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Roasted Veg & Pesto Focaccia Sandwich

Written by admin on . Posted in Medium, Savoury. No Comments on Roasted Veg & Pesto Focaccia Sandwich

Difficulty: Medium • Serves: 4

This focaccia sandwich is like bringing a café lunch home. Soft, olive-oil-rich bread filled with roasted vegetables, pesto, and cheese – hearty enough for a main meal or to share.

Ingredients

For the focaccia:

  • 500 g strong white bread flour
  • 7 g fast-action yeast (1 sachet)
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 350 ml warm water
  • 3 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for the tin and topping)

For the filling:

  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 1 courgette, sliced
  • 1 small red onion, wedges
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3–4 tbsp green pesto
  • 150 g mozzarella or feta, sliced or crumbled

Method

  1. Make the focaccia dough: Mix flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Add warm water and olive oil, then mix to a sticky dough.
  2. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic (a stand mixer is handy here).
  3. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and rise for 1–1½ hours, until doubled.
  4. While the dough rises, roast the veg: toss pepper, courgette and onion with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 200°C (fan 180°C) for 20–25 minutes until soft and slightly charred at the edges. Leave to cool.
  5. Once risen, press the dough into an oiled rectangular tin (about 30 x 20 cm). Use your fingers to dimple the surface and drizzle with a little more olive oil.
  6. Rise again for 30–40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°C).
  7. Bake the focaccia for 20–25 minutes, until golden. Cool slightly on a wire rack.
  8. To assemble the sandwich, slice the focaccia horizontally.
  9. Spread the base with pesto, layer on roasted vegetables and cheese, then top with the remaining focaccia.
  10. Slice into squares and serve.

Cosy Oven Tip

You can add leftover roast chicken, ham, or extra cheese if you’d like to make it even more filling.

Berry Crumble Squares

Written by admin on . Posted in Medium, Sweet. No Comments on Berry Crumble Squares

Difficulty: Easy–Medium • Makes: 12 squares

These berry crumble squares are half traybake, half dessert. With a buttery base, jammy fruit centre, and crumbly topping, they’re perfect for afternoon tea or as a lunchbox treat.

Ingredients

For the base and crumble:

  • 250 g plain flour
  • 200 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 100 g caster sugar
  • ½ tsp salt

For the filling:

  • 300 g mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
  • 50 g sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Line a 20 x 20 cm baking tin with parchment.
  2. Make the base/crumble: In a bowl, rub the cold butter into the flour, sugar and salt until it looks like coarse crumbs and starts to clump together.
  3. Press about two-thirds of the mixture firmly into the base of the tin to form an even layer.
  4. In another bowl, toss the berries with sugar, cornflour and lemon juice.
  5. Spread the berries over the base.
  6. Scatter the remaining crumble mixture over the top.
  7. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
  8. Allow to cool completely in the tin before slicing into squares.

Cosy Oven Tip

These are lovely slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as a simple dessert.

Cinnamon Swirl Buns

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Difficulty: Medium • Makes: 9–12 buns

Intro

These cinnamon buns are a proper weekend bake. Soft, fluffy dough rolled with buttery cinnamon sugar and glazed lightly on top — they’ll make your kitchen smell just like The Cosy Oven on a busy morning.

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 250 ml warm milk
  • 7 g fast-action yeast (1 sachet)
  • 75 g sugar
  • 75 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 large egg
  • 500 g strong white bread flour
  • 1 tsp salt

For the filling:

  • 75 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 120 g light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

For the glaze:

  • 100 g icing sugar
  • 2–3 tbsp milk

Method

  1. In a bowl, mix warm milk, yeast and 1 tbsp of the sugar. Leave for 5–10 minutes until slightly foamy.
  2. Add the remaining sugar, melted butter and egg. Whisk briefly to combine.
  3. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Pour in the wet mixture and bring everything together into a soft dough.
  4. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  5. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave to rise for 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
  6. While it rises, mix the filling: beat together softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon into a paste.
  7. Once risen, roll the dough into a rectangle about 40 x 30 cm.
  8. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the surface.
  9. Roll up tightly from the long side to form a log, then slice into 9–12 even pieces.
  10. Arrange the pieces in a greased baking tin, leaving a little space between each. Cover and prove for another 30–45 minutes.
  11. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C).
  12. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
  13. Mix icing sugar and milk to make a pourable glaze, then drizzle over the warm buns.

Cosy Oven Tip

If you like extra gooey buns, pour a couple of tablespoons of warm cream into the tin just before baking.

Caramelised Onion & Feta Quiche

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Difficulty: Medium • Serves: 6–8

Intro

This quiche is simple but full of flavour: sweet caramelised onions, salty feta, and a silky egg custard in a crisp pastry shell. It’s lovely warm for lunch or served cold with salad.

Ingredients

For the pastry (or use ready-made shortcrust):

  • 200 g plain flour
  • 100 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2–3 tbsp cold water

For the filling:

  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 20 g butter
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 200 ml cream or full-fat milk (or a mix)
  • 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Make the pastry: Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add water gradually until it forms a dough. Wrap and chill for 20–30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C).
  3. Roll out the pastry and line a 23 cm tart tin. Prick the base with a fork, line with parchment and baking beans, and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and bake for another 5–10 minutes until lightly golden.
  4. While the pastry bakes, caramelise the onions: heat olive oil and butter in a pan, add onions and cook gently for 20–25 minutes until soft and golden. Add sugar and cook a few minutes more.
  5. In a jug, whisk together eggs and cream/milk with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  6. Scatter the onions over the pastry base, then sprinkle with crumbled feta.
  7. Pour the egg mixture over the top.
  8. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the filling is just set and lightly golden.
  9. Cool slightly before slicing.

Cosy Oven Tip

This quiche tastes even better the next day – perfect for make-ahead lunches.