Smoked Chicken Phyllo Pie

This is sensational, easy & transports well. It came from www.foodinaminute.co.nz originally.

This is my take on their recipe:

• 1 large red onion diced
• 250 g button mushrooms, quartered
• 2 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, sliced
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh marjoram (or another green herb)
• 1 smoked double chicken breast ~300 g, chopped into small bite sized pieces
• 250 g Creme Fraiche
  
• 12 sheets phyllo pastry
• 1-2 Tbsp oil, spray can of canola oil
• sesame seeds for top of pie

1. Cook the onions in oil, until soft ~3-5 mins
2. Add mushrooms & cook for another 5 mins
3. Add marjoram, sun dried tomatoes & cool
4. Add Creme Fraiche, chicken & combine well
5. In a large flan dish, spray lightly with canola oil
6. Add 2 sheets of phyllo & lightly spray
7. Add another 2 sheets but alternate the way lying & spray
8. Repeat 2 more times (total sheets used =8)
9. Add chicken, creme fraiche mixture
10. Pull overhanging phyllo sheets in
    
11. Roll remaining 4 sheets of phyllo into individual balls & arrange on top of flan dish
12. Spray lightly & sprinkle with sesame seeds
13. Bake at 190oC for 40 minutes
    

Melanzane alla parmiggiana

We made this in Italian Cooking last week & I assumed I wouldn't like it as it contained aubergines so I didn't take a picture of it - but it was sensational & I will be definitely making it again!

Slice eggplant in 1cm slices lengthwise. Cover with rock salt & allow to drain in a colander for a few hours. As the teacher had done this pre-class I'm assuming 2 would be sufficient.

Prepare tomato sauce:

Fry chopped garlic & onions in extra virgin olive oil, when soft add a decent dash of wine to stop them cooking further. Add 3 cans of good quality Italian tomatoes & reduce.

To prepare the dish:

1. Layer of tomato sauce
2. Layer of eggplant
3. Dot some broken up chunks of tasty cheese (mozzarella if one can afford it)
4. Repeat as above
5. Final layer of tomato sauce
6. Cover with breadcrumbs, more crumbled tasty cheese, handful of freshly grated parmesean, good handful or two of dried oregano. Then drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top.
7. Bake approx. 40 minutes in a moderate oven.