Be bold with your Easter menu and put together this traditional Easter pie! This special Italian dish is also known as Torta Pasqualina in Italian.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 2 hours 15 min

INGREDIENTS
For the dough
4 cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil + to brush
1¼ cups water
For the filling
500 g Swiss chard
½ onion, chopped
Handful origanum, chopped
8 eggs
½ cup grated mozzarella
¼ cup grated Parmesan
500 g ricotta
¼ tsp nutmeg

METHOD
For the dough
1. Sift flour and salt on to a clean surface. Make a well in the centre and add the olive oil. Gradually add water.
2. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Wrap in cling film and set aside for 1 hour.
For the filling
1. Remove central ribs from the chard. Cook leaves in a dry pan until soft. Chop finely and squeeze out the liquid.
2. Fry onion until golden. Add chard and fry another few minutes. Add origanum, and salt and pepper.
3. Beat 2 eggs and fold into the chard. Fold in mozzarella and ½ Parmesan.
4. In another bowl, mix ricotta with 2 eggs, remaining Parmesan, nutmeg, and salt and pepper.
To assemble your Easter pie
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 22 cm baking tin with olive oil.
2. Divide dough into 4 balls. Roll out thinly on a floured surface.
3. Lay down 1 sheet of dough, brush with oil and lay down another sheet. Press out air bubbles. Press dough into the base and sides of the baking tin.
4. Spoon the chard mixture on to the dough. Top with the ricotta mixture.
5. Separate the remaining 4 eggs, keeping each yolk separate. Whisk the egg whites together lightly.
6. Make 4 indents in the ricotta and carefully place an egg yolk in each one. Pour over the egg whites.
7. Layer 2 sheets of dough on top, brushing oil in-between. Tuck in and crimp edges. Brush the top with oil.
8. Bake for 30 minutes on the bottom shelf of the oven. Then move to the middle and bake for 10–15 minutes.
9. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove from tin and slice into wedges.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

So what’s for dessert? Well, only one of our favourite Easter classics made local: Hot cross bun milk tart!

The post Enjoy this traditional Italian Easter pie for lunch appeared first on MyKitchen.

Bright as the sun and sweet as summer, we’re feeling inspired to add juicy nectarines to all sorts of dishes, including this coconut and nectarine tart!

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the pastry
255 g flour
125 g cold butter, cubed
80 g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp ice water
For the filling
2 eggs
75 g caster sugar
40 g desiccated coconut, plus extra to decorate
35 g flour
75 g butter, melted
450 g (3–4) nectarines, sliced into wedges

METHOD
For the pastry
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place flour, butter and icing sugar in a food processor and blend until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolks and water and blend again until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out and use your hands to form a ball. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3. Roll out dough on a well-floured surface to about 5 mm thick.
4. Line a 20 cm loose-bottomed tin with the pastry and prick the bottom with a fork. Refrigerate for another 20 minutes.
5. Blind-bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
For the filling
1. Whisk eggs and sugar until fluffy. Mix in coconut and flour. Fold in the melted butter.
2. Spoon into cooled tart shell and spread evenly. Arrange the nectarine wedges over the filling and sprinkle with extra coconut.
3. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
4. Allow to cool completely before removing from the tin.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

For something just as sweet, but a bit more on the healthy-conscious side, try this summer nectarine and mozzarella salad.

The post Enjoy this summery coconut & nectarine tart appeared first on MyKitchen.

Things are heating up and getting berry delicious this season! Make this wonderful raspberry and citrus loaf for a springtime treat.

MAKES 1 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 30 min

INGREDIENTS
220 ml caster sugar
175 g butter
3 eggs
Zest and juice of 1 orange
½ tsp vanilla essence
400 ml self-raising flour
125 ml ground almonds
½ cup overripe raspberries
60 ml sugar

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a loaf tin.
2. Beat the caster sugar and butter until creamy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the orange zest and vanilla.
3. Beat in flour and almonds until a loose batter forms. Stir in the raspberries.
4. Pour into the tin. Bake for 50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
5. In the meantime, simmer the sugar and 125 ml orange juice until sugar dissolves. Boil for 5 minutes, until the mixture is syrupy. Remove from the heat and pour over the warm loaf.
6. Leave to cool for at least 30 minutes, then serve.

Recipe & styling: Brita du Plessis
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Want more? Try this peach and berry trifle!

The post Use your overripe berries for this raspberry and citrus loaf appeared first on MyKitchen.

Honey, honey! This honey and pine nut tart with mascarpone will be the ultimate show-stopping dessert at the brunch table.

MAKES 1 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 40 min

INGREDIENTS
For the crust
1 cup flour
80 g butter
1 tbsp sugar
Pinch salt
1–2 tbsp ice water
For the filling
250 g unsalted butter
⅔ cup honey
½ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
½ cup cream
3 eggs (2 whole, 1 yolk)
150 g pine nuts
Mascarpone, to serve

METHOD
For the crust
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a tart tin.
2. Pulse the flour, butter, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add just enough ice water to make the dough come together. Form the dough into a ball, cover in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 5 mm thick. Line the tin with the dough, pressing into the sides and leaving the ends hanging over. Place in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
4. Blind-bake for 10 minutes. Then neatly trim the edges with a very sharp knife.
For the filling
1. Melt the butter, honey, sugar and salt over medium heat.
2. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. Mix the cream and eggs into the sauce.
4. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the crust and pour the sauce over.
5. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 1 hour.
6. Enjoy the tart warm or chilled, served with dollops of mascarpone.

Recipe & styling: Caro Alberts
Photography: Myburgh du Plessis

Enjoyed this pine-nut tart recipe? You’ll love this lavender tart too!

The post Honey and pine nut tart with mascarpone appeared first on MyKitchen.

A hot and toasty baked good for breakfast? Yes, please! You’ll love the fresh tropical flavours in this coconut and banana breakfast bake, but if you aren’t keen on cooked bananas, fresh berries will pair just as well!

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
7 eggs
½ cup coconut flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup flour
3 bananas, halved
¼ cup brown sugar

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease an ovenproof pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until light and fluffy. Fold in the remaining ingredients, except the bananas and brown sugar, until well combined. Rest batter for 5 minutes.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and top with the bananas. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top.
4. Bake for 20–25 minutes and allow to cool before serving.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

The post Tropical coconut and banana breakfast bake appeared first on MyKitchen.

You don’t need a special occasion to create this stunning pink Champagne cake! Host your own high tea and enjoy this sweet and decadent dessert with your favourite hot beverage.

MAKES 1 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 15 min

INGREDIENTS
For the champagne cake
375 g cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 egg whites
250 ml rosé sparkling wine
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla essence
400 g caster sugar
225 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp pink food colouring
For the buttercream icing
250 g unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla essence
500 g icing sugar
1 tsp pink food colouring
Edible flowers, to decorate

METHOD
For the champagne cake
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Grease and line two 22 cm cake tins.
3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
4. In a second bowl, whisk the egg whites, sparkling wine, oil and vanilla.
5. In a third bowl, cream together the sugar and butter with an electric beater until light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
6. Add of the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture; then add ½ of the liquid ingredients. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients, mixing well. Add the pink colouring.
7. Pour the batter into the tins and bake for 40–45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out.
For the buttercream icing
1. Beat the butter with an electric beater until smooth; then add the vanilla.
2. Add sugar and colouring. Beat on medium speed until it is a spreadable consistency.
3. When it is completely cool, sandwich the layers together with icing and ice the top and sides.
4. Decorate the cake with edible flowers of your choice.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

The post The perfect pink Champagne cake with buttercream icing appeared first on MyKitchen.