Celebrate summer with an Australian beachside picnic.

RECIPES & STYLING JANELLE BLOOM
PHOTOGRAPHS MICHAEL OMM



olive oil spray for greasing
3 x 24cm square sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, just thawed
250g rindless bacon, chopped
200g ricotta
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
4 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
12 small free-range eggs
2 x 24cm square sheets frozen puff pastry, just thawed
tomato chilli jam to serve (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a 12-hole, ⅓-cup capacity muffin pan with olive oil spray. Using a 10cm-round cutter, cut 4 rounds from each sheet of shortcrust pastry and gently push a round into each muffin hole. Bake for 8-10 minutes until light golden. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a frypan over a medium-high heat for 4 minutes until golden, then drain on paper towel and set aside for 5 minutes. Place ricotta in a bowl and beat until smooth, then add sour cream, bacon, thyme, spring onion, sea salt and ground black pepper and stir to combine. Spoon 1 tablespoon of ricotta mixture into each pastry case, make an indentation in the centre and crack an egg into each pie. Using a 7cm-round cutter, cut 6 rounds from each sheet of puff pastry, place over pies and press edges together to seal, then brush tops with water and season with salt and pepper. Bake pies for 18-20 minutes or until pastry is golden, then set aside for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature with tomato chilli jam. Makes 12 pies.

Tomato Chilli Jam

2 red banana chillies, seeds and membranes removed, roughly chopped
2 bird's eye red chillies, seeds left in, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
600g ripe tomatoes
1½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup red wine vinegar

Place chilli, onion and garlic in a food processor and process until very finely chopped, then place mixture in a heavy-based saucepan. Cut a small cross in the base of each tomato and place in a large, heatproof bowl in a single layer. Cover with boiling water and allow to stand for 5 minutes, then drain and peel skins away. Halve tomatoes, discard seeds and cores and roughly chop, then add to the saucepan with sugar, sea salt, vinegar and 1 cup of water. Heat over a medium heat for 10 minutes until sugar has dissolved, then increase heat to medium-high and boil gently for 35-40 minutes until mixture is thick and jam-like. Spoon into sterilised jars, seal and cool. Jam will keep, refrigerated, for 4 months. Makes 2½ cups.

More Summer Food Recipes Greenhouse Salad Steak Sandwiches Strawberry and Tarragon Jelly Passionfruit Jellies

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