School days recipes

ivyleaf

I went to several different schools as my Dad's job meant we moved around every couple of years, but the last one I went to had really good school dinners. We had butterscotch tart and chocolate flan. My favourite savoury thing was a rice dish called "Atzem pilaff" - I think it had tomato in it but I don't know what else. I've never come across it since and I'm 52 now! Has anyone got a recipe?

squeaky

No hits at all on google! It must have been a made up local name. We always used to call a currant pie "Fly pie", for example.

Lots of lovely cooked flies in pastry.

halloweenqueen_2

Is this similar?

Tomato Pilaf

Serves 6

1 1/2 cups clear chicken stock or vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. tomatoes, peeled and seeded
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped basil
Toasted pine nuts (optional)

Heat the stock to a slow simmer while you prepare the rest of the pilaf.
Chop the peeled tomatoes coarsely. Gently sauté the onion and garlic in the oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the vegetables are soft but not brown. Add the tomatoes and cinnamon and cook over gentle heat for about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to mix well. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the simmering stock. Stir once to mix, then cover and cook over low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs and serve.

Toasted pinenuts make a nice garnish that adds crunch and interest. Stir in a tablespoon or two with the basil.

mummysaver

I made the chocolate cake pudding that was in the Times ages ago, it was from the book written by the dinner lady who worked on Jamie Oliver's school dinner programme, it tasted just like the one we used to have at school with chocolate custard - delicious, I was transported back to being 7 years old!

dorry_2

my mum was a dinner lady at school 70's , she was a marvellous cook and don't if its because she was german or because she worked at school.

she always went on about how ' betty the cook' there used the bero book.
so maybe some of the school recipes are in there?? she died nine years ago and we miss her and her wonderfull dinners very much!!!

patchwork_cat

We used to have a chocolate pudding called mersey mud anyone else have this.( realise that I am narrowing my area down rather!)

AussieLass

squeaky wrote:

No hits at all on google! It must have been a made up local name. We always used to call a currant pie "Fly pie", for example.

Lots of lovely cooked flies in pastry.

I know what you mean, we call meat pies - maggot bags.:eek: For every good reason too. Not so much now, but when we were at school, you always had to open up the top bit first to peer into the meat. I very rarely ate pies. I only eat my HM ones now. In OZ our school system never did cooked lunches like that. We have tuckshop which the rich kids bought their lunch, we all took lunch from home. Mainly packed sandwiches & fruit. In summer we were allowed to have a ice block once a week. :drool: Coconut ice flavour was to die for.

wobblebottom

Lots of lovely cooked flies in pastry.

The only thing i can think of is Eccles Cakes or a variation on..

Now who mentioned Choc sponge and Mint custard.. that was my fav.. yummy....

My Dad was caretaker at the high school i went to and every day the canteen ladies used to send him back home with loads of left over puds.. so we used to have them after tea.. and i remember arguing with my mum over who got the the Chocolate semolina.. it was yummy scrumptious..

ivyleaf

Thanks Hallowe'en Queen, the tomato pilaff recipe sounds lovely - will try it out very soon and let you know if it tastes like what we had at school!

At the time, the name "Atzem pilaff" made me think of the Aztecs, but now I reckon it might be Turkish.

Sorry, I haven't worked out how to do the Quote thing yet..... :rolleyes:

ivyleaf x

halloweenqueen_2

You're welcome ivy !! Hope its like the one you had!