This quick and easy pastry parcel is a great option for a mouth-watering lunch. Served with a leafy green salad, you’ll have smiles all-around the table.

Ingredients:

• 250g Mozzarella Cheese, grated
• 100g Ham, shredded
• 300G Spinach, chopped
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
• 2Tbsp Olive Oil
• Butter for Frying
• 1 Egg
• 1 TODAY Puff Pastry

Method:

1. Start by adding olive oil and a knob of butter to a frying pan. Add the garlic and fry on a low heat for a couple of minutes.
2. Add the chopped spinach and continue to cook on a low heat for about 10 minutes. NOTE: to aid in wilting the spinach, a splash of water can be added and the lid kept on the pan.
3. Once the spinach is wilted, strain in a colander, squeezing out as much of the water as possible. Let the spinach cool.
4. Mix the spinach, mozzarella and ham in a bowl. Season well with salt and pepper.
5. Roll out one sheet of thawed TODAY Puff Pastry on a surface dusted with flour and cut into 6 squares (8 squares if you’re looking to make cocktail sized snacks).
6. Pile the filling into the centre of each square.
7. Fold the opposite ends of each pastry square together, giving them a gentle squeeze to form your parcels.
8. Using one beaten egg, brush each pastry before baking at 200°C (Fan 180°C) for 20-25 minutes until the parcels are golden brown.

When it comes to entertaining, a party platter can really bring a crowd together. Having a variety of tastes and textures will ensure everyone is catered for.

Ingredients:

• Selection of TODAY Mini Rolls
• Different Strengths of Cheese (uneven number)
• Crackers
• Accoutrements (fruits, vegetables and nuts)
• Herbaceous greens

Method:

1. Start by placing your selection of TODAY Mini Rolls on a baking tray (bake from frozen).
2. Using one beaten egg, brush each pastry before baking at 200°C (Fan 180°C) for 20-25 minutes until the Mini Rolls are golden brown.
3. Decide on a base for your party platter. Wooden boards or large platters work best.
4. Place your uneven number of cheeses at equal distances on the platter.
5. Layer a row of crackers to the left of each cheese.
6. Now add your TODAY Mini Rolls to the right of the cheese.
7. Using bowls, add accoutrements like olives, sugar snaps and nuts. You can always include a bowl of humus if you so wish. Create visual balance by using the same amount of bowls as cheeses you have on the platter.
8. With the basic structure in place, fill some of the gaps with grapes, dried fruit and beautiful Mediterranean tomatoes.
9. To add life, colour and texture to the rest of the empty spots, add some herbaceous greens.
10. To guide your guests, cut the cheeses to make them look more inviting.
11. Keep an eye on your platter as you may want to replenish some items throughout your event.

When it comes to pastries, Puff Pastry must be one of the most versatile types out there! Here are three easy ways to create some sweet tooth satisfaction, using TODAY Puff Pastry.

1.Pastry Twists

Ingredients:

• 100g Chocolate
• 125ml Cream
• 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
•  ½ Cup Caster Sugar
• Knob of Butter
• 1 x TODAY Puff Pastry sheet

Method:

1. Dust a work surface with flour and roll out a thawed TODAY Puff Pastry sheet.
2. Cut the sheet into 2cm wide strips.
3. Twist each strip a couple of times and lay down on a prepared baking tray.
4. Bake the pastry strips for 15min at 200°C (Fan 180°C) until golden and crisp
5. While the pastry twists are in the oven, mix the caster sugar and cinnamon.
6. In a double boiler, heat the chocolate and cream to make a chocolate dipping sauce.
7. When the pastry twists come out of the oven, brush them with melted butter and coat each twist in cinnamon sugar.
8. Enjoy with the chocolate dipping sauce.

2.Custard Tarts

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Custard
• 2 Tbsp Cinnamon Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tsp Cornflour
• 2 Tbsp Caster Sugar
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 x TODAY Puff Pastry sheets

Method:

1. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar onto a thawed, rolled out sheet of TODAY Puff Pastry.
2. Using a large round (about 10cm) cookie cutter, cut out 20 bases (10 bases per puff pastry sheet).
3. Line a greased 125ml capacity muffin tin with the pastry rounds.
4. Bake the bases for 8min at 200°C (Fan 180°C).
5. For the filling; mix the custard, 2 eggs, caster sugar and vanilla extract together.
6. Fill the puff pastry cups with the custard mixture and bake for a further 20min at 200°C (Fan 180°C) until the custard is set.
7. Once out of the oven and cooled, dust the custard tarts with icing sugar.

3. Chocolate Croissants

Ingredients:

• 1 x 100g Chocolate Slab
• 1 x TODAY Puff Pastry sheet
• 1 x Egg

Method:

1. Start by dusting a work surface with flour and rolling out a thawed TODAY Puff Pastry sheet.
2. Cut out triangles to form your croissants.
3. Place one block of chocolate at the widest part of your pastry triangle and start rolling.
4. Place your croissants on a baking tray and brush with a beaten egg.
5. Bake the croissants for 20-25min at 200°C (Fan 180°C), untill golden brown.

This delicious fish pie is a quick and easy recipe that boasts loads of flavour. If you’re not a fan of a strong lemon flavour, simply tone down the amount of lemon you use. You can also experiment with different types of fish, but we kept it simple with fresh hake fillets.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Béchamel Sauce (see recipe below)
• 1 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 300g Hake Fillets
• Handful of Dill & Parsley
• Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 TODAY Shortcrust Pastry

Method:

For the béchamel sauce:

To make the béchamel sauce, heat 2tbsp butter, then add 2tbsp flour and stir to form a paste. Add 300ml of warm milk and keep stirring while the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

For the fish pie filling:

1. Start by mixing all the ingredients together.
2. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out a thawed TODAY Shortcrust Pastry.
3. Using a 400ml capacity ramekin, cut out pastry lids that are slightly bigger than the ramekins.
4. Fill two 400ml capacity ramekins with the fish mixture, brush the inside edge of the dish with egg and top with a pastry lid.
5. Push the lid in so that the edges fold.
6. Brush the pastry lid with a beaten egg and pierce with a knife.
7. Bake for 20-25min at 200°C (Fan 180°C)

It’s no secret that South Africans love to braai! Why not play around with the idea of a traditional braai broodjie, by using TODAY Pizza Bases to make a “pizza braai broodjie”!

​You can let your culinary creativity get the better of you, as long as you remember to add enough cheese or a suitable sauce like chutney or mayonnaise to keep the pizza braai broodjie from being dry.

If you like the taste of peanuts, then you’ll love this Peanut Butter Cheesecake! Using TODAY Shortcrust pastry makes this recipe super easy!

Ingredients:

FOR THE FILLING

• 250g Cream Cheese
• 150g Ricotta 
• 195g Smooth Peanut Butter 
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 
• 135g Sugar 
• 2 Eggs 
• 125ml Cream 

FOR THE TOPPING

• 100g store-bought peanut brittle
• 1 cup Sour Cream 
• 180ml Pouring Cream 
•  ¼ cup Caster Sugar

FOR THE BASE

• 1 TODAY Shortcrust Pastry

Method:

1. Roll out 1 sheet of TODAY Shortcrust Pastry on a floured surface. Then lay the pastry over a prepared 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin and feed into the tin. Trim the excess pastry off, leaving enough pastry hanging over the edge of the tin. Add baking paper and baking beans and blind bake the base for 15mins at 180°C until cooked through.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, ricotta, peanut butter and vanilla extract. Gradually add the sugar and beat until dissolved. Now add 1 egg at a time, mixing well. Finish off by adding 125ml of cream and mixing through.
3. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pre-baked base. Bake at 160°C for 40 to 50mins. You want the filling to set. Once baked, refrigerate the cheesecake for a couple of hours.
4. To create the topping; beat the sour cream, pouring cream and caster sugar in a bowl, until stiff. The cream topping can be served on the side with every slice or dolloped onto the cheesecake.
5. For the peanut brittle topping; place the store-bought peanut brittle bar in a sealable plastic bag and crumb using a rolling pin. The peanut brittle crumbs can be sprinkled over the cream topping.

A chicken pie recipe with some serious flavour! This recipe makes two main course servings, so simply double the ingredients to make 4 pies.

Ingredients:

• 400g Chicken Fillets
• Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Flour
• 1 Tbsp Miso Paste (optional)
• 125ml Sour Cream
• 1 Corn Cob (kernels)
• 1 Chilli
• ½ cup Coriander
• 1 Spring Onion
• 2 Cups Baby Spinach
• 1 Egg
• 1 Sheet TODAY Puff Pastry

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and brown the chicken.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Add the flour and optional miso paste and stir through.
4. Now add the spring onion, chilli, corn kernels, baby spinach, coriander and sour cream. Stir through.
5. To prepare the pastry lids; dust a clean surface and roll out a thawed TODAY Puff Pastry sheet.
6. Using a 400ml capacity ramekin as a guide, cut out a pastry lid that is slightly bigger than the edge of the ramekin.
7. Fill two ramekins with the chicken mixture and place the pastry lids on top, sealing each dish by firming the pastry lid in place.
8. Using a knife, cut a small opening in the pastry lid.
9. Brush the pastry with a beaten egg.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 200°C (Fan 180°C) until pastry lids are golden brown.

This berry pie is a quick and easy dessert that is sure to impress.

Ingredients:

• 300g Frozen Berries

• ¼ Cup Castor Sugar

• 1 Tbsp Cornflour

• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1 Egg

• 2 TODAY Shortcrust Pastry Sheet

Method:

1. Mix the frozen berries, castor sugar, vanilla extract and sift in the corn flour.

2. Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out a thawed sheet of TODAY Shortcrust Pastry.

3. For the bases, cut out  9 x 9.5cm rounds using a cookie cutter.

4. Line a greased 125ml capacity muffin tin.

5. For the lids of the pies, lightly roll out a second TODAY Shortcrust Pastry, then cut out 9 x 6cm rounds.

6. Fill the pastry cups with the frozen berry mixture, careful not to overfill as the pies will bleed.

7. Brush the edges of the pastry bases with a beaten egg, then seal with a pastry lid.

8. Sprinkle some castor sugar over the lids.

9. Pierce an opening in the pastry lid for steam to escape.

10. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 200°C (Fan 180°C) until pastry lids are golden brown. Again, the pies bleed quite a bit.

11.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.