We made this for a party, where it disappeared rather rapidly. It made a nice change from making bread in the bread machine.
It's an American recipe, so everything's in cups.
You'll need:
1 packet (7g ish) of dried yeast
4 1/2 cups strong white bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup olive oil
Mix together the yeast, 2 cups of flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and milk, together with the olive oil. Beat the lot together until it's well combined - I started off with a whisk, but ended up using a wooden spoon.
Gradually add the rest of the flour, half a cup at a time, until you've got a gloriously smooth, slightly sticky dough. Cover the bowl with cling film, and then leave it in a warm place for an hour or so, until the dough's doubled in size.
You rather enjoyed the next bit - punch the dough to get rid of any air, and then knead for a couple of minutes. Sling onto a large greased baking sheet (or one lined with a silicon sheet), and then stretch your dough out into a large rectangle, around 1 inch deep.
Leave in a warm place for another hour or so. I stuck the oven on to warm up at this point - you'll need it at about 200 degrees C.
Once it's risen again (you should have a pretty fat looking focaccia by now), poke some dimples in the top with your fingers, and give it a drizzle of olive oil. (You could get fancy at this point, and brush it with some pesto, or some finely chopped rosemary).
Sling the dough in the oven for 15-2- minutes or so, until the bread is golden brown. My oven's a bit fierce, so it didn't take very long.
It's best eaten straightaway, but you can warm it up again the next day (if it lasts that long).
18 December 2009
11 December 2009
Lamb patties/kofte
This goes brilliantly with some plain boiled rice, salad and Strictly Come Dancing.
Makes enough for 3 greedy people. You'll need:
400g lamb mince
1 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
a good pinch of cinnamon
a good handful of freshly chopped parsley
90g fresh breadcrumbs
a couple of tablespoons of olive oil
Mix all this lot together, and add a good dollop of salt and pepper. Leave for half an hour or so, for everything to stick together and all the flavours to meld.
Heat up a grill pan, and add a little olive oil, so everything doesn't stick. Take about a tablespoon of the mixture, flatten it in the palm of your hand, and sling it into the pan (you can usually fit 4-5 in at a time). Fry for 3-4 minutes (don't even think of moving it), and then flip it over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Tip out onto a hot plate, then make the next batch in between the dancing.
Makes enough for 3 greedy people. You'll need:
400g lamb mince
1 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
a good pinch of cinnamon
a good handful of freshly chopped parsley
90g fresh breadcrumbs
a couple of tablespoons of olive oil
Mix all this lot together, and add a good dollop of salt and pepper. Leave for half an hour or so, for everything to stick together and all the flavours to meld.
Heat up a grill pan, and add a little olive oil, so everything doesn't stick. Take about a tablespoon of the mixture, flatten it in the palm of your hand, and sling it into the pan (you can usually fit 4-5 in at a time). Fry for 3-4 minutes (don't even think of moving it), and then flip it over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Tip out onto a hot plate, then make the next batch in between the dancing.
Chocolate chip cookies
Be warned. These are spreaders...
Makes about 12 (very very) large ones. You'll need:
100g dark chocolate
125g butter
100g granulated sugar
75g soft brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
150g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Stick the oven on at about 190 degrees C, and line your baking tray (essential).
First of all, chop up your chocolate into small chunks. You might like to cheat, and buy some chocolate chips, as this takes a while - but Sainsbury's value dark chocolate is only 27p a bar. You win some, you lose some.
Bung the butter into a small saucepan, and gently melt. Pour the sugar into a mixing bowl, then add the melted butter, and beat together. It'll look extremely strange, but go with it.
Sling the egg and vanilla essence in, and beat well again. Gradually add the flour and baking powder, then stir in the chopped up chunks of chocolate. Dollop some spoonfuls of this onto your baking tray A LONG WAY APART.
Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies turn golden brown. Whip them out, then leave to cool on the baking tray for a couple of minutes, until they start to harden. You can then sling them onto a cooling rack.
Keeps for a week or so in an airtight tin. Like that will happen.
Makes about 12 (very very) large ones. You'll need:
100g dark chocolate
125g butter
100g granulated sugar
75g soft brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
150g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Stick the oven on at about 190 degrees C, and line your baking tray (essential).
First of all, chop up your chocolate into small chunks. You might like to cheat, and buy some chocolate chips, as this takes a while - but Sainsbury's value dark chocolate is only 27p a bar. You win some, you lose some.
Bung the butter into a small saucepan, and gently melt. Pour the sugar into a mixing bowl, then add the melted butter, and beat together. It'll look extremely strange, but go with it.
Sling the egg and vanilla essence in, and beat well again. Gradually add the flour and baking powder, then stir in the chopped up chunks of chocolate. Dollop some spoonfuls of this onto your baking tray A LONG WAY APART.
Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies turn golden brown. Whip them out, then leave to cool on the baking tray for a couple of minutes, until they start to harden. You can then sling them onto a cooling rack.
Keeps for a week or so in an airtight tin. Like that will happen.
06 December 2009
Christmas gingerbread house
You could spend ages making the gingerbread sides/chimney/roof, but to be honest it's easier buying the kits (this one's from IKEA, with a price-tag to match).
You'll need royal icing to stick your choice of (revolting) sweeties on to the house. This makes quite a lot (you could use it to decorate biscuits to hang on the tree, or just spread it about the gingerbread house with rather more wild abandon).
an egg white
about 225g (ish) icing sugar
Separate your egg white into a large mixing bowl. Sieve the icing sugar into the bowl, and gradually incorporate. If you're piping it, it needs to be reasonably stiff (you may need to add a little more icing sugar, depending on the size of your egg) - make sure you beat it well with a wooden spoon to get rid of any lumps and bumps.
Stuff the icing into an icing gun or use a freezer bag (a la Jamie Oliver) with the corner cut off to pipe the icing all over the house. Your friendly 4-year-old should be able to do the rest.
We had some fondant icing left in the cupboard from M's birthday cake, so we also made snowmen and a snow cat, mouse, snake, penguin, sausage dog and pond complete with fish. I suspect that might have been the highlight.
04 December 2009
Butternut squash and feta pie
Perfect for vegetarians, or for eating after a long afternoon playing with Gran and Grandpa.
Makes enough for 4 greedy adults. You'll need:
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and chopped into chunks
olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
about half a pack of feta cheese, cubed
dried thyme
whatever cream you have in the fridge (I used a drizzle of single cream)
shortcrust pastry
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C. Sling the chunks of butternut squash into an ovenproof dish or on a baking tray, drizzle lots of olive oil over the top and give them a good shake. Bung this in the oven for about 40 minutes, until the squash is soft.
In the meantime, make your shortcrust pastry, and leave to rest in the fridge. Fry the onion in a little olive oil until it turns translucent.
Once your squash is done, you're ready to assemble. Don't turn off the oven!
You'll need a pie dish (whatever you've used for the squash is usually a good bet) - tip the squash, onion and feta in, and give it a good mix. Sprinkle some dried thyme over the top, and grind over some black pepper. Add a drizzle of cream or a little water so that it doesn't dry out in the oven.
Roll out your pastry to the size of your pie dish, and lay over the top. You could get fancy with pastry decorations, or brush with a little beaten egg, but frankly, life's too short.
Sling your pie in the oven - it'll be done in about 20 minutes when the pastry is golden brown. Slice and eat with a green, spinachy salad.
Makes enough for 4 greedy adults. You'll need:
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and chopped into chunks
olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
about half a pack of feta cheese, cubed
dried thyme
whatever cream you have in the fridge (I used a drizzle of single cream)
shortcrust pastry
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C. Sling the chunks of butternut squash into an ovenproof dish or on a baking tray, drizzle lots of olive oil over the top and give them a good shake. Bung this in the oven for about 40 minutes, until the squash is soft.
In the meantime, make your shortcrust pastry, and leave to rest in the fridge. Fry the onion in a little olive oil until it turns translucent.
Once your squash is done, you're ready to assemble. Don't turn off the oven!
You'll need a pie dish (whatever you've used for the squash is usually a good bet) - tip the squash, onion and feta in, and give it a good mix. Sprinkle some dried thyme over the top, and grind over some black pepper. Add a drizzle of cream or a little water so that it doesn't dry out in the oven.
Roll out your pastry to the size of your pie dish, and lay over the top. You could get fancy with pastry decorations, or brush with a little beaten egg, but frankly, life's too short.
Sling your pie in the oven - it'll be done in about 20 minutes when the pastry is golden brown. Slice and eat with a green, spinachy salad.
03 December 2009
Pasta with bacon and broccoli
This should probably be called something fancy, like "orecchiette with purple sprouting broccoli and lardons", but to be honest you'd probably have refused to eat it. Quite right.
You'll need:
pasta - orecchiette would be good, but we only had bows (farfalle)
broccoli - again, this would be fab with the purple sprouting stuff, but ordinary calabrese broccoli does just as well
bacon - a rasher or so of streaky per person, chopped up small
a medium-size onion, sliced
a clove of garlic, minced
a small tub of single cream
Chuck the bacon into a frying pan with a dash of olive oil, and fry until it starts to colour. Add the onions and garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes or so until they're translucent.
In the meantime, stick your pasta into a pan of boiling water, and simmer away. Chop up your broccoli into small florets, and cook in another small pan of water (or if you're really eco-friendly, steam it on top of the pasta). Whip the broccoli out after a couple of minutes, as soon as it's al dente.
Chuck the broccoli into the onion/garlic/bacon mix, and add the best part of a small tub of single cream and lots of black pepper. Simmer for a couple of minutes, until (a) it starts to thicken and (b) the pasta is ready.
Drain the pasta. Empty the sauce over the top. Mix. Eat with lots of cheese grated on top.
You'll need:
pasta - orecchiette would be good, but we only had bows (farfalle)
broccoli - again, this would be fab with the purple sprouting stuff, but ordinary calabrese broccoli does just as well
bacon - a rasher or so of streaky per person, chopped up small
a medium-size onion, sliced
a clove of garlic, minced
a small tub of single cream
Chuck the bacon into a frying pan with a dash of olive oil, and fry until it starts to colour. Add the onions and garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes or so until they're translucent.
In the meantime, stick your pasta into a pan of boiling water, and simmer away. Chop up your broccoli into small florets, and cook in another small pan of water (or if you're really eco-friendly, steam it on top of the pasta). Whip the broccoli out after a couple of minutes, as soon as it's al dente.
Chuck the broccoli into the onion/garlic/bacon mix, and add the best part of a small tub of single cream and lots of black pepper. Simmer for a couple of minutes, until (a) it starts to thicken and (b) the pasta is ready.
Drain the pasta. Empty the sauce over the top. Mix. Eat with lots of cheese grated on top.
02 December 2009
Steak pittas
Another quick tea, after a day at nursery/work.
You'll need:
a couple of pitta breads per person, toasted
a tub of hummous (one of these days I'll get round to making it myself again)
salad leaves (preferably involving baby spinach and/or rocket)
a nice piece of steak, at least 1-2 cm thick (ours was reduced to clear in Sainsburys, but no worse for that)
Heat a griddle or grill pan up on your hob, and brush with a little olive oil. Once it's sizzling, place the steak on it, and sear for a couple of minutes. Turn over, then leave for another couple more - it depends on how well-done you like your steak (this will do it medium rare, with a lovely pink bit in the centre). Whip the steak out of the pan, then leave to rest for 5 minutes or so.
Slice as thin as you possibly can, and then jam into some pitta breads with the salad leaves (if you've got any juices left in the pan then drizzle them on top). Top with a small dollop of hummous.
You'll need:
a couple of pitta breads per person, toasted
a tub of hummous (one of these days I'll get round to making it myself again)
salad leaves (preferably involving baby spinach and/or rocket)
a nice piece of steak, at least 1-2 cm thick (ours was reduced to clear in Sainsburys, but no worse for that)
Heat a griddle or grill pan up on your hob, and brush with a little olive oil. Once it's sizzling, place the steak on it, and sear for a couple of minutes. Turn over, then leave for another couple more - it depends on how well-done you like your steak (this will do it medium rare, with a lovely pink bit in the centre). Whip the steak out of the pan, then leave to rest for 5 minutes or so.
Slice as thin as you possibly can, and then jam into some pitta breads with the salad leaves (if you've got any juices left in the pan then drizzle them on top). Top with a small dollop of hummous.
01 December 2009
Smoked mackerel with onion rice and greens
Nicked from Hugh Fearnley-Whearnley in the Guardian at the weekend, but no worse for it. This made a really nice, quick mid-week supper.
Makes enough for three. You'll need
200g rice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
greens - the cabbage, chard, spinach type of thing
1 clove garlic, minced
a couple of tablespoons olive oil
a couple of teaspoons of cider vinegar
smoked mackerel - a fillet or so each
Fry the onion gently in a little olive oil until it turns translucent. Add the rice, and swirl around to coat in the oily onion, before pouring in 450ml water. Leave on a low heat until the rice has absorbed all the water and is cooked (this will take about 10-12 minutes).
Meanwhile, chop up your greens into thin ribbons. Fry the garlic in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until it colours slightly, then add the cider vinegar and take off the heat. A couple of minutes before the rice is ready, plunge your greens into some boiling water, and cook until al dente.
Then all you have to do is plate up - assemble a fillet of mackerel, and a spoonful of rice (or three) on each plate. Drain the greens, then toss in the olive oil/cider vinegar/garlic dressing, and dole out.
Makes enough for three. You'll need
200g rice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
greens - the cabbage, chard, spinach type of thing
1 clove garlic, minced
a couple of tablespoons olive oil
a couple of teaspoons of cider vinegar
smoked mackerel - a fillet or so each
Fry the onion gently in a little olive oil until it turns translucent. Add the rice, and swirl around to coat in the oily onion, before pouring in 450ml water. Leave on a low heat until the rice has absorbed all the water and is cooked (this will take about 10-12 minutes).
Meanwhile, chop up your greens into thin ribbons. Fry the garlic in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until it colours slightly, then add the cider vinegar and take off the heat. A couple of minutes before the rice is ready, plunge your greens into some boiling water, and cook until al dente.
Then all you have to do is plate up - assemble a fillet of mackerel, and a spoonful of rice (or three) on each plate. Drain the greens, then toss in the olive oil/cider vinegar/garlic dressing, and dole out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)