4 recipes to trick friends and family into thinking you’re a master Mediterranean chef.

I loved growing up in an Italian home where there was always fresh fruit and vegetables growing in the backyard and chickens laying our eggs. In those days, mum and dad spent every spare moment they had in the garden or in the kitchen cooking all of the delicious foods we grew up eating.

I don’t have anywhere near that sort of time but I still want to enjoy those foods and I want my children to enjoy them too.

What I love most about Mediterranean cooking is that a lot of it requires you only slap quality ingredients together to make healthy and delicious meals, the key word being “quality”.

The new Hans Oliving range of deli meats inspired by the Mediterranean diet, which has been recognised as one of the healthiest diets in the world, makes life even more simple for me and my family. You’ll find a range of traditional deli meats made with the goodness and delicious taste of olive oil.

Remember healthy eating is all about quality and convenience. That means making sure there are lots of healthy snacks on hand, including fresh fruit and vegetables that have been washed and are ready to eat, as well as all of the kids’ favourite deli meats that they can just grab a few slices of as a perfect after-school snack.

Jo's three kiddies. Image: supplied.

Then there’s all the meals you can create with these delicious products.

I’ve come to rely on a handful of easy Mediterranean recipes to ensure we eat well and also maintain my family’s heritage, and Hans Oliving also has some amazing new recipes to explore that tick all of the boxes when it comes to taste and convenience.

Twisted ham pull apart pizza.

My kids love pizza but it’s not exactly a healthy option for them with it comes to takeaway meals. This Hans Oliving pizza pull apart is a quick and easy substitute that doesn’t have all the added grease and fat of many take away pizzerias. I always add some kalamata olives and anchovies to my part of the pizza and sometimes even marinated artichokes, but the kids prefer it to be simple with cheese and deli meats.

INGREDIENTS – Dough.

1 x 7g dry yeast sachet

½ tsp castor sugar

375mL warm water (not hot)

600g plain flour

60ml olive oil

1 tsp salt

METHOD.

Mix the yeast, sugar and water in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes or until bubbly.

In a large mixing bowl, make a well in the flour and add the oil, salt and yeast mixture.

Mix until combined and then knead on a floured bench for 10 minutes, or use an electric mixer with dough hook.

Place in a clean greased bowl, cover with cling film and allow to rise for about an hour. The dough will have doubled in size and is ready to use.

INGREDIENTS - Filling.

100g Hans Oliving Sliced Naturally Smoked Ham, cut into strips

400g pizza bread dough

140g pizza sauce

200g mozzarella cheese, grated

50g parmesan cheese, grated

Simple, easy and delicious. Images: supplied.

METHOD.

Roll out the pizza dough into a square on a lined baking tray.

Score with the back of a knife into three even vertical sections. On the left and right sections, cut parallel strips from the scored line to the outer edge of the dough, at about a 45 degree angle. Each strip should be about 2cm apart.

Cover the entire dough in pizza sauce. In the middle section only, lay the ham and mozzarella then sprinkle half of the parmesan all over.

Braid the thin outer strips over the middle section to create a loaf.

Sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the top and bake at 180°C in a fan-forced oven for 30 minutes or until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted.

Simple Ham-Tossed Pasta.

This is a perfect recipe for using up leftover plain cooked pasta and it takes minutes to make. It’s also delicious enough to serve to guests and looks amazing.

INGREDIENTS.

4 cups cooked spiral pasta

¼ cup olive oil

½ cup grated parmasen cheese

½ cup diced Hans Oliving Ham

2 boiled eggs, diced

2 Italian tomatoes, diced

Anchovies and kalamata olives optional.

Sneak in some olives or peas if willing. Image via iStock.

METHOD.

Place Hans Oliving Ham in hot pan and stir for five minutes.

Add cooked spiral pasta and parmesan cheese and stir on medium heat until cheese is melted.

Take off the heat and add boiled eggs, diced ham and anchovies and olives if desired. It is ready to serve.

Perfect Potato Salad.

I love potato salad so much because it is healthy, filling and easy to make. I serve this with hot, crunchy bread to make a meal of it, as well as some delicious fresh fruit for dessert.

INGREDIENTS.

600g potatoes

60g red salad onions or shallots

150g Hans Oliving Traditional Ham cut into small squares

125ml light mayonnaise

125g light sour cream

20g chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Make it a meal with hot, crunchy bread. Image via iStock.

METHOD.

Cut potatoes into 2cm cubes and steam or boil lightly in salted water until tender. Drain.

While warm, combine onions and ham with the potatoes.

Beat mayonnaise and sour cream together and add parsley, salt and pepper.

Stir through salad and stir.

Chicken Cacciatore with a twist.

Casseroles are one of my favourite dinners to make because you really just have to throw all the ingredients into a pot and simmer. You can serve them simply with hot, crusty bread, mashed potatoes, rice, couscous or even quinoa if you like. This is my modified version of chicken cacciatore. I find it to be much tastier than traditional chicken cacciatore because the ham has so much flavour.

INGREDIENTS.

6 chicken thighs with skin

¼ cup olive oil

2 medium brown onions

6 ripe tomatoes

1 cup sliced mushrooms

Fresh basil and oregano

½ cup white wine

6 slices of Hans Oliving Ham

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups water

Casseroles are one of my favourite dinners to make because you really just have to throw all the ingredients into a pot and simmer. Image via iStock.

METHOD.

Heat olive oil in a large pot and fry chicken pieces until they are lightly brown.

Chop up onions and add to the chicken, stir for two minutes.

Add minced garlic and stir for another minute.

Add chopped tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, basil, oregano, white wine, roughly chopped Ham, salt and water.

Bring to the boil and then simmer on low-medium heat for 30 minutes or until the casserole reduces.

** Keeps well in the fridge for the following day.

What Mediterranean meal do you cook for the family?