It’s easy to love cottagecore – the internet aesthetic charged by whimsical nostalgia for living in a cottage, mid-nowhere. With the help of these recipes, your kitchen will be one step closer to the fairytale, regardless of where you live.

Button mushroom flatbread with hazelnut pesto

Serves 4

For the dough

• 250g plain flour
• 10g fresh yeast
• 150ml lukewarm water
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

For the topping

• 200g button mushrooms
• 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 175g (3/4 cup) cream cheese

For the hazelnut pesto

• 2 garlic cloves
• 50g (1/3 cup) hazelnuts
• 30g pecorino cheese
• 15g (1/4 cup) basil leaves
• 15g (3/4 cup) parsley leaves
• 125ml (1/2 cup) olive oil

To make the dough, sift the flour onto your benchtop and make a well in the centre. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water. Pour the yeasted water into the well. Add the olive oil and salt and knead to make a smooth dough.

Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise for about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 240°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Punch down the dough, dust your benchtop with flour and roll the dough out into an oval 30 x 20 cm in size and 2–3 mm thick.

For the topping, trim and slice the mushrooms. Halve and juice the lemon. Combine the sliced mushrooms with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes. Finely crush the coriander seeds in a mortar and pestle and toss in with the mushrooms.

Stir the salt and pepper into the cream cheese and spread the mixture on the rolled-out dough, leaving a margin of about 1 cm. Spread the mushrooms evenly on top. Bake in the preheated oven (middle rack) until golden brown, about 15–20 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and crush the garlic for the hazelnut pesto.

Coarsely chop the hazelnuts and dry roast them lightly in a frying pan. Set aside to cool. Coarsely grate the pecorino cheese. Rinse and shake the herbs dry, then combine them with the grated cheese and olive oil and blend until smooth. Finally, fold in the hazelnuts and garlic. Cut the flatbread into slices and serve together with the hazelnut pesto.

Grilled peaches with gorgonzola and hazelnuts

Serves 4

• 4 ripe peaches
• 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 40g (1/4 cup) hazelnuts
• 120g mild gorgonzola cheese
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 130g rocket (arugula)
• 1 punnet cress, optional

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Wash, pat dry and halve the peaches. Remove the stones. Halve and juice the lemon.

Whisk 1 Tbsp olive oil with the honey and lemon juice. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add the peaches and fry for about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the peaches to a casserole dish in a single layer, cut side up, and brush with the marinade.

Coarsely chop the hazelnuts. Coarsely crumble the gorgonzola cheese and divide it among the peach halves. Sprinkle with the nuts.

Rinse the rosemary and shake dry. Add the sprigs to the dish. Bake the peaches in the preheated oven (middle rack) for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pick through the rocket. Wash and spin or pat dry. Divide the green leaves among plates and drizzle with the peach marinade from the roasting dish.

Cut the cress, rinse, and shake dry. Arrange the peaches on top of the rocket, sprinkle with the cress and serve.

Images and text from Fairytale Cooking by Alexander Hoss-Knakal, photography by Melina Kutelas. Murdoch Books RRP $39.99.

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