A Reverse Twist In The Pie

In the southern hemisphere, the wheel is slowly spinning towards the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. Although the nights are going to get shorter after the solstice, we still haven’t finished our cold, dark winter. The days may be getting longer but they are also getting colder. It is one of my favourite times of the year.

Last Winter Solstice I posted a recipe for Old World Libum. This Winter Solstice I am revisiting my Lammas recipe for a Tarte Soleil. I loved the way the twisting of the pastry made the pie look like a sun. For this recipe, the twisting is reversed. I thought it was an appropriate symbol for a waning Sun before its Winter Solstice rebirth.

These twisted pies are not only visually stunning and great fun but you can play around with ingredients to come up with your own concoctions. My twisted pie below is inspired by the flavours of a Sicilian cannoli.

Ricotta and Marmalade Twist

Ingredients
2 sheets frozen ready-rolled puff pastry
1/4 cup orange marmalade
3/4 cup ricotta
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pine nuts
icing sugar for sprinkling

Method
Take pastry sheets out of the freezer to thaw.
Preheat oven to 200C / 400F.
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Cut pastry into two 23cm (9inch) rounds.
Carefully place one round on a baking tray.
Spread with marmalade, leaving a small margin around the outer edge.
Mix together the ricotta and vanilla extract. Spread over the marmalade.
Sprinkle the pine nuts over the ricotta.
Place the second pastry round over the first.
Press the outer edges together to seal.
If the pastry is getting too sticky to work with, refrigerate for 10 minutes or until it is easy to work with.
Cut a small disc from the centre.
With a sharp knife, cut the pastry into four sections, starting from the cut-out disc in the centre and working toward the outer edge, but not all the way through to the edge.
Cut each section into half and then cut in half again. You will have sixteen wedges.
Gently twist each wedge, starting at the centre and working outward. You can twist two to three times, but be careful not to break them.
Once twisted, bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until brown.
Sprinkle with icing sugar while hot.
Allow to cool slightly before removing from the baking paper. If it sticks, gently loosen it with a knife.
Serve warm or cold.

Old World Libum

It’s the longest night of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
What better way to celebrate than with this ancient Roman cheese bread, baked on bay leaves and drizzled with warm honey.

Click here for my previous article on the Winter Solstice.

Keep reading for my Old World Libum recipe.

Ingredients
16 fresh bay leaves
225g ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup plain flour
extra flour for dusting
1/4 cup honey
extra fresh bay leaves for serving (optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 220C / 430F.
Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Arrange the bay leaves into four wreaths on the baking paper.
Place the cheese into a bowl and beat until soft.
Add the egg and mix until combined.
Add the sifted flour a tablespoon at a time until a soft but sticky dough is formed.
With well floured hands, gently shape the dough into four rounds.
Place a round on each wreath.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until firm and golden brown.
Score a cross shape into the cakes but do not cut all the way through.
Warm the honey and pour evenly over the cakes.
Arrange extra bay leaves into a wreath shape around the cakes before serving if desired.
Best eaten straight away although you can let the cakes soak in the honey for 30 minutes.

Traditionally these cakes would be baked in a covered testo. You can cover each round with an ovenproof dish. They will be more steamed rather than baked and less browned. They are still delicious baked this way.

If you cannot find fresh bay leaves you can use dried ones.