I've been trying to be less judgemental of late. If that sounds like a Dear Diary extract then bear with me, because I'm referring primarily to food.

As well all know, sometimes a pretty face can be deceptive. Sometimes a good-looking exterior is all that something has going for it, and that's a sentiment than can certainly be applied to eating. Style is all well and good when it comes to a beautifully presented plate but it's also important that there is enough food, and the flavours are and balanced and bold.

All this, I'm not embarrassed to admit, is an extended apology of sorts for the aesthetic appearance of today's Forgotten Recipe. Pretty they ain't. It's coincidental that it's Hallowe'en this weekend because my jam turnovers kind of look like they've been an extra in a low-budget spooky movie. The jam 'blood' splatters are totally deliberate, of course.

But they do taste delicious. And they're super easy to make, as well as proving quite therapeutic thanks to the crimping part of the recipe. Is there anything more satisfying than crimping the edges of pastry with a fork? You'll need to ask someone that gets out more often than me.

I started my Forgotten Recipe by making up a batch of short crust pastry, the recipe for which is located elsewhere in the book under the section that lists a variety of batter mixes and pastries. I usually work with a general rule of half fat to flour with enough cold water to bring the mixture up to a bindable consistency, plus a pinch of salt (does anyone actually get right in there with their fingers anymore? A good shake with a cellar should do it.) and these measurement are reflected in the book.

With the pastry in the fridge (a little more of my own acquired wisdom - chilling it makes it easier to roll), I chose my jam. The book doesn't specify which kind of jam should be used, so rummaging through my fridge I came across a jar of strawberry and champagne by Mackay's. I then rolled the pastry out and cut out large circles, on to the middle of which a large blob of jam was placed.

Folding the pastry in half over the jam is another satisfying technique. I imagine it's what it feels like to tuck your children in at night, only kids don't spurt out jam when you do so (unless they've been at a party. It's happened to the best of us.) Then I wet the edges with milk and got to crimping with a fork *bliss*.

The jam turnovers bake for about 20 minutes - the recipe doesn't state glazing them with anything but I coated them lightly with milk so as to ensure they didn't burn. And yes - not exactly the prettiest looking things, and a little rough around the edges - but light, crumbly and chewy on the outside, with gooey sticky jam inside. Don't judge a baked good by its cover.

Here's the recipe.

 

Jam turnovers

4 oz short crust pastry or scraps of short crust pastry

Jam

Time: 20 minutes

Oven temperature: 425F No. 7

Position in oven: one-third from the top

Method

1. Roll out pastry, cut in rounds

2. Put a teaspoonful of jam into the centre of each round

3. Wet the edges, fold over and press

4. Bake for 20 minutes