From the perfect baked salmon to our mouth-watering tomato-ricotta galette, start the long weekend off on a scrumptious note with our favourite Easter menu.
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The Best Easter Menu Recipes for the Whole Family
Whether you’re hosting an elaborate feast or dreaming of a laid-back long weekend spread, delight the whole brood with these easy-to-make Easter recipes. We suggest pairing this savoury menu with Our Favourite Easter Recipe: Chocolate-Cheesecake Twists, or, the crowd favourite, Hot Cross Buns. It all makes for a delicious offering for a long-weekend feast like no other.
Healthy Baked Salmon with Brown Rice and Kale Pilaf
Prep time 10 mins
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
20g butter, diced
2 tbsp Toscano ‘Signature’ Organic Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 leek, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon and juice of ½ lemon
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1½ cups brown rice
500ml (2 cups) Chicken Stock
4 pieces (about 150g each) of salmon fillet
100g chopped kale
¼ cup each coarsely chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and mint
Coarsely chopped roasted almonds, to serve
Natural yoghurt and lemon wedges, to serve.
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat butter and half the Toscano ‘Signature’ Organic Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a shallow flameproof casserole or large oven-safe frypan over medium-high heat. Add leek, garlic, lemon rind and half the fennel. Sauté until tender (4-5 minutes).
2. Stir in rice to coat well in oil, then add stock and 2 cups water. Season to taste, bring to the boil, cover with a lid or foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frypan over medium-high heat, add salmon and brown well (2-3 minutes), then turn and brown the other side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Remove pilaf from oven, add chopped kale, lemon juice and half the herbs; stir to combine. Place salmon pieces on top of pilaf and return, uncovered, to the oven. Bake until salmon is cooked to your liking (4-5 minutes for medium). Serve scattered with roasted almonds, remaining herbs, yoghurt (with remaining fennel added to it) and lemon wedges.
Tomato-Ricotta Galette For Fussy Eaters
A favourite for even the fussiest of eaters, boost their diet with this surprisingly healthy and tasty tart. The beauty of this tart is twofold – using a melt-in-the-mouth store-bought pastry makes short work of your prep without compromising flavour, plus this recipe is a versatile jumping-off point when it comes to toppings. We’ve used a mix of large and small tomatoes, but you could try sliced mushrooms and a handful of torn pancetta, or paper-thin slices of pumpkin and a sprinkling of fresh thyme. Shaved asparagus works well too, or for ultimate convenience, a handful of zucchini noodles.
Prep time 20 mins
Cook 30 mins
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
1 packet (375g) Sour Cream Shortcrust Pastry (defrosted)
250g firm ricotta
¾ cup coarsely grated vintage cheddar
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan
¼ cup finely chopped mixed herbs, such as chives, parsley and mint
1 egg, plus 1 extra egg, lightly beaten, for egg-wash
Finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon, plus extra lemon wedges, to serve
1 punnet mixed cherry tomatoes, sliced
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
Toscano ‘Signature’ Organic Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 220C. Gently unroll the pastry, peel off the plastic backing and place it on a lightly floured surface with the longest side facing you. Working quickly, so the pastry doesn’t get too soft, cut one-quarter of the pastry from the right-hand side. Place the longest edge of the piece you’ve just trimmed against the longest side of the remaining pastry piece, overlapping slightly, then press with your fingers to seal. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and return to the fridge to firm up while you make the filling.
2. To make the filling, combine the cheeses, herbs, egg, garlic, lemon rind and lemon juice in a bowl, season generously to taste and mix well to combine.
3. Trim the pastry to a rough 30cm round. Spread the cheese mixture over the pastry, leaving a 3cm border, then scatter with tomatoes. Fold in the pastry border, roughly pleating as you go and brush pastry edges with egg wash. Drizzle with Toscano ‘Signature’ Organic Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil and bake for 20-30 minutes until dark golden brown and crisp on the base. Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges.