Easy does it

Donna Hay shares her simple shortcuts for super easy summer entertaining.

recipes + styling DONNA HAY | photos CON POULOS

Balsamic tomato chicken parma

Level up the flavour on your chicken parma by baking it with layers of parmesan, creamy mozzarella, oregano and crispy prosciutto. The roast tomatoes and balsamic sauce make the perfect finish.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar

sea salt and cracked black pepper

600g cherry tomatoes

4 x 180g chicken breast fillets, trimmed

¾ cup finely grated parmesan

2 x 125g fresh mozzarella, well drained and sliced into 8 pieces

4 oregano sprigs

8 slices prosciutto

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Combine the balsamic vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and pepper.

Place the tomatoes on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and pour over the balsamic mixture. Bake for 15 minutes.

Place the chicken on a board and sprinkle with parmesan and pepper. Top each with 2 slices of the mozzarella and a sprig of oregano.

Place 2 slices of prosciutto on top of each, folding them underneath the chicken to enclose.

Place the chicken on top of the tomatoes and drizzle with oil.

Cook for 12–15 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through.

Cook’s note: I’ve used cherry tomatoes on the vine here – however you can use any cherry tomatoes you like. Roma tomatoes cut into quarters also work well. The key is to buy whatever tomato is ripe and sweet.

Risoni and chilli-honey haloumi salad

Every spoonful of this salad is deliciously good. Tender risoni, peppery rocket, sweet pops from currants and toasty almonds… just top with molten chilli-honey haloumi and it’s simply perfect!

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

350g dried risoni

⅓ cup lemon juice

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp dijon mustard

sea salt and cracked black pepper

100g rocket (arugula) leaves

1 cup mint leaves, torn

½ cup toasted almonds, chopped

½ cup currants

Chilli-honey haloumi

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

440g haloumi, cut into chunks

⅓ cup honey

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

METHOD

Cook the risoni in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 8 minutes or until al dente.

Drain the risoni and refresh under cold water. Set aside.

To make the chilli-honey haloumi, heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium– high heat. Add the oil and haloumi and cook for 3 minutes or until golden. Remove from the heat.

Add the honey and chilli and stir to combine. Set aside. Combine the lemon juice, oil, mustard, salt and pepper.

Place the risoni in a serving bowl. Add the rocket, mint, almond, currants and lemon mixture and toss to combine.

Top with the chilli-honey haloumi and serve.

Cook’s note: The chilli-honey haloumi is best served warm. If you want to get ahead, prepare the salad components and refrigerate. Then, cook the haloumi just before serving for maximum deliciousness!

Lemon, raspberry and almond ricotta cake

If I had to pick the cake I love to snack on the most, it would have to be this one. It’s my current cake crush – the softness of the ricotta, the crunch of the almonds, the spiky hit of tangy raspberry… seriously, so good!

SERVES 10-12

INGREDIENTS

125g unsalted butter, softened

1 cup caster (superfine) sugar

2 tbsp finely grated lemon rind

1 tsp vanilla extract 4 large eggs, separated

2 cups almond meal (ground almonds)

1 cup fresh ricotta

125g raspberries

½ cup flaked almonds

thick or double (thick) cream (optional), to serve

METHOD

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Line a 20cm (8 in) round cake tin with non-stick baking paper.

Place the butter and ⅔ cup (150g/ 5½ oz) of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 4 minutes or until light and creamy. Add the lemon rind and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well between each addition.

Fold through the almond meal and ricotta. In a clean bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the remaining sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form.

Fold a spoonful of whipped egg white into the almond mixture, then gently fold in the remaining egg white until combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle with raspberries and almonds.

Bake for 1 hour or until firm and golden around the edges but with a slight jiggle in the middle. Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.

To serve, place on a cake stand or serving plate. Serve with cream, if desired.

Cook’s note: Don’t be scared by the uncooked appearance of the centre of this cake when it’s just out of the oven. As the cake cools, it will set to the most deliciously moist texture.

Snacking brownie

When you’re craving just a little warm gooey, chocolatey sweet treat, my mini brownie fits the bill exactly. This perfectly molten choc delight is the ideal size for sharing (or not… no judgement!)

SERVES 1-4

INGREDIENTS

½ cup plain (all-purpose) flour

2 tbsp cocoa powder

⅔ cup firmly packed brown sugar

60g unsalted butter, melted

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

50g dark (70 percent cocoa) chocolate chunks

vanilla bean ice-cream, to serve

METHOD

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Line a 12cm (4¾ in) ovenproof skillet or frying pan with non-stick baking paper.

Combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, butter, vanilla and egg in a bowl. Add the chocolate chunks and stir to combine.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the brownie is set.

Allow the brownie to cool in the pan for 2 minutes. Serve warm with ice-cream or leave to cool completely before serving.

Cook’s note: You can also bake this brownie in a 1-cup (250ml) capacity ramekin or pie tin.

Extracted from Too Easy by Donna Hay. Photography by Con Poulos. RRP$49.99.
Published by HarperCollins.