Isabella Harrex
If you’re looking to step up your platter game, try adding some homemade dips, crackers, breadsticks and relishes to the usual line-up of cheese and charcuterie. These fast, simple recipes will transform a stock standard spread into something truly spectacular. Antipasto fantastico!
Delicious dips: pea, watercress & lemon; pumpkin & dukkah; eggplant & sumac.
Basic dip
Ready in 5 minutes | Serves 4 | DF | GF
This easy recipe can be adapted with endless variations – we’ve included three ideas here, but have a go at creating your own!
1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed
.jpg?resize=380%2C285)
1 small clove garlic
2 Tbsp tahini*
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbsp water
½ tsp sea salt
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth.
*Check label if eating gluten free
Flavour variations
Pea, watercress & lemon | DF | GF
1 cup defrosted peas
1 cup watercress (or rocket)
6 mint leaves
Long strands lemon zest and extra virgin
olive oil, to serve
- Add peas, watercress and mint to basic dip ingredients before processing. Top with lemon zest and olive oil to serve.
Pumpkin & dukkah | DF | GF
2 cups roasted pumpkin
Dukkah and extra virgin olive oil, to serve
- Add pumpkin to basic dip ingredients before processing. Top with dukkah and olive oil to serve.
Eggplant & sumac | GF
1 cup grilled eggplant
½ cup unsweetened Greek-style yoghurt
Sumac and extra virgin olive oil, to serve
- Add eggplant and yoghurt to basic dip ingredients before processing. Top with sumac and olive oil to serve.
Eggplant & sumac dip with seeded crispbreads.
Seeded crispbreads
Ready in 45 minutes | Makes 20 | DF | GF
1 cup cornmeal flour
½ cup LSA (ground linseeds, sunflower seeds
and almonds)
½ cup mixed seeds (eg sesame, poppy, sunflower)
1 egg
2 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup water
½ tsp sea salt
Preheat oven to 150°C. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Roll out the mixture to 2mm thick between 2 sheets of baking paper.
Place on a baking tray and cut into 3cm-wide lengths. Bake for 30 minutes or until crisp and cooked. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Stored airtight, these will keep for 1 week.
Easy tomato relish.
Easy tomato relish
Ready in 35 minutes | Serves 4 | DF
500g sweet vine tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup malt vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Leaves 1 sprig rosemary
½ tsp chilli flakes
Pinch sea salt
Preheat oven to 200°C. Place all ingredients in an oven dish and toss to combine. Cook for 30 minutes or until tomatoes and onions have softened and browned. Allow to cool, then mix to combine and serve.
This will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge, stored in an airtight container.
No-knead breadsticks.
No-knead breadsticks
Ready in 30 minutes | Makes 8 | DF
1 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp active dried yeast
2 cups flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp sea salt
1 egg, whisked
Preheat oven to 220°C. Place water and yeast in a bowl and mix. Add flour and salt and mix well to combine. Divide mixture into 8 portions and dust each with extra flour.
Use your hands to roll each into a 30cm roll and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush with egg and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and cooked. These are best eaten on the day they’re made but are fine the next day too.
Labneh with herbs & almonds.
Labneh with herbs & almonds
Ready in 5 minutes plus overnight draining | Serves 8 | GF
1kg unsweetened Greek-style yoghurt
1 tsp sea salt
¼ cup roasted almonds, chopped
¼ cup each mint and parsley leaves,
finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Place the yoghurt and salt in a bowl and mix well. Place a colander over a bowl and line with a double layer of fine muslin. Place the yoghurt in the muslin, gather the edges to enclose and tie with string. Place bowl in the fridge for at least 12 hours, or until the labneh is firm.
Remove from muslin and discard liquid. Place labneh in a serving bowl and top with almonds, herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.
