This is my variation on the renowned English Summer Pudding. It was originally created and tested for my book, but was omitted, along with other desserts, to make room for more savory recipes and also for the gorgeous Penny De Los Santos’ pictures.

Read more HERE.

Traditionally English Summer Pudding is served with double cream but mascarpone is for me the ideal cherry-on-top, though in this case it is white-on-red.

Conveniently, it is one of the sweets that have to be prepared at least a day in advance and can be left in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

The recipe is based on one from the July 2007 Gourmet magazine.

Serves 6  (more…)

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This is an unusual traditional dessert from Provence where chard leaves are the main ingredient, complemented by pears and raisins or currents, soaked in anise-flavored drink. The pastry has yeast, olive oil and eggs, and is scented with lemon zest.

Serves 12-15

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Use homemade or good quality rose petal jam to flavor this light mousse.

Serves 6-8 (more…)

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Adapted from Mediterranean Vegetarian Feasts

Skillet pies –tiganokouloures or tiganopsoma in Greek, and gözleme or saç böreği in Turkish— have become our everyday project these days. Read more HERE.

My version of a delicious skillet pie inspired by the Turkish gözleme  and it is easy to make, provided you can roll phyllo. Unfortunately, the frozen commercial kinds cannot be used. In some parts of the US fresh yufka sheets are available. If you have a pasta machine it is easy to make your own thin phyllo strips and to create rectangular or square gözleme. See the basic recipe for Spinach, Herb and Feta Skillet Pies.

They may look different from the traditional pies, but they will be equally delicious, as they toast to crispy perfection.

I decided to use the same technique and make  sweet, dessert pies: I chopped bitter-sweet chocolate, added half a crumbled cinnamon-flavored, olive oil cookie, a cup of toasted almonds and walnuts, and a good sprinkling of cinnamon; I moistened the mixture with two teaspoons light cream, and with this filling we made the last six pies. The aroma, as they cooked on the hot-plate, was wonderful!

Serves 6-8

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