Cashew & Apple Savouries

Try these new delicacies from the Village Kitchen, I dare you!

Baked in a tray of 6 Yorkshire pudding tins, allowing one for each person. Served with pasta and a cold creamy piquant sauce.

Ingredients

225 g/ 8 oz ground cashew nuts

1 onion, chopped

A clove of garlic, crushed

50 g/ 2 oz butter

1 green pepper, chopped

1/4 teaspoon each of marjoram, thyme, ground cumin and paprika

50 g / 2 oz whole-wheat flour

2 tablespoons sweet sherry or Madeira

150 ml / 1/4 pint vegetable stock (water from cooking chestnuts is ideal) or use apple or grape juice.

50 to 75 g / 2 to 3 oz fresh breadcrumbs, whole-wheat if possible

1 large cooking apple, grated skin and all

Salt & pepper

50 to 75 g / 2 to 3 oz fancy pasta, whole-wheat if possible

To Garnish:

Slices of tomato and lemon

Creamy Piquant Sauce:

225 g / 8 oz cottage cheese

2 tablespoons mayonnaise or cream cheese

2 tablespoons yoghurt

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Herbs to taste - e.g. dill, chives or tarragon

Method

1. Fry onions and garlic in butter until transparent.

2. Add green pepper, herbs and spices and fry a further 3 minutes.

3. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.

4. Stir in sherry or Madeira and stock or fruit juice.

5. Remove pan from heat. Mix in cashews, breadcrumbs and apple. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Spoon mixture into greased tins.

7. Bake in middle of moderately hot oven, Gas 5, 375 degrees, 190 degreesC, for about 20 minutes or until cooked thoroughly and brown on top.

8. Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling, slightly salted water until tender.

9. Put all sauce ingredients together in a liquidiser and blend until smooth. If you don't have a liquidiser, press cottage cheese through a sieve and then blend in remaining ingredients.

Serve savouries with the pasta and piquant sauce.

Village Kitchen