These Easy Ricotta mini Pies make the perfect snack or party food . They also make a great quick dinner.
When I was a kid my Mother worked very hard, first as a teacher and then as a swimming teacher for the Department of Education Australia. There were 4 of us , all girls, around the same age. I am not sure how she managed it but she popped out the four of us in about a 5.5 year period, before going back to work.
She supported my Dad through years of night school re-training to become a Teacher himself. This meant a lot of hungry mouths to feed and a lot of arguments to solve and a lot of solo parenting . She would arrive home and collapse on the couch for a well earned 30 minute power nap. During this time we would vie for her attention, disturbing her with questions and petty tiffs needing her adjudication. We were never sure that these disturbances would not result in an eruption of slaps aimed at no one in particular but the purpose to get rid of minor annoying buzzing children. Now I think of this and feel sorry for her desperately tired overworked state.
After work I sometimes try to just whip something up quickly. I have many ideas for these quick meals but the creativity is stifled as Skater ( the teenager) eats nothing that I regularly want to cook.
Pies are the pinnacle of the Teenage menu. The first pie this week was a Chicken, Red Pepper, Basil and Parmesan pie. Made with Roasted Chicken, from the fridge and a nice butter puff pastry. This was quickly gobbled up after photos were taken to show the girlfriend what an awesome dinner he was having (that’s positive). *like*
This ugly little fellow, is also a tart with Parmesan but with the addition of Ricotta and crunchy Fillo. It worked so well I thought they might be a great finger food for times when you need something small and cheesy to feed someone quickly ( maybe even someone out of their teens). So here’s the recipe.
(These ugly looking Easy Ricotta Mini Pies below have irresistible crunchy rough bites that need to be broken apart after baking)
Cutting the edges before baking can make the easy Ricotta Mini Pies neater and easier to handle if you prefer, these have semi dried tomatoes on top and a sprinkling of chives to serve.
Easy Ricotta Mini Pies
Ingredients
- 250 gm ricotta
- 50 gm Parmesan freshly grated
- 1 Tablespoon chives chopped
- 20 ml olive oil 1 Tablespoon
- 4 whole sheets of fillo pastry
- 40 gm butter melted ( or more if you like a really crispy buttery pastry, 2 Tablespoons )
- 5 gm salt and pepper
- 20 ml Extra olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Spray a mini muffin tin with a little cooking spray ( or paint with oil or butter)
- Lay four sheets of fillo on a bench and brush each sheet (or for lower fat every second sheet) with a little melted butter. Push the pastry gently into the muffin holes. (This amount of pastry will reach 9 of the wholes)
- Next in a bowl using a spoon, mix the ricotta, (feta) grated Parmesan, chives, olive oil and salt and pepper till well combined and divide evenly on top of the Fillo in each whole. ( If using tomatoes or roasted peppers either mix through or pop on top. Drizzle with extra olive oil)
- Pop into the oven and bake until brown and crispy. (The bottoms should also be crispy ).
- Cool slightly and then break into ugly craggy tarts that are irresistible.
Notes
Yummo!
My mum used to work late and dad wouldn’t dare cook… he could just survive on toast if he had to, so I used to start experimenting at that stage too. It was mainly pasta bakes or risottos from packets or jars, but mum always appreciated dinner being cooked for her after a long day 🙂
Luckily for our mother Tania, you took to cooking early in life. She apparently started cooking for her own family home at about 11 years old because her own mother had to work. She was not an adventurous cook, unlike like many other chefs the only culinary inspirations you could have gained from her was permission to cook whenever you liked, and fortunately for all of us you always loved to cook. She would have loved your chicken pie.
I’ve always wondered how my mom manages to make everything is short period it is really nice to see all the pies that you have made, these ones look delicious
Tania, you are, of course, absolutely correct. Or at least from my experience with teenage boys. A pie will always be eaten, almost regardless of what’s in it. My kids would hoover that roast chicken pie of yours! 🙂
Anything pastry crust will part of my last meal. Can I start with these? I already know what they taste like. Your photos gave me the picture. I did a lot of cooking as a young girl too, but not like this. Just lovely.
Your pies look so inviting. Your mother sounds like such a hard worker. I’m one of five girls and my mother had all five of us in less than eight years. I still don’t know how she did managed those early years when we were all do dependent and needy. And of course I love pies, they are true-blue Aussie cuisine.
so true! all mothers deserve awards after what we made them go through… sometimes feel so guilty thinking of all the trouble i gave her during my teenage years… those filo puffs look delecious! i really like their free form shapes & esp love that ricotta filling 🙂
It’s funny how we don’t appreciate what our parents have done until we are in their shoes. These cheesy monsters look delicious.
Yes Michele thats true and Deeps, we all have to be teenagers!
I have to say those little monsters are far from ugly. I think they’re gorgeous! Would love to crunch into a few right now!
Great food! Those pies look wonderful. Impossible not to love them.
Cheers,
Rosa
My friend made a very similar dish once for dinner at her house and I loved it so much I asked her for the recipe! I like your bite-sized version, must try!
mmm…puff pastry….I sincerely want to know who doesn’t love them! I love the one with cheese filling.
I remember the things I used to do to my parents! Love the pies! That roast chicken one looks brilliant!
love pies!!! the monsters in particular…mix ricotta and parmesan and I’m in heaven!!!
I don’t know how some parents do it personally! Hats off to them and it sounds like your mum was amazing. To answer your question, I loooove pies! What’s not to love about pastry? 😉
Thank you to everyone that loves pies, and thanks for your comments!