Patz's Pantry

Halloween inspired me to buy an edible pumpkin and actually use it in a recipe. I have always wanted to make a pumpkin pie but never got round to baking one so what better time of year when supermarkets are overflowing with this lovely  squash plant. Sweetness and spice and all things nice, this is a beautifully delicious dessert, one that leaves you satisfied! I will definitely be making this again and again and again.  Did I mention it was also dairy free..? Ingredients (Makes 14) 750g pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and chopped 500g shortcrust pastry ( Jus Rol Pastry Block ) Plain flour. for dusting 100g coconut sugar ( Biona Organic Coconut Palm Sugar )   1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon  1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 2 eggs, beaten  20g sunflower spread ( Pure Sunflower )  200ml Almond Cream ( EcoMil Cuisine Amande ) Method Pre-heat oven to 180C Place the chopped pumpkin  in a large saucepan, boil OR steam until soft. Dr...

My "Zia Bruna" (auntie) is renowned for her panzerotti parties in the summer, something I always look forward to every year as they are truly amazing! I have always promised myself that I would try and recreate them back home however, with ingredients being slightly different I have always been worried that they would never come even close so never bothered... until today! The request came from my husband and what with my vegan sister back from Italy I took on the challenge and made two batches... and guess what? They were a hit! I cannot tell you how proud I was with my first attempt.   Ingredients (Makes 14) 600g Strong White Bread Flour 320ml Water 40ml Olive Oil 1 sachet Hovis Fast Action Bread Yeast  8g sugar 8g salt 400g Vitros Violife Vegan Cheese (grated) or diced Mozzarella for non vegans 500g Chopped Tin Tomato Pinch of salt Method In a jug mix the water, olive oil, sugar and yeast. Place the flour in a large bowl or clean work surface the...

Since I realised the amount of sugar in shop bought granolas I have taken a vow to make my own from now on, at least that way I know exactly what's in it and it doesn't feel like I'm crunching my way through pieces of sugar! You'll need a large container for this batch as it's quite substantial - I love my Kilner cliptop storage jar as it's so versatile and keeps anything I store extremely fresh. Ingredients: Zest of 2 large oranges Juice of 1 large orange 2 tbsp Coconut Oil (I use Lucy Bee ) 2 tbsp Biona Coconut Nectar  (or honey if preferred)  1 tbsp Vanilla essence 300g Almonds 100g Chopped Almonds 200g Cashews  100g Hazelnuts  80g Pecans  100g Pumpkin seeds 100g Desiccated coconut 50g Flaxseeds 25g Chia seeds 2 tsp Cinnamon 1 tsp Mixed spice 100g Goji Berries METHOD Preheat the oven to 180°C In a Pan melt the coconut oil then combine the orange zest, juice, coconut nectar and vanilla essence - put aside. Combine all the nu...

We moved into our new home in February of this year and every month the garden has proved to be a beautiful urban oasis of delightful surprises, from the beautiful flowers and shrubs to many visitors of the wild we never really experienced in our previous home only two miles down the road.  The month of August brought to fruition the blackberry... the first lot picked were devoured " au  naturel ", however I wanted to use the second lot in a recipe although it wasn't enough to make jam or ice-cream so I used then as a hint of berry in some moorish and crumbly oat bites. Ingredients: 250g buckwheat flour 100g ground almonds 200g Biona coconut palm sugar 2 tbsp Biona coconut nectar   280g sunflower spread 100g dessicated coconut 2 large eggs 100g oats (gluten free)  200g blackberries (this is all I had, however I should have doubled the amount) Method: Preheat oven to 160C and line a baking tin with grease-proof paper. In a large bowl, combine t...

It was my not so baby sister's 22nd birthday last week so I decided to surprise her with a favourite tipple of hers but in cake form... aahh the wonderfully English G&T; my go-to refreshment on a lovely night out (and in!). Now Eat/Drink Responsibly Folks! Ingredients: 200g unsalted butter softened 200g caster sugar 200g self raising flour 4 eggs 4 tbsp tonic water  2tbsp gin of your choosing For the frosting: 250g unsalted butter softened 500g icing sugar Juice of one lime 5tbsp gin  of your choosing Method: Pre-heat the oven to 180c and line/ grease  two 20cm cake tins Cream together the butter and sugar until light and smooth - ensure to use a  spatula  to mix in the mixture stuck to the side of the bowl. Add the beaten eggs to the mixture very slowly while continuing to whisk. Sift in the flour and fold careful into the mixture - s tir in the tonic water. Divide the well combined cake mix into the two baking tin...

This was a dish I prepared during one of those evenings when the thought of rustling up a meal seemed a total chore and the prospect of ordering a takeaway was the most tempting of options but the willpower remained strong (thank goodness!). I know what my husband would reply to "here you go darling, have your tasteless bowl of leaves after a hard days work" and it's not suitable for this respectable food blog although is probably grounds for separation or divorce somewhere in the world I'm sure! *wink wink* The simple green leafy salad can be so boring more times than not so here is something with masses of flavour, oh and before I forget you'll need a spiraliser for it.  Ingredients: (Serves Two) 2 courgettes, spiralised  1 ripe avocado, sliced 1 tin of sweetcorn (130g) 1 handful of cooked tenderstem broccoli 2 handfuls of cashew nuts  2 tsp. smoked paprika pinch of salt  black pepper 2 tbsp. tahini Juice of 1 lemon  1 tbsp. extra virgin ol...

I love an impromptu, never before mastered recipe in my repertoire - cobbled together from what the contents of the kitchen cupboards have to offer, certainly challenging my culinary creativity.  Tangy, tasty, delicious and leaving you wanting more... this is what food is all about and best of all it's GLUTEN & DAIRY FREE so no need to feel too guilty if an extra forkful is devoured!  Ingredients: (Serves Two) 200g Gluten Free Spaghetti (I use Garofalo, it has by far the best bite) 450g Scallops  4 tbsp. Dairy free sunflower/soya spread  1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 heaped tbsp. small capers Black Pepper Salt 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped  Method: Bring a pan of salted water to the boil for the spaghetti and cook as normal for approximately 8-9 minutes stirring occasionally. Pat scallops dry, and sprinkle with salt and pepper - if you wanted to add a little heat to the dish a pinch of cayenne pepper a...