Appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, tapas, whatever you call them and however they’re enjoyed, sharable plates play an important role in getting appetites — and conversation — going. Try these healthy, low-stress, finger-food-friendly recipes to kick off the whole affair and have everyone craving more of these sociable morsels.
Recipe By: Megan DavisTake a shortcrust pastry shell with an eggy-milky filling and load it with whatever herbs, greens, cheeses, and proteins you might have in the refrigerator. This recipe is a great opportunity to get inventive with gluts of seasonal vegetables, or clear out leftovers.
Ingredients
9inchshortcrust pastry shell (use ready-made pastry or your favorite recipe, baked blind)
1shallot
3scallions
5oz.chard
⅓oz.fresh basil
4 ½oz.soft goat’s cheese
2eggs
⅔cupheavy cream
⅓cupwhole milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil, for frying
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a large baking sheet in the oven to heat up.
Quarter lengthways, peel, and trim the shallot. Trim scallions and then cut into 2 ½ inch pieces. Pull the stalks off the chard and break into several pieces, so they’re not quite so long.
Add a glug of oil to a large frying pan/skillet and once hot, add the prepared shallot, scallions, and chard stalks. Gently fry for 15 minutes, until lightly caramelized and softening. When they’ve only got a couple of minutes left in the pan, add the chard leaves and let wilt. Once ready, remove pan from heat and let cool. Once cool, tear in the basil (leaves and stalks) and goat’s cheese so that all the chunky fillings are in one place, ready to go.
In a pitcher, whisk the eggs, heavy cream, and milk. Season with salt and pepper.
Pile the vegetable and cheese mixture in the pastry shell, then evenly spread it out across the base. Pour the egg mixture over the top.
Carefully transfer to the oven, placing it on a baking sheet on the top shelf for 30 minutes, until just set and lightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with a crisp green salad.
TIP
“Baked blind” refers to a crust that’s been baked without any filling. This is necessary if you’ll be filling the pie with ingredients that don’t need to be oven-cooked, like a pudding pie or this tart.
Black Pepper Ricotta & Bay‑roasted Grape Sourdough Toasts
Recipe By: Megan DavisCompared to most cheeses, ricotta is a healthier choice because it contains less salt and fat. It’s light and creamy with a slightly grainy texture and delicate flavor that can be used on its own or in dishes.
Ingredients
5-6fresh bay leaves
10 ½oz.red grapes
4slicessourdough or rye bread
1cupricotta (see recipe below)
½tsp.cracked black pepper
Flaky sea salt
Olive oil (for drizzling)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Scatter the bay leaves onto a small baking sheet and top with the grapes. Drizzle with some olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt. Place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes until the grapes are soft, colored, and the skins are bursting. Reserve pan juice.
Meanwhile, toast the slices of bread, then mix the ricotta with the black pepper and a pinch of salt and spread generously on top of the toast. Once the grapes are ready, pile on top of the ricotta, pouring over any pan juices.
Recipe By: Jenny LinfordRicotta is a soft cheese from Italy used in both savory and sweet dishes from pastas to Sicilian cannoli. Traditionally, it was made using the leftover whey from cheese-making, hence its name, which means “cooked again.” In the absence of whey, ricotta can be made very easily using whole milk.
Ingredients
3quartswhole milk
3Tbsp.white wine vinegar
½tsp.salt
Instructions
Place the milk in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Heat slowly and steadily over a medium heat until it reaches 180°F on a kitchen thermometer.
Remove milk from heat and stir in vinegar and salt, mixing thoroughly. The milk should begin to curdle. Cover and set aside for 3 hours. Be sure not to move the pan during this time so that curds will form.
Place a large colander in the sink and line it with a double layer of wet muslin/cheesecloth. Pour the curds into the colander and leave to drain in the sink for 2 hours, so that the excess moisture runs off.
Transfer the ricotta cheese into a bowl and use as required.
