NEW POTATOES

I had an old dustbin on the allotment – with holes already drilled so it was obvious that someone grew something in it. I brought it home, put it behing my greenhouse and put some of my potatoes in. They have sprouted and weren’t good for anything else and as I don’t like to throw anything away, I planted them there. It was very early in the year – February I think. If they did well – fine, if not – fine too.

They did well and I’ve got the result for our lunch today, served with home-made pesto, together with a cheese and onion flan.

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RAINS STOPS PLAY…

…but work continues.

I not only love gardening and handicrafts but also cooking and baking. Today it was the turn of pie making.

I decided on cheese and onion pie, easy to make and very tasty. I have got my own version, which means I make the pastry and the filling is  not exactly as a recipe would specify. I make it up as I go but the nearest one to it is called  a traditional cheese and onion pie.

This done, there was another thing to make. A very different treat this time, a kind of cheese balls very good to serve with wine or just on their own. This is a brazillian recipe given to me by our friend Lucia. I remember making it in her house and freezing them. A huge advantage because later it is so easy just to take them out of the freezer, put on a baking tray and bake for about 25 minutes in a moderate oven.

I cannot find a link to any recipe online but instead of that I add the one I use. It is very easy and all the ingredients are available.

CHEESE BALLS (PÃO DE QUEIJO in Portuguese)

Ingredients

150 m of oil (vegetable or sunflower)

½ kg of sweet manioc flour (casava flour in any market)

300 ml of milk

1 teaspoon of salt

1 egg

½ kg of grated white cheese (such as Wensleydale or Caerphilly)

Method

Heat the milk, oil and salt until boiling. Heat the flour. Mix in the egg and then, finally, the cheese.

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