Irish Halloween Treats

“Purdy pudding” or potato pudding is just about the most Irish dessert you can think of – after all, its main ingredients are potatoes, and apples!

Purdy pudding is a traditional recipe from the North of Ireland and is made at Halloween time. It used to take days to make before the advent of the slow cooker, which has revolutionised both cooking and baking traditional, labour-intensive dishes. And if you don’t have a large enough slow cooker, you can borrow another one from a neighbour and use two pots.

Traditionally it’s eaten hot with a knob of butter. Or you can skip the butter and eat it cold.

What you need:

• 4 Large potatoes
• 3 cooking apples
• Granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Plain Flour
• A large slow cooker

Preparation:

• Peel, boil and mash the potatoes, then allow them to cool
• Once cooled, fold in the flour and make a rough dough out of the mixture
• Roll it out about an 1/8th of an inch thick
• Cut circles out of the potato bread
• Peel & slice the apples

Layering the pot:

• Put a layer of sliced apples, followed by a layer of sugar, then a layer of the potato circles.
• Repeat this process until you get to the top of the top.
• The last layer should be the potato, known as the “lid”

Cooking:

• In a slow cooker, allow to cook for 9 hours until it begins rising
• Once it has risen, stick a skewer in the middle and it should sink
• Stir the mixture throughly and allow to sit & cool
• It will turn a nice golden colour when it’s ready to eat!

Roast Pumpkin, Lentil & Goat Cheese

Okay so this isn’t a traditional recipe. But it’s seasonal and also very delicious. During the month of October, the shops abound with round, orange pumpkins, Most will be carved. But have you ever thought of eating one?

Ingredients:

• Your choice of: a large pumpkin, a large butternut squash, several sweet potatoes or a combination
• Red split lentils (uncooked), about 300 g1
• Soft Goat’s cheese
• A pinch of cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chilli
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 can tomato sauce