Monday, 2 July 2007

Early WiP Wednesday, a Recipe and the BBC

I'm supposed to be packing. I don't "do" packing and try to leave it until the last possible moment, which just happens to be today. I would much prefer to be quilting, but if I don't get my head round this packing business I shall be arriving in the UK with nothing apart from the clothes I am wearing!

There has been a huge amount of progress with Little Acorns. I have quilted along the bottom of the border and am about turn the corner and go up the left hand side. My stitches are getting more even and when the thread stops knotting itself and getting caught up in the safety pins I am quite surprised at the speed I am going.

Fanning the Quilt

I think I am getting the hang of adding photos to the posts. Not as simple as Blogger.

Connie posted a recipe the other day for Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta which made me think that I haven't ever given you the recipe for Dreamers's Tomato Tart. This recipe was put on the old Dreaming of S W France group some years ago and it has sort of become my speciality. It is so easy and quick to make and tastes sooooooo yummy. We are having it for supper tonight.

1 pâté brise pastry shell


1lb Comte cheese sliced thinly


2/3 large tomatoes cut into ½ inch slices


Salt


Black pepper to taste


1 tsp dried basil or 1 tbl sp fresh basil


1 oz Parmesan cheese


1 oz melted butter.


Sprinkle tomato slices with salt and leave for 30 minutes.


Pre-heat oven to 375°F, 190°C, or gas mark 5.


There is no need to bake the pastry blind. Just make sure you prick the base with a fork.


Arrange cheese slices, slightly overlapping, in the bottom of the pastry shell and place tomatoes side by side on the top. Sprinkle with black pepper, basil and Parmesan. Dribble melted butter over tomatoes and bake in the upper part of the oven for 25 minutes, or until cheese has melted and the top of the tart is slightly browned.


Serve hot or warm.


Alternatives are to spread mustard or puréed garlic over the pastry base before adding the cheese.



Now the BBC. I follow Craig McGinty's This French Life blog/web site and the subjects over the past few days have been very interesting. For instance, did you know that BBC 2 are running a history of Paris on Tuesday evenings? The second of three programmes is on tomorrow.

I am also a BBC Radio 4 freak and one of my favourite presenters is Caroline Wyatt who is the Paris correspondent. Sadly she has had enough of the drip coming through the ceiling in her office from the bathroom above and is leaving Paris. I shall miss her and hope the new correspondent is as good as she was.


I really must start packing. Most important things to take - camera, quilt, scissors, thread, pins and hot air brush. Oh and don't forget new outfit and hat Clare!


A bientôt!

10 comments:

Lesley said...

Hi Clare. In answer to your question about the fabric shop in Bx, here's a link to their website which includes a map. Tissus patchwork avec Diffus'Laine Tissus �Saint Nazaire et Bordeaux As you'll see, it's not really that close to Ikea, but just off the ring road / autoroute if you go that way. I hope you manage to get there!

Fiona said...

Those stitches are looking mighty impressive. I caught the programme about Paris last week - it was very interesting and covered a lot of ground in an hour I thought.

Vivi said...

That tart sounds deeeeeeeeeeeeevine! One day when I can have a day off my diet, I'm going to give that a try.

Have a great trip! Can't wait to hear all about it!

Angela said...

That tart sounds yummy -- and simple! Thanks for the recipe.

Have a great trip!

Tonya R said...

your quilting looks great and glad to hear that it's going speedily. yeah, the safety pins are a pain to quilt around - but they are so much faster to baste with than the old fashioned needle and thread method.I'll check out those websites. Enjoy your holiday!

Juliann said...

I need to get packing too - just can't quite figure out what to take for a trip to a country I have never visited! I am thinking I will need my rain jacket and and extra pair of shoes after watching the weather report. Have a great trip.

Jenni said...

I think packing is best done at the last minute as you are more likely to be ruthless, and only take what you need. Have a fun trip, and the quilt is looking good.

Lily said...

Have a great trip - and we want a photo of you in that hat!

Connie (I started out Conni Lu but changed the spelling) said...

The recipe sounds delicious and I'll be giving this one a try during tomato season (soon). Have safe travel!

Tracey said...

Hi, found you. Like the new blog, enjoy the decorating! Tracey