A project built upon Kindness & Gratitude

Last night I had the pleasure of attending my very first Thanksgiving event.
It was really a celebration of the beginning of a beautiful project by Winnie & Co- The Bakers Drawer.

The makers describe it as such : "simply a movement of kindness, based on gatherings around a kitchen table."
You know my love of the Kitchen table,  so this project was always on my radar.

It is about showing Random acts of Kindness.  Filling the drawer with love- of your own making and then sharing it with someone.  So beautiful.
Last night Kate & Kylie gathered with the owners of the first batch of Bakers Drawer owners to share stories of Kindness & gratitude. It was beautiful & an absolute pleasure to be part of it.

Each drawer is named after the person who inspires you to bake.
Mine is named MAGGIE.  She is named after Maggie Beer- my inspiration and mentor as a self-taught cook & lover of life & giver of love & joie de vive.
Last night I filled Maggie with a Nectarine & Pistachio Galette made with it's namesakes Sour Cream pastry. It seemed fitting that it's first offering contained a little bit of her.

I am so thankful that there are people who invest in love & the sharing of it.
May Kindness never go out of fashion.

You can find out more about The Bakers Drawer here (including details of how to purchase your very own). 

EGGPLANT & HALOUMI GALETTE with Tahini Sauce:

I only used half the batch of pastry last night to make the sweet galette & so I used the remainder to make this.
Really anything wrapped in this pastry is AMAZING but adding the Nigella seeds into the dough is so perfect for this Middle Eastern flavoured tart. And I will have to work very hard NOT to drizzle the Tahini sauce over EVERYTHING. it is incredible- but especially delicious with caramelised Eggplant I think. 
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 eggplant cut into 1cm slices
• 1/4 cup grated Haloumi
• 2 teaspoons Nigella seeds
• fresh coriander
• 1 heaped tablespoon Tahini
• 1 clove garlic, finely crushed
• 3-4 tablespoons white vinegar
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• salt
• 1/2 batch sour cream pastry (recipe here)
• paprika for dusting
• olive oil

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 190.

Fry the sliced eggplant in olive oil until caramelised on both sides.

Set aside to cool while you roll the pastry.

Dust the bench well with flour & sprinkle a layer of Nigella seeds directly on top.
Now place your pastry onto this and roll it out so the Nigella seeds embed into the pastry like so....

Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Carefully roll the pastry onto the rolling pin and roll it out onto the tray.
Now add the sliced eggplant and the grated Haloumi. Fold over the edges of the Galette roughly 

and place into pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or until pastry is brown.

Make the Tahini sauce while it is baking by adding together the Tahini, vinegar, cumin, lemon juice and garlic. Stir well and add salt if necessary.

Remove Galette from oven and serve immediately drizzled with Tahini sauce, freshly chopped Coriander & a dusting of Paprika.