A taste of autumn

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

As far as the feijoa season goes, when it rains, it pours. If you’re lucky enough to have a feijoa tree in your backyard, you need to get creative to keep up with the supply. These delicious recipes are a good place to start.

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Feijoa Strudel

Serves: 4

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking: 45 minutes

Ingredients   

6 feijoas, peeled and cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ cup pistachios, roughly chopped or sliced almonds

2 tablespoons flour

2 sheets filo pastry

Topping

1 beaten egg with 1 teaspoon water, for brushing

2 tablespoons pistachios, roughly chopped or sliced almonds

Icing sugar 

Method    

Preheat oven to 180°C on fan bake and grease an oven tray.

Place feijoas, cinnamon, water and brown sugar into a saucepan and cook gently for 10 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool. 

Add pistachios or almonds and flour and mix well.

Lightly flour a surface and place the pastry flat. Spoon strudel mixture in a line at the edge of the pastry, leaving 2.5cm at the ends. Fold up the edges and roll the feijoa mixture over. Place on the baking tray. 

Brush strudel with egg wash and make slits for steam to escape.

Bake the strudel for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Dust with icing sugar and sprinkle with extra pistachios. Serve warm with yoghurt. 

Poached Feijoas with Whipped Feta and Honey

Serves: 3-4

Preparation: 5 minutes

Cooking: 5 minutes

Ingredients 

500ml apple juice

4 tablespoons brown sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon orange zest

8 feijoas, peeled and sliced in half

80g feta

80g lite cream cheese

4 tablespoons honey

¼ cup sliced almonds

Method      

Place juice, brown sugar, cinnamon and orange zest in a large pan and bring to a simmer. 

Add the feijoas and cook for five minutes or until the fruit is tender. Remove feijoas from the juice and set aside.

In a small bowl, whip the feta, cream cheese and honey together until smooth.

Place a serving of the whipped feta on to a plate and add feijoas, drizzle with extra honey and a sprinkle of sliced almonds. 

— Recipes courtesy of 5+a Day