other cheeses if wished, but the texture and flavour will be different.

Ingredients
6oz plain flour
1/4 teaspoon English mustard powder
pinch cayenne pepper
3oz diced hard margarine at room temperature
3oz extra mature cheddar cheese
1 egg yolk
2 to 3 teaspoons water

Method
1 Place a sieve over a large mixing bowl.
2 Pour the flour, mustard powder and cayenne pepper into the sieve.
3 Tap the sieve to allow the contents to fall into the bowl.
4 Add the margarine.
5 Using only your fingertips, rub the margarine into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
6 Add the grated cheese.
7 Mix thoroughly.
8 Make a well.
9 Add the egg yolk.
10 Start to mix it into the mixture with a knife or your finger.
11 Gradually add sufficient water to make a firm dough that is not sticky.
12 Cover with cling film.
13 Place in the fridge and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before use.

Note
This pastry can be frozen at -18 degrees centigrade for 2 months. To defrost either place in the fridge overnight or leave at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

This is the basic recipe for sweet shortcrust pastry. It is ideal for use in tarts, turnovers and pies when you want something a bit sweeter and richer than ordinary shortcrust pastry.

Ingredients
1 medium egg yolk
1oz/28g castor sugar
3 teaspoons cold water
8oz/250g plain flour
pinch salt
5oz diced butter at room temperature

Method
1 Place a sieve over a large mixing bowl.
2 Spoon in the flour and salt.
3 Shake the flour and salt into the mixing bowl.
4 Add the butter.
5 Using the fingertips only rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
6 Make a well in the centre of the breadcrumb mixture.
7 Add the castor sugar.
8 Stir in the sugar thoroughly with your fingers.
9 Tip the egg yolk into the well.
10 Draw the flour into the egg yolk.
11 Add sufficient cold water to form a stiff but pliable dough that should be neither dry or sticky.
12 Place the dough in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.

Notes
This pastry can be frozen for a couple of months at -18 degrees centigrade.

To defrost leave in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Apple Sauce

This is a wonderfully adaptable basic sauce that has loads of uses, serving with pork as a main course or using for a pudding as a filling for a tart, pie, turnover, crunch, crisp or crumble. For the sweet dishes add more sugar and double the amount of apples.

Ingredients
1 large Bramley apple
1 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 dessertspoon water.

Method
1 Peel, core and cut the apple into quarters.
2 Cut each quarter into half.
3 Place into a saucepan.
4 Add the water.
5 Cover with a lid and place on the hob on a hot heat.
6 Bring the water boil.
7 Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes or until the apple tender.
8 Mash the apple pieces.
9 Add the sugar.
10 Cook for a minute.

Serve hot or cold with pork.

Notes
A pinch of cloves can be added if wished.

This sauce can be frozen for a couple of months at -18 degrees centigrade.