Heat the oven to 400°F and grease a 24-cup mini-muffin tin generously with butter.
Add the eggs, oil, milk, tapioca starch, Parmesan and salt to a blender, and blend until completely smooth. The batter should be loose and pourable, about the consistency of heavy cream - if it seems thick, blend in a splash more milk. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full to leave room for them to rise. Bake until puffed, golden, and cracked on top, 15 to 20 minutes — they should feel light and sound hollow when tapped. Let them cool in the tin for a couple of minutes, then serve warm, while the insides are still stretchy and chewy. They deflate a little as they cool, so a quick warm-up in the oven brings them right back.
Morocco: Zaalouk
Portion Size
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 medium eggplants
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to finish
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
3 ripe tomatoes, grated
Pinch of cayenne
1 tsp Kosher salt
Handful of cilantro or parsley, chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
Warm flatbread, to serve
Directions
Carefully char the eggplants whole directly over a gas flame, or under a hot broiler, turning every few minutes, until the skins are blackened all over and the flesh has collapsed, about 12 to 15 minutes. Set them in a colander until cool enough to handle, then scoop out the soft flesh, discard the charred skins, and let the flesh drain for a few minutes - eggplant holds a lot of water and you want it all gone. Roughly chop or mash and set aside.
Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, cumin and paprika and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds to bloom, then stir in the grated tomatoes, cayenne salt. Cook, stirring now and then, until it all reduces to a thick, jammy sauce, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the eggplant and mash it into the sauce with a fork or potato masher. Cook down until thick and glossy and the oil starts to separate at the edges, another 8 to 10 minutes. Off the heat, stir through the herbs and lemon juice, taste and adjust the salt, and finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
Serve warm or at room temperature with warm flatbread for scooping.
Haiti: Pâté Haïtien
Portion Size
Makes 16
Ingredients
1 tbsp neutral oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
450 g lean ground beef
2 tbsp epis
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 scotch bonnet, seeded and minced
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
2 sheets store-bought puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten
Directions
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat and soften the onion and bell pepper for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 5 minutes. Stir in the epis, tomato paste, scotch bonnet and a good pinch of salt and pepper, a splash of water, and simmer until the flavours come together and the filling is fairly dry, about 8 to 10 minutes. Spread the filling out on a plate and let it cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured work surface roll each sheet of puff pastry out and cut into squares about 10 cm (4 inches). Brush the edges of each square lightly with egg, then spoon about a tablespoon of cooled filling onto one half, leaving a clear border around it. Fold the pastry over into a rectangle, press the edges together, then crimp firmly with a fork to seal. Place on the trays, brush the tops with more beaten egg, and cut a small slit in each to let the steam escape. Chill the assembled patties for 15 minutes before baking.
Bake until golden and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through. Serve warm and enjoy!
Scotland: Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread
Portion Size
Makes about 18
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ¾ all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
Flaky sea salt, for finishing (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes, this is what gives shortbread its tender crumb. Add the flour, cornstarch and salt and mix on low, just until the dough comes together; stop the moment it does, as overworking develops gluten and turns the shortbread tough rather than short and crumbly which is what we want.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and press it into a rectangle of about 1 cm thick. Cut into fingers, prick each one all over with a fork - this stops them puffing and gives the classic look. Chill on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
Bake until just pale gold at the edges, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely on the tray.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over barely simmering water, or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Dip half of each finger, let the excess drip back into the bowl, and lay them on parchment. If you like the sweet-salty thing like I do, scatter a little flaky salt over the wet chocolate. Leave somewhere cool to set and enjoy!
