Down Memory Lane

Jump to Comments

 There are few things that can trigger your memory or nostalgia as effectively as food.

 

One of them is going back to the places you went to in your childhood.

A few months ago, I went to Miramar, a coastal city south of Buenos Aires where I spent all my childhood summers.

 

 

 I was over the moon to find out that not many things have changed. It is such a disappointment when you go somewhere and all your expectations crush to the ground because the place has changed so much (usually for the worst).

 

 Not so with Miramar. Even the view from my apartment was exactly as I remembered.

 

 

As for food, well… Every time I go back home I get pampered.

While I take advantage of my time in London to experiment and try out new things, when asked in Buenos Aires what I would like to eat, I find myself craving the dishes I’ve eaten all my life instead of some fancy food.

So, more often than not, I find myself cooking those dishes I have always enjoyed.

 

Part of the whole reason for starting a food blog was to finally be able to have all my favourite recipes in only one place and somewhere I could check them easily wherever I am! So here they are: two family favourites which I am happy to share.

 

This aubergine loaf has been a firm favourite in my family for as long as  I can remember. This time, when I went to Argentina I had the priviledge of making it myself!

 

 

 

 

Aubergine Loaf

 

1 kg aubergines

lemon juice

bread slices, chopped and soaked in milk

3 eggs

oregano

2 garlic cloves, chopped finely

1 onion, chopped finely

salt and freshly ground black pepper

grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

 

Grease a rectangular tin and flour it or use breadcrumbs.

Peel the aubergines and boil them together with the lemon juice.

Once cooked, chop them and mix them with the bread soaked in milk, the eggs, the oregano, the chopped onion and the garlic.

Season with salt and pepper and Parmesan to taste. 

Lastly, add the tablespoon of oil. Cook it bain Marie for about 40 minutes or until it’s firm. Serve it with a nice tomato sauce and grated Parmesan on top.

At home we eat it hot or cold. If you’ve run out of tomato sauce, it’s also very nice as it is, naked!

 

 

 While in Argentina, my sister came to visit and we both remembered fondly a lovely peach pie she used to do for my birthday when I was little. So I decided to surprise her and do it myself for her this time!!
The crème patissière has a twist in the form of peach syrup and cognac.

  

Peach pie –  adapted from an old family cookery book called Femirama

Serves 8

 

Pastry dough:

300g flour

3 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

150g butter

125g sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons lemon juice

extra milk, to mix

 

 

 

 

For the filling:

½ cup sugar 

½ l milk, warm

4 eggs

vainilla essence

2 tablespoons cornflour

dash of cognac

1 tin peaches in syrup, cut into slices (do not discard the syrup)

 

 

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl, add the butter and work with your fingers until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Add the egg, lemon juice and enough milk to form a soft dough. Leave it to rest in a cool place for at least 30 minutes. 

Roll out the pastry dough and bake blind.

 

For the filling mix the eggs and the sugar, add the warm milk, the syrup (set about 2 tbsp aside to use later), the cornflour and the vanilla essence. Place in a pan and cook slowly, stirring continually until it thickens. Add the cognac.

Once the pastry dough is baked, leave it to cool and unmould it (I didn’t bother, as you can see from the picture).

Fill with the crème patissiere and cover completely with peach slices shaping it like a sun (or whatever you like!). Using a pastry brush, paint it with the reserved syrup to give it a nice glaze. Leave it in the fridge to cool. 

 

 

---

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Sunday Morning

3 Comments

Filed under Argentina, Sweet Tooth, Vegetable dishes