Dinner for 4 on a slightly cold and rainy spring evening

I'm not in a very "writable" mood, so I'm going to get to the point directly. I cooked a nice dinner this evening and as the results were yummy, I will share it with you.

For the starter, Pesto tartlette
(made 4 small ones)

50 gr of butter
100 gr of wheat flour
bit salt
2 eggs
creme fraiche/ sour cream
1 big spoon of pesto
salt, pepper
4 slices of tomato
fresh basil leaves to serve

Mix the cold butter with flour and salt; work it until the butter is nicely mixed and you have crumbs. Then add just a little of cold water (a spoonful) so that the dough becomes smooth. Roll it into a ball, wrap it into plastic and leave to fridge to cool for about 20 min.

You can prepare the filling in the meantime. Just mix the eggs with pesto, cream and season.

Fill the tartlette forms with dough and make holes with a fork (so the dough would not rise when baking). Pre-cook in the oven of 200 degrees about 7-8 minutes, until a bit golden.

Add the egg mixture and then gently place a thin tomato slice on top.
Cook about 10 more minutes until the filling is not liquid any more.
Less cool a bit and then serve with fresh basil leaves.

This can be also prepared in a big form, like a quiche. The little individual portions are nicer and more festive.

The Main Dish:
Pork stew with peppers
(Recipe is a fudge of several ones; as I like it :) )

1 kg of pork (neck part)
2-3 onions (depends on size)
2 garlic gloves
2 red peppers
1 green pepper
bit chilli paste or one fresh chilli bean
some champignons
olive oil
some thyme
some fennel seeds (ristiköömned eesti keeles)
0,5 l light beer
400 gr of tomatoes
1 bay leaf
fresh parsley to serve
pepper, salt

Rinse the meat and dry. Cut to about 3 cm cubes. Wash, cut the peppers to chunks. Chop the peeled onions and garlic.
Pour boiling water on tomatoes, so that you can peel off the skin. Cut to pieces.
Also wash and cut the mushrooms.
Heat the oil and caramelise the pork. Later add the onion, garlic; fry a bit. Then add the vegetables, mix and cook for a bit. Then add the herbs, pour over with beer and stew about an hour.
Later season with salt and sprinkle over with fresh parsley (from your own garden, if you can :)

Serves well with steamed rice.

For the Dessert:
Rhubabrb-apple crumble with almondy crumbs

about 0,5 kg rhubarb
2 apples
light muscovado sugar
bit cinnamon

50 gr of cold butter
50 gr of almond powder
50 gr of flour
2 big spoons of light muscovado sugar
2 spoons of white sugar

At first, prepare the crumbs. Mix cold butter pieces with almond powder, flour and sugars. The mixture has to be smooth and form nice crumbs. Leave to cold.

Peel and chop the rhubarbs and apples. Mix with sugar and cinnamon (in a bowl)
Pour it into a low oven mold, let cook for about 10 minutes (210 deg.) Then sprinkle over the crumbs and bake until the crumbs are nice crispy and golden.

Serves wonderfully with vanilla ice cream (found a good one, with real vanilla seeds in Prisma today).