Using what we have - a recipe

As I am looking forward to the next seasons crops, I am planning my meals around what is in my pantry and in the garden. This means that it eases up the grocery budget a bit as well and we are "forced" to eat some things that may be a little unusual in their combinations or not firm old favourites. I think it is quite fun to do this 3 or 4 times a year and for those of you, who like me, have chest freezers, its an opportunity to get them empty and cleaned.

In October last year I had the awesome privilege of taking a 5 day trip with my Superman to a long standing friend's farm. It was such a joy to see how she lives with her animals, garden and community. What she does epitomises what I think farm life should be like.



One of the most delicious meals she made for us was her leek tarts. The leeks she grew, the cream she got from her cow, the eggs from her chickens and the cheese from the milk. I have begged her for the recipe, but being busy with her life I haven't received it yet. But that's ok, she's my buddy and all's forgiven :)

Back on the home front my leeks need to be used and yesterday was the day to use some of them. Not having her recipe I came up with my own, but these were more like mini quiches than her creamy mouthwatering tarts.

Each one who munched these down gave them 10/10 so I thought I would she the recipe with you.

I milled 200g of organic spelt, mixed it with a teaspoon of salt, a tablespoon of olive oil and enough water to bind it.

I divided it into 12 balls and pushed them each into a muffin tin space after greasing it well. I have two oversized muffin tins, which have 6 to a pan, not 12.

I used about 10 medium leeks which I softened in a blob of butter with some salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a bowl I mixed 6 eggs, 250ml cream, 250ml mixed grated cheese (I had Emmental, Parmesan and Cheddar), then I added the leeks to this.

I had a little ham left from the weekend which I chopped and added to the raw pasty shells then spooned equal amounts of the egg mixture on top.

These I baked for 15 - 20 minutes at 180 degrees

While I waited for them to bake I used our last cherry tomatoes to make a delicious salad.

I quartered the tomatoes, sprinkled with a little dried chilli flakes, some olive oil and basaltic vinegar. I then used about 20 basil leaves sliced into ribbons to give it a delicious fresh tang.

It was truly a lunch to be repeated.