Pastry

These trendy little veggie tarts make a great snack for all ages!

We used a combination of Granny Smith and red-skinned apples in this recipe. Note

Juicy berries sit atop a sweet almond filling and crispy pastry base in this indulgent tart.

Served with a cooling cucumber raita, these curried lamb pies will be loved by the whole family.

These smoky beef and baked bean pies are fantastic served with mashed peas.

Filling can be made a day ahead. Cover; refrigerate until required. Palmiers, flat, flaky, palm-shaped French pastries, are traditionally made as a sweet with caramelised sugar. We have come up with this savoury version. Note

The lightness and flakiness of this delicious pastry is created during the rolling and folding process. The caramelised apples provide the perfect not-too-sweet topping. Serve with cream and enjoy.

The strudel is a classic German sweet pastry dish. We've been a little creative here and instead of using apples, we've used peaches and nectarines. You'll love the result.

One bite of these delicious mini chocolate tarts and your guests will be begging for the recipe. The orange flavoured liqueur adds the perfect touch of sophistication. Grand Marnier or Cointreau will work beautifully.

Sweet apple, pear and fig sit beneath a crispy filo pastry lid in this delicious autumnal pie.

Indulge your sweet tooth with this divine chocolate and raspberry tart. Filled with an oozy jam centre, one slice will send you to dessert heaven...

Try this gourmet yet simple Mediterranean style pizza to add a little excitement to the dinner table.

These pear and marzipan tartlets would not look out of place in the display cabinet of the most upmarket French pâtisserie. Don't let their delicate appearance fool you, they're surprisingly simple to make.

Walk into any French patisserie and you will be greeted by a feast for the eyes. Among the delights you will surely see the delicate galette, topped with any variety of fruit; we've chosen mango and coconut cream

Drizzled in sweet passionfruit icing, this delectable tart is perfect with a morning or afternoon cup of tea.

PASTRY For information on how to wash leeks, see page 112. Note

Use sashimi quality tuna; the loin is the best cut for this recipe. A non-stick pan is best to use for cooking the tuna. Don’t overcook the tuna, it should be rare. Make-ahead tips 8 hours Make filling; cover, refrigerate. Note

The crispy pastry coupled with the gelatinous filling is a texture sensation with great flavours in this custard pie recipe. A dessert to die for!

Serve these classic, tasty steak and kidney pies with fluffy mashed potato.

These pizza bases measure around 20 x 30cm and are available from the bakery section of your supermarket. If unavailable use shortcrust pastry. Parboil potatoes by cooking them whole in a saucepan of simmering water for about 5 minutes, until just tender. Note

Sprinkled with fresh basil and sea salt, this crisp artichoke and prosciutto tart is simply mouth-watering.

This golden beef pie is classic comfort food; perfect for a cosy night in by the fire.

Any beef cut suitable for stewing can be used for the pie filling: gravy beef, skirt, blade or chuck steak. These cute little beef and stilton pies make excellent finger food.

Briks are a Tunisian dish. Egg and tuna is the classic filling but you can also use minced (ground) lamb or beef, cheese and other herbs.

Recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

This apple pie can be made two days ahead and refrigerated, covered, but pastry will tend to soften a little under the apple. Note

Best-ever cheesecake with sticky rhubarb

These tarts are best made immediately before serving to prevent the pastry going soggy. You can pre-roast the tomatoes ahead of time, but don’t assemble the tarts until just before serving. Serve topped with chervil, if you like. Note

The autumnal flavours of sweet apple, fig and toasted hazelnuts combine beautifully in this easy tart. Cinnamon sugar is usually available in the spice section of the supermarket. You can easily make it yourself by blending 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon with half a cup of granulated sugar.

For a comforting family meal, try this creamy chicken pie topped with crispy sour cream pastry.

A Pithivier is round, enclosed pie with origins in France and can be made sweet or savoury.

For an easy weeknight meal, try this crispy spinach and beetroot tart topped with crumbled feta.

Steak, Onion and Bacon Pastries brought to you by New Zealand Woman's Weekly

Show off your MasterChef skills by making this traditional croquembouche. You will need a croquembouche stand, and if you've got a silicon liner to help slip the finished tower from the stand all the better. It'll be worth the work to see the look on your guests' faces when you present them with croquembouche.

Crispy pastry, sweet tomato, salty tapenade; flavour and texture sensation wrapped up into one easy recipe!

Some quartered cherry tomatoes would be a lovely addition to this salad. Make the salad and garlic topping upto 3 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Note

This quiche is simple, easy and utterly delicious.

One corn cob will give about 1 cup kernels. You can substitute frozen or drained canned kernels. Note

Keeping time: 3 days. Note

Jalousie is best made on the day of serving. Serve with whipped cream if you like.

These bite sized olive and cheese fritters and packed full of savoury flavour and crunch - the perfect finger food for a birthday party or event.

This easy tart is delicious served warm with a drizzle of buttery maple sauce and vanilla ice-cream.

Topped with fresh parsley and lemon zest, the flavour combinations in this crispy tart are heavenly.

A creamy, herby chicken and spinach filling is encased in golden, crispy pastry in this mouth-watering pithivier recipe.

MAKES 8 Note

With a creamy seafood filling and golden pastry lid, these mouthwatering individual pies make for a lovely family dinner.

Topped with watercress, this crispy bacon and celery tart is perfect for a weekend brunch with friends.

These tarts add a tasty, elegant twist to a traditional high tea, or can be just as fun served as individual desserts.

Served with fluffy mashed potato, this golden pie makes the ultimate family dinner.

Filled with sweet hazelnut frangipane and juicy blueberries, these mini tarts make a satisfying sweet treat, especially served with a dollop of whipped cream.

Ultimate comfort food.

Serve these golden pies with steamed green beans for an easy, delicious family meal.

Drizzled in balsamic glaze, these crisp tarts make an ideal summer lunch or light dinner.

With crisp, golden pastry, creamy vanilla custard and fresh seasonal fruit, these simple tarts make a lovely sweet treat.

This dessert is super-easy and tastes fantastic with a dollop of whipped cream.

If smoked cod is bought frozen, thaw before use. Note

This easy chicken and mushroom pie is perfect for feeding a hungry family.

Put the season's best fruit to deliciously good use with this pretty dessert.

This dill-flecked Russian salmon pie makes for a fabulous lunch or light dinner with spinach salad.

These creamy bite-sized blue cheese and garlic tarts are beautiful enjoyed as a finger food for a fancy dinner party or a light weekend snack.

Spring onion provides a milder counterpoint to white fish than everyday brown onions, adding flavour without overwhelming the delicate taste.

Add some gourmet elements to the beloved Aussie pie with chunks of steak, succulent vegetables and crisp pastry crusts.

These tasty little Greek-style cheese and spinach filo triangles are delicious served with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Great as finger food or for an after-school snack.

Tiropitakia, little Greek cheese filled filo pastries, are traditionally made with a blend of feta and ricotta cheeses spiced with nutmeg.

Gyoza are Japanese dumplings, usually pork but sometimes vegetable, that are steamed and then fried, before being dunked in sauce, in this case our delicious soy vinegar sauce.

Layers of flaky pastry and semolina custard soaked in lemon syrup makes this traditional Greek custard pie an irresistible treat. Serve galaktoboureko for afternoon tea or as dessert.

It is fine to use just one 300ml carton of cream for this recipe. You can make the pastry using a food processor. Process flour, ground macadamias, sugar, salt and butter until coarse breadcrumbs, with motor running, add water. Process until dough comes together. As the pastry is very short, it’s important to refrigerate it […]

With only five ingredients, all purchased easily from a supermarket, this sophisticated version of the classic bacon and egg pie is the perfect fuss-free midweek dinner. Note

These tartlets are best made on the day of serving. Note

Meat filling can be prepared a day ahead. Note

It’s a good idea to turn filo triangles halfway through cooking. Use spray oil in place of butter, if preferred. Note

To freeze; complete recipe to the end of step 2. Place empanadas, in a single layer, on a bakingpaper-lined baking tray. Freeze for 2 to 3 hours or until firm. Transfer to a large snap-lock bag. Expel any excess air. Label, date and freeze for up to one month. Continue from step 3, cooking time […]

Instant polenta, available from supermarkets, comes with cooking times varying from 1-5 minutes, so it’s always best to read the packet directions. To keep polenta warm when serving, place polenta in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. If fresh figs are out of […]

Ready-rolled puff pastry can be bought at any local supermarket. Note

Make the filling for the snail a day ahead. The recipe is best baked just before serving. Note

Sweet pastilla is traditionally served with sweetened warmed milk to reduce the crunchiness of the layered pastille. We like to use the pastilla to dip into the sweet yogurt cream. Note

You can use one quantity of shortcrust pastry, page 4, instead of the store-bought sheets. Note

Cute little mini quiches that pack a huge blue cheese punch.