Learn how our food creator from the Middle East whips up delectable savoury muffins for suhoor and chicken pies for iftar this Ramadan.

Suhoor: Zaatar and Cheese Muffins

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 25 gram melted butter
• 1 cup yogurt
• 400 gram feta crumbled
• 125 gram halloumi cheese diced
• 1/2 cup mint leaves shredded
• 1/4 cup chives chopped
• 1 tablespoon zaatar
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon dry mint
• Black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 3 cups self-raising flour sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 180°.
• Whisk eggs and add all ingredients except for the flour and baking powder. Mix well.
• Add flour and baking powder, and fold in until the dry and wet ingredients are well combined.
• Spoon the mixture into prepared muffin tin. This dish is meant to be rustic, do not flatten the mixture once poured into the tin.
• Rest for ten minutes and then bake in preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve.

Iftar: Musakhan Chicken Style Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken cut into ¼
• 1 tablespoon yogurt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Lemon zest
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 medium onions diced
• 3 teaspoons sumac
• 1 teaspoon Bharat/Allspice
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• Salt to season
• 2-3 ready-made puff pastry sheets (thawed)
• 4 large potatoes
• 50 gram unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 4 tablespoons olive oil (extra)

Preparation:

Musakhan Chicken

• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Place the yogurt, cumin, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Pour over the yogurt mixture and combine well.
• Arrange the chicken skin-side up in a baking dish. 
• Roast in preheated oven for approximately 30-35 minutes or until cooked through.
• Remove, shred, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, place the oil in a frying pan, sauté onions on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the onions soften and are lightly golden but not caramelised.
• Remove from heat, add the sumac, bharat, and chilli.  Mix well.
• Combine the onion mixture with the shredded chicken.

Mashed Potatoes

• Cut the potatoes in large chunks and cook in boiling salted water until tender and soft.
• In a small saucepan heat, place the butter and milk over low heat until butter is melted. Blend the buttery milk mixture with the cooked potatoes and mash until smooth and creamy.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Pastry Filling

• Grease the pan’s base and sides to line a 26-centimeter springform tin with puff pastry.
• Place your springform tin over the pastry sheet and cut around the base.
• Place the round pastry sheet inside the tin.
• With the second pastry sheet, cut a long strip as wide as the rim of the tin and, place it around the edge of the pie tin.
• Gently press the edges of the base and rim together with your fingers to seal. 
• Spoon the filling into the pie tin.
• Top with mashed potatoes, and sprinkle with black sesame.
• Drizzle with extra olive oil and bake in preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes or until the pastry is cooked and golden in colour.

  Serve.