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From the diary room to the kitchen: Here's how to cook like Big Brother's Mary

She's already won her fellow housemates over with her cooking. - by Chanelle Mansour
  • 07 May 2021
Since entering theBig Brotherhouse, Mary Kalifatidis quickly became the mother hen, making sure that everyone is well fed. WATCH BELOW: Power Mum Mary | Meet The Housemate | Big Brother Australia

Although, cooking with the limited rations in the house was a concern for food lover Mary, but she revealed that she adapted rather well to the change.

“I am quite creative with food and I’m getting good at making great dishes with just three ingredients. The rations are hard, but I make it work,” she told New Idea.

So, while we watch her go through the absolute wringer to stay in the competition, we've rounded up some of her best recipes so you can cook just like her at home.

...

Home made gnocchi, beef ragu.

Instagram
Home made gnocchi, beef ragu
Recipe:
  • 1 kilo of potatoes (she used Dutch cream)
  • 250g plain flour (she used 00)
  • 1 egg
  • 100g grated Parmesan
  • Salt
  • And nutmeg if you desire
Method:
    1. Boil or steam your washed potatoes, with skin on. 2. Once boiled peel and leave to cook for just a little. 3. Press them through the potato ricer on a clean bench. 4. Add all ingredients and quickly form a dough. Don’t overwork. 5. Add flour to your bench and roll out batches into logs. 6. Cut into small gnocchi and place on a floured tray. 7. Bring a saucepan to boil, once it boils add your salt. 8. Cook in Batches you don’t want to overcrowd your saucepan. 9. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to your favourite sauce or a bowl until all is done.
...

Fettuccine meatballs.

Instagram
Fettuccine meatballs Recipe:
  • 8 large good quality sausages (she used 5 hot and 3 mild)
  • 2 onions
  • I lg red capsicum
  • 1 fresh red chilli 
  • 1/2 a lg bunch of parsley
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • Salt / pepper
  • Fettuccine pasta
Method:
    1. Boil your water for your pasta. 2. While your water is boiling prepare the other ingredients. 3. Heat a heavy pan with a tblsp of olive oil, take out the sausage meat out of its casing and cut in meatball chunks. Mary does this by hand and cook till brown and crispy. Take it out and place on a plate. 4. Chop and sautée your onions and red pepper, using the same pan, don’t overcook. Add your garlic and (chilli only if you like it hot), toss in parsley and give it a whirl then add your meatballs. 5. Once your pasta has been cooked al dente toss it all through together, grate some cheese.
...

Zucchini balls.

Instagram
Zucchini balls Recipe: "Was just off the top of my head, so feel free to adjust. I am still trying to perfect it," Mary said.
  • 2 large zucchinis
  • 1 onion
  • 1/2 cup corn
  • 2 spring onions
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • 1 cup panko crumb
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup pecorino or any other cheese you desire
  • Dill
  • Parsley
  • Salt and pepper
  • Extra panko crumb for coating
Method:
    1. Using the fine side of the box grater, grate your two zucchini. 2. Place zucchini in a colander add a little salt and let it drained for about 15-20 minutes to remove all the excess water. 3. Place onion and spring onions in a food processor and blend until a fine chop, add the parsley and dill and blend again, place in a large bowl. 4. With your hands take small amount of zucchini and squeeze out all the extra water and place in the bowl with onions, add your cheeses, panko, corn, eggs, salt and pepper mix it up with your hands and try to squeeze and form a ball. If there is too much moisture add some more panko. 5. Once you have formed your balls refrigerate for an hour. 6. Heat a heavy pan with some sunflower or any other frying oil. 7. Roll your zucchini balls in the panko and deep fry.
...

Tiropita.

Instagram
Tiropita (Greek cheese pastries) Recipe:
Filling: Method: Tiropita (Greek cheese pastries)
Recipe: Filling: Method:
Tiropita (Greek cheese pastries) Recipe: Filling:
Method: Tiropita (Greek cheese pastries) Recipe:
Filling: Method: Tiropita (Greek cheese pastries)
Recipe: Filling: Method:
Tiropita (Greek cheese pastries) Recipe: Filling:
Method: Tiropita (Greek cheese pastries) Recipe:
  • 300 grms greek yogurt
  • 250 light olive oil
  • 1/2 tspn sugar
  • 550-600 grms plain flour (flour varies so don’t use all the flour at once add it slowly to form a soft dough. If you add too much flour the pastry will be hard to work with).
Filling:
  • Feta cheese
  • 1 egg and an egg white
  • Keep the yolk to glaze
  • Cracked pepper
  • Sesame or poppy seeds
  • If cheese mixture is too dry you can add another whole egg
Method:
    1. In a bowl add yoghurt, oil, sugar. 2. Add half of the flour, mix then add a little grated cheese. 3. Add more flour to form a soft dough. It might not need all the flour, sometimes you have to feel with your hands the texture. 4. Take a small piece flatten, cut with a cutter. Place filling in the centre, fold and place on tray. You can press the edges with a fork to seal (Mary didn’t). 5. Brush with the egg yolk and sprinkle with seeds and bake at 180 until golden brown top and bottom.
...

Fruit buns.

Instagram
Fruit buns Recipe:
  • 2 tblspns dry yeast
  • 1 tblspn honey
  • 3 1/4 cup water (room temperature)
  • Add this three ingredients into a small jug or bowl, stir and leave to stand for 10 minutes
  • 50 grams soft butter
  • 1 cup warm milk (not hot you will kill your yeast)
  • 4 cups bread flour or all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tblspn castor sugar
  • Vanilla
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tspn salt
  • 2-3 tspns cinnamon
  • A big pinch of clove (optional)
  • Big pinch of nutmeg (optional)
  • 2 tspns grated orange rind (optional)
  • 140 grams dried fruit of your choice (Mary used sultanas and currants)
Method:
    1. Preheat oven to 170 -180. 2. In a large bowl add flour, cinnamon, clove, sugar, salt and orange peel if you like. 3. Rub in soft butter (texture like a crumb). 4. Add egg in milk stir and vanilla. 5. Add all wet ingredients and the yeast into the flour. 6. And mix until it comes together. 7. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10-12 minutes and dough is smooth. 8. Place dough into oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for one hour or until doubled in size. 9. Once doubled turn onto floured surface. 10. Knead in fruit divide into two and then cut six balls from each. Roll into balls and place on a greased lined tray. Cover and let them rise until doubled. 11. Brush with egg and bake till your liking. 12. Make a glaze with 3/4 cup water with a 1.5 tablespoons of sugar heat until sugar melts and starts to bubble. 13. Brush buns with sugar syrup and return into the oven for a few minutes
Chanelle Mansour
Chanelle Mansour
As a digital writer, Chanelle Mansour covers all things lifestyle, entertainment and food for New Idea.

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