Recipes with Tonia Buxton

Spice up your kitchen

 Chickpea‑Filled Filo Triangles

This is one of the dishes that’s on my vegan menu for The Real Greek. It has proved to be a very popular as it has the perfect balance of aroma and spice.

Makes 12 – ­16

1 pack fi lo pastry

olive oil, for brushing

For the filling

2 x 400g tinned chickpeas, drained

1 onion, cut into quarters

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground turmeric

40g sundried tomatoes

1 small red chilli, very finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

30g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

black and white sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)

 

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Place all the filling ingredients except from the sesame seeds into a food processor and blitz into a coarse paste.

Remove the fi lo pastry from the wrapper and unroll onto a clean work surface. Cut through the centre vertically so you have two even sections. Place one on top of the other. Use two sheets per triangle.

Place 1 heaped tsp (do not overfill) of filling at the bottom of each strip and then start folding the pastry around the filling. Seal the triangle with a dab of olive oil.

Lightly brush with olive oil (you don’t want the pastry to be oily) and sprinkle with a little salt.

Place the pastries on the lined baking tray, under damp kitchen paper, and continue until you have used up all the filling or pastry sheets. Sprinkle them with dark and light sesame seeds (if using) Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden.

 

Spicy Chocolate Pots

These little chocolate mousses pack a powerful punch!

Serves 4

120g dark chocolate (at least 80% cocoa solids), roughly chopped

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp chilli flakes

a pinch of salt

3 tbsp strong spirit, such as Aqualibra tequila, Cointreau or Mastica liqueur

4 medium eggs, separated

40g soft brown sugar

zest of 1 orange

 

Put the chocolate into a heatproof glass bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the bottom of the pan, and melt gently. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cinnamon, chilli flakes and alcohol.

Beat the egg whites until they form peaks, then add the sugar and beat again until it turns glossy.

Stir the egg yolks into the cooled chocolate and then slowly fold in the egg whites, little by little. Do not overmix.

Spoon into small glasses, decorate with orange zest, and allow to set in the fridge for 2–3 hours.

 

Tonia Buxton has written four cookbooks and is a well-known TV celebrity and chef. For more information visit toniabuxton.co.uk