Old Aussie favourites

I decided to write and share some old Aussie favourite recipes that have brought me joy and a lot of Australians as well. As you know Aussie's love their cold beer, Bbq's (throw another shrimp on the barbie mate) and a few more traditional favourite food's I hope you enjoy.

Aussie Meat Pie

Serving size: Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

FILLING:

1 kg coarse minced steak

2 onions, finely chopped

2 Tbs oil

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups beef stock

1 can Roma tomatoes

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs dark soy sauce

1/2 cup flour mixed to a smooth paste with water

1 cup peas

Mozzarella cheese

Short crust pastry for bases, sheets of puff pastry for tops.

METHOD

Heat the oil in a pot and brown the meat and onion well.

Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, stock, tomatoes,

Worcestershire sauce and dark soy for colour.

Simmer, covered until the meat is very tender,

stirring occasionally (about 1 hour).

Stir in the flour paste and cook a further 5 minutes.

Stir through peas and set aside until completely cold.

Roll pie dough on a floured surface to a thickness of 7.5 mm

and place over individual pie tins or large pie tins.

Press the dough down into the corners of the tins using

a piece of dough wrapped in a clean tea towel then brush

the edges with water. Don't press down on the edges of the

tins at this stage; the pastry should still be in one large

piece.

Fill barely to the top with the cold filling and cover with

a slice of cheese, then a sheet of puff pastry. Press down

on the rims of the pie tins with the palm of your hand to

seal the pastry and cut away the excess. Glaze the tops with

egg and pierce the centre with a knife.

Bake in a 220 degrees C oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the

temperature to 200 degrees C and bake a further 30 minutes.

When cooked, the pastry should be well puffed and golden

brown.

Serving size: Serves 10 or more

Cuisine type: Modern Australian

Cooking time: Less than 30 minutes

Makes approx 40 biscuits INGREDIENTS

125g butter, chopped coarsely

2 tablespoons golden syrup

¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 tablespoon water

1 cup (90g) rolled oats

1 cup (90g) desiccated coconut

1 cup (150g) plain flour

¾ cup (165g) brown sugar

METHOD

Preheat oven to 160°C or 140°C fan-forced.

Combine butter and syrup in a small saucepan. Heat gently until butter and syrup melt.

Combine bicarbonate of soda and water in a small bowl and stir into butter mixture.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour over warm butter mixture and stir well to combine.

Roll rounded teaspoons of mixture into balls. Place about 4 cm apart on baking paper lined baking trays and flatten slightly.

Bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes on baking trays; transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Australian Damper Bread

This is a traditional bread baked in the coals of an open fire or in a Dutch Oven (huge lidded cast iron pot) but nowadays we bake it in a normal oven. Of course there are as many variations as there are days in the years but the basic recipe is as follow:-

Ingredients

• 4 cups self-raising flour
• 3/4 - 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water

Method

• Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and mix in the sugar.
• Rub in the butter with your (clean) hands until a fine breadcrumb texture is achieved.
• For a well in the top of the flour, pour in the milk and water, and mix well with a knife until the dough come clean from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and silky, like a baby's bottom.
• Shape into a mounded loaf, (some people cut a deep cross in the top) and bake in a preheated oven, 200 c / 400 F, for 25 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 180 c / 375 f and cook a further 10 - 15 minutes until done. The loaf should be a light golden brown colour and sound hollow when tapped.
• If you are "game" try cooking it on a camp fire; nothing beats that extra smoky flavour, especially using Australian Eucalyptus wood to give it that special something. If you are cooking in an oven at home, try putting a few Gum Leaves in the over to smoke as your are cooking the bread.

Damper is very similar to Irish Soda Bread, and probably developed from recipes brought over by Irish immigrants/convicts.

Variations of the basic recipe are seemingly endless, but you could try substituting other liquids, such as beer for a darker colour/flavour, or varying the ratio of milk to water, and so on. Try adding more sugar and butter and some dried fruits for a dessert damper. Basically use your imagination.

If you are cooking on an open fire you could try wrapping the dough in aluminium foil before you place it in the coals, or even try wrapping the dough around a stick and cooking suspended over the flames.

Good Baking

Makes about 25 Squares

Cake Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted Butter, softened

2/3 cup Granulated Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 whole Eggs

1 1/3 cups Self-Rising Flour

2/3 cup Milk

Chocolate Icing:

2 cups Confectioners' Sugar

1 Tbs. Boiling Water

1 Tbs. Vanilla Extract

1 Tbs. Cocoa

1 1/2 cups shredded Coconut

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 350-F degrees; grease a 10-inch by 10-inch square baking pan and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and

then the eggs, one at a time, beating the batter after each addition.

Fold in the flour and the milk, alternating portions of each ingredient and continuing to mix

well until thoroughly combined.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cake

recedes from the sides of the pan and is golden and set on the top.

Let the cake cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack and allow to cool

completely.

Slice the cooled cake into twenty-five 2-inch by 2-inch squares.

To prepare the icing, sift the confectioners' sugar into a medium mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the boiling water with the vanilla extract and the cocoa.

Add the blended cocoa mixture to the powdered sugar and mix well.

Ice the cake squares on all sides and roll in the coconut. Allow to dry on a wire rack.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or serve right away.

In 1935, the chef of the Hotel Esplanade in Perth, Western Australia, Herbert Sachse, created the pavlova to celebrate the visit of the great Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova. Whilst it has been suggested this dessert was created in New Zealand, it has become recognized as a popular Australian dish.

TRADITIONAL PAVLOVA

4-6 egg whites

pinch salt

8oz Castor sugar/sugar (equal parts)

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 level teaspoons cornflour

(Please note the following equivalents:

Castor sugar or fine/super fine sugar

corn flour or cornstarch)

Preheat oven to 400F(200C).

Lightly grease oven tray, line with baking paper or use non-stick cooking spray.

Beat the whites of eggs with a pinch of salt until stiff (until peaks form).

Continue beating, gradually adding sugar, vinegar and vanilla, until of thick consistency.

Lightly fold in cornflour.

Pile mixture into circular shape, making hollow in centre for filling.

(Mixture will swell during cooking)

Electric oven: turn oven to 250F (130C) and bake undisturbed for 1 1/2 hours.

Gas oven: bake at 400F (200C) for ten minutes, then turn oven to 250F (130C) and bake a further hour.

(Fan forced oven: temperature and time needs to be adjusted accordingly.)

Turn oven off, leave pavlova in oven until cool.

Top with whipped cream and decorate with fruit as desired