I had a day at the beach last week, just me and one of my sisters which was an AMAZING luxury, not watching the kids, reading magazines uninterrupted and not worried about someone getting lost or sunburnt… now, I love my daughter with all my heart but an occasional day off recharges the soul. And for those of you who know me, I even swam….. (look of amazement!) and I have to say the water was freezing, dont mind anyone who says otherwise – the Irish sea is cold.

I made these the previous day and they were delicious by the beach, the flavours had developed even more and they were perfect seaside food.
Note, I don’t say gluten free pastry, not because I don’t recommend it, but because it is really hard to get in Ireland. I have filed away making puff pastry under ‘would not bother doing that again’ so as I do occasionally use gluten full puff pastry. If you are lucky enough to be able to get it then do use it.

Sweet Potato Galettes with Pumpkin and Sunflower seeds (From Ottolenghi)

1 large sweet potato
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
100g soft goat cheese – whip it a bit to soften
3 tbsp pumpkin and sunflower seeds
3 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Oven at 200C

Scrub the sweet potato then bake in its skin for about 40 minutes until almost cooked through but still firm in the centre. Test with a skewer. Cool and then peel and thinly slice.
While the sweet potato is baking, roll out the puff pastry between 2 sheets of parchment paper and cut in to 6 rectangles.
Lightly score a 1cm border on each pastry. Place on baking tray, lined with parchment paper and in to the fridge for 30 minutes.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and brush with the beaten egg. Spread a layer goats cheese on the pastry staying within the scored border
Top with the slices of sweet potato, slightly overlapping.
Season really well with salt and pepper and then sprinkle each with a little olive oil and the seeds.
While they are baking crush the garlic, mix with the olive oil and parsley and when the pastrys are almost cooked, (about 15 minutes in) brush the oil and herbs
over the pastries.
Finish baking for about 5 more minutes until they are cooked through and golden.
Serve with a green salad or keep till the following day and serve at room temperature.