Ancient Greek Ricotta and Honey Cake

We made this cake for a friend who studies Classics at uni. The trickiest part is rolling out the thin dough. But it wasn't helped by a small student kitchen with only a tiny amount of counter space!
I think good ingredients really help with this cake (especially the honey) because there are relatively few of them.
(Credit to Ella for having the imagination to find this recipe!)

The top is supposed to look more neat but I quite like this rustic aesthetic :P

Makes: one cake

Ingredients:
400g flour
250g ricotta
200g honey
a few bay leaves
oil

Before you start: pre-heat oven to 165 degrees C

1) Mix the flour and some water in a bowl. Keep adding water until you form a solid dough.

2) Divide the dough into 6. Keep 2 clumps together.

3) Get a shallow baking tin/tray. Roll out the largest clump as thin as possible so it's the length of the baking tin but twice the width (basically, you need to be able to fold this sheet of dough like a parcel)

4) Then roll out the other clumps of dough thinly, the dimensions of the baking tin



5) Leave these sheets to dry.

6) Meanwhile, mix the ricotta and honey in a bowl until smooth



7) Put the thin dough, brushed with oil, in the oven briefly so it dries out further

8) Line the tin with baking paper. Place a few oiled bay leaves in the bottom of the tin.



9) Put the largest piece of dough in the bottom of the tray, with the extra hanging over the sides. Then put a sheet of dough in the bottom of the tray.

10) Add a layer of ricotta and honey, follow with a sheet of dough and repeat until you've used both up. Finish with ricotta and honey.



11) Fold the dough over the top of the cake

12) Bake for 25-30 minutes in the middle of the oven

Pumpkin Pie

It's Halloween! So time for something pumpkiny... an American classic - Pumpkin Pie! (We grew the pumpkin ourselves :) )

Pumpkin pie
Serves: 8
Cooking temp: 180oC and 220oC
Cooking time: 25 + 50 minutes

Ingredients
750g chopped and peeled pumpkin or squash
350g packet of shortcrust pastry
140g caster sugar
25g melted butter + extra for roasting
1tsp nutmeg
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
2 eggs, beaten
175ml condensed milk
100ml double cream, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC/Gas 4. Spread out the pumpkin in a large baking tray and sprinkle with a few tablespoons of sugar. Add two knobs of butter and roast for about 20 minutes, until soft. Take out and leave to cool.
2.  Roll out the pastry until it will cover a 22cm tart tin. Press in (with an overhang in case of shrinkage) and chill for 15 minutes. Bake, with baking beans, for 15 minutes. Then remove the paper and beans and bake for another 10 until crisp. Remove and leave to cool. Increase the oven to 220oC/Gas 7.
3. Meanwhile, puree the pumpkin and push through a sieve into a small bowl(if you can be bothered, otherwise just puree well). In a larger bowl, combine the sugar and spices. Mix in the egg and melted butter, then the pumpkin puree. Stir to combine.
4. Pour into the tart shell and bake for 10 minutes, then for 40 minutes at the lower temperature of 180oC/Gas 4 until just set (with a bit of wobble).
5. Leave to cool, then whisk up the double cream and pipe into rosettes on top.
6. Serve!

Some chocolate things!

Chocolata lava cakes V2.0! Very nice but (if that's a *but*)  rich (have with ice cream or whipped cream..?) I used Gu ramekins (The ones their desserts come in that you can buy at supermarkets) which were just the right size for this.

Ingredients
250g 70% dark chocolate
300ml milk
50g unsalted butter at room temperature
25g cocoa powder
150g caster sugar
2 eggs
25g self raising flour

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Cooking temp: Gas 4, 180oC

Method

1.   Preheat the oven to 180oC, Gas 4
2. Melt the chocolate in the milk over a low heat. In two small clean bowls, separate the eggs.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar, then fold in the flour, cooca powder,egg yolk, and chocolate mixture and mix well.
4. Beat the whites until they hold their shape, then spoon into the chocolate mixture and mix again with a metal spoon.
5. Pour this into 6 8cmx8cm ramekins, and place them into a large roasting dish. Fill the dish with boiling water, to a depth of 2.5cm up the side of the ramekins
6. Bake for 20 minutes, until they form a firm cracked crust (don't overbake or they'll loose the liquid centre).
7. Enjoy asap! You could dust with some icing sugar or cocoa powder to serve.