“We may not be able to get certainty, but we can get probability, and half a loaf is better than no bread.”
C.S. Lewis
Made some scrumptious Chipotle Garlic Focaccia some days ago, & it’s begging me to get posted. The pressure of posts lining up is threatening to burst my drafts folder, as I struggle with this silly writer’s block. No time on hand is another matter altogether, & as I recently said to Judy (on Twitter obviously) – It’s a wonder we get anything done…half my recent life has been twittered away!! And then of course there’s always the Greek foodie, Peter, who twitters about wondering which post to post. Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh…how come he has so much time?
Now for the focaccia. The recipe is the one I use often, the ‘Roasted Garlic & Bell Pepper Focaccia’ posted here. This time, I gave it a twist with some smoked chipotle paste from a bottle that Nic @ Cherrapeno mailed from the UK. That stuff is seriously addictive & I love it. Have tried it in many avatars including spiking up a basic tomato ketchup, & also giving a delicious kick to a yogurt dip! It’s a zingy thing to have on hand, & lent a lovely, subtle yet smokey flavour to the focaccia. Not spicy, not chili…just GREAT!!
We finished 1 and 3/4’s of the focaccia loaves, & I had a 1/4 on hand. Currently trying very hard not to waste food as far as possible. Word food wastage figures are going through the roof, & world hunger figures continue to explode. My attempts to stop food wastage are in line with an ongoing initiative – BloggerAid Changing the Face of Famine, being led by 2 Canadian food bloggers, Val of More Than Burnt Toast & Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen, aimed at fundraising, and creating a community to alleviate world food hunger. This initiative is supported by the World Food Programme. To learn more about this initiative, do visit us @ BloggerAid Changing the Face of Famine.
Got lucky one morning. The day I was sitting with a 1/4 focaccia, wondering what to do with it, I tripped on this really GOOD looking Romesco dip on Tastespotting (or was it FoodGawker), I followed the dip to Dinner With Julie’s. Imagine my delight, I had all the ingredients on hand, even found 2 roasted red bell peppers sitting in the fridge. All items checked, I hit the counter pronto to make the dip. It was delicious. I roasted some garlic too while toasting the bread, & the almonds as well in between. This is a seriously good dip. The almonds work some magic in there to give it a nutty flavour, the bread adds some texture, the paprika a kick of colour…& the olive oil just brings it all alive. I used some extra olive oil, made a few minor changes,& the found a keeper of a recipe. The kids loved it too, & I licked the bowl clean (a rare moment, but unavoidable!). Michelle @ Big Black Dogs made it while I twittered about it, & she loved the dip too. Thank you for posting this YUM Romesco Julie!ROMESCO DIP as adapted fromDinner With Julie In her words, “All the amounts here are approximate – it’s a dip, so feel free to wing it.” Ingredients: 1/4 cup roasted almonds (roasted in the oven at 180C for 10-15minutes till fragrant) 3 garlic cloves ( I toasted the garlic with the bread) 4 thick slices focaccia bread, toasted (or 3 if you’re using a baguette) 2 red peppers, roasted 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 1 tsp. paprika Salt to taste 2-6 Tbsp. olive oil (or canola)Method:
Toast almonds in a medium oven till they are pale golden and fragrant.
Toast the bread & unpeeled garlic cloves for 10-15 minutes in a medium hot oven. Peel the garlic, & tear the bread into chunks.
Transfer to a food processor & pulse until the bread and nuts turn to crumbs.
Add the red peppers, vinegar, paprika and salt and whiz until well blended. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and process until the mixture has the consistency of thick mayonnaise, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Serve with pitas, slices of crusty baguette, cooked tail-on shrimp, naan or veggies.
Makes about 1 cup. (Willkeep in the fridge for a day or two. Make sure the top is covered with a thin film of oil.)
I served it the next time with slices of French bread…mmmmmmmmm!
On another note, Andrea @ FoodBlogger 2008 included me in her post for the Best of Foodblogs 2008…& I proudly display the badge she gave me. Thanks for the mention Andrea, & for being so patient with me. Please feel free to mail Andrea @ andrea.mahlers@gmx.de if you wish to send her your favourite 2008 recipe from your blog.
“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” Robert Browning
as rustic as it gets…
Italian artisan bread…
Thicker than a pizza, this dimpled bread, focaccia, gets it’s name from the Latin word focus, meaning ‘hearth’ , because it was originally baked on an open hearth. Italian bakers use focaccia dough to make many different speciality breads, such as this ring, stuffed with fragrant pesto, or for that matter, with any other flavouring you might like ( quoted from Le Cordon Blue; The Cook’s Bible).
I made one with home made pesto, & the other with a mushroom, garlic, cheese filling (we liked the second one better). Other interesting alternatives include:
Chopped sun dried tomatoes marinated in olive oil, shredded mozzarella & fresh basil
Sauteed onions & chopped fresh herbs
Artisan bread is exactly what its name suggests: bread that is crafted, rather than mass produced. Baked in small batches rather than on a vast assembly line, artisan bread differs from prepackaged supermarket loaves in a number of ways. Special attention to ingredients, process, and a return to the fundamentals of the age-old bread-making tradition set artisan bread apart from soft, preservative-laden commercial breads. For a more complex, flavored artisan bread, the ingredients list might expand to include various other items, all of them recognizable: sliced onions, cheddar cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil. Bread has been around for centuries. No chemicals were added to the breads baked by ancient Egyptians or those mentioned throughout the Bible, and none are added to artisan breads now.
We had company for dinner. I wanted to make bread. I had to make bread. DH suggested savoury Danishcoz he fell in love with it after the last DB challenge, in June. I was tempted but that much butter was just not on…not twice a month & not in summer at least! So that morning I sat with my faithful pile of cookbooks around me, almost getting carried away to try something very challenging. Almost thought I would just go bake the Danish, & then saw this focaccia in the Le Cordon Blue Cook’s Bible. Made up my mind really QUICK!! It had to be this…I love rustic, artisan breads! It didn’t disappoint at all. I am posting this urgently on a request (3rd reminder today) from my SIL who was over for dinner & loved this bread. Without further ado…here we go. (I got 2 flavoured rings & 2 smaller shaped loaves out of this dough)
Focaccia dough as adapted from ‘The Cook’s Bible’,pg 239
Ingredients:
Active Instant Yeast – 1 2/3 tbsp
Sugar – 1/2 tsp
Warm water – 300ml
Flour – 700 gms
Whole wheat flour – 200gms
Salt – 2 tsp
Olive oil – 4tsp
Dried Italian Herbs- 2-3 tbsps
Filling of your choice ( I did one with mushrooms + garlic, recipe here; & the other with basil-almond pesto, recipe here)
Method:
Proof the yeast by sprinkling it over 2 tbsps of warm water from the recipe & 1/2 tsp sugar. Cover & leave until frothy.
Stir the flours + salt + dried Italian herbs into a big bowl & make a well in the centre.
Add yeast + remaining water + olive oil. Mix to a dough.Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes.
Shape into a ball, & place in a oiled bowl. Cover with a damp cloth, & let rise until doubles (1-2 hours).
Punch down the dough, knead for 2-3 minutes, then let rest for 5 minutes.
Roll about 1/3 of the dough into a 40 X 30 cm rectangle & spread the filling of your choice evenly over it, leaving a 1 cm border.
Starting from one long side, roll into a cylinder. Pinch the seams to seal, but not the ends. Transfer seam side down, to a floured baking sheet, shape into a ring, & pinch ends to seal.
Slice the ring at 5 cm intervals to within 2 cm of the centre. Gently pull out each slice & twist it over to one side to show the cut edge. Cover & let rise until doubled, 30-45 minutes.
Brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle over with coarse sea salt & bake at 190 degrees C until golden, 30-40 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
Note: I made sandwiches from the other loaves the next day…filling them with shredded grilled chicken, tomatoes, onions, mozzarella & mustard.
“It has been well said that a hungry man is more interested in four sandwiches than four freedoms.”
Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., (American diplomat)
‘Sandwiccia‘…a focaccia sandwich!
Made some Roasted Garlic & Bell Pepper Focaccia again the other day. This very versatile Italian bread has become quite a staple at home since the kids LOVE it. It’s a gratifying feeling that they enjoy garlic & basil as much as we do…which just means that meal times are simpler & fun to plan too. They enjoy home baked breads of all sorts. For me, it’s therapeutic. The mixing, the kneading, the rising & finally the aromas that waft through the whole house makes life just seem more worthwhile. I made a double batch of focaccia, & served up the second batch the next day as grilled ‘SANDWICCIAS‘…my coined phrase for focaccia sandwiches, which quite takes sandwiches to another level altogether. They were obviously quite because they were polished off in next to no time. The kids said they tasted just like pizzas, but better!! So here you go…presenting some cheesy grilled ‘SANDWICCIAS‘!
Roasted Garlic & Bell Pepper Focaccia – recipe HERE For the Sandwiccias…
Cool the focaccia completely, & then slice horizontally to get 2 flat slices.
Spread a layer of cheese spread, followed by slices of cheese, then sliced tomatoes, salt & freshly ground pepper, fresh chopped basil leaves & some grated cheese. (Add any filling of your choice).
Grill the focaccia sandwiches on a lightly greased pan for about 3-4 minutes on each side, weighed down with a panini press if possible. (I use a metal plate with a weight on top).
The cheese melts & acts as the glue, holding everything together well…& the flavours of the focaccia come through really nicely.
Quarter & serve warm, with potato wedges & a salad / pasta.
I served ours with ‘roasted garlic & pesto’ oven-baked potato wedges, & fusili in a light cream coriander sauce with red & yellow bell peppers.
This yummysandwiccia is off to the Sandwich Festival 2008, an event hosted by Anupama @ Food n More. In her words…”I love bread and am constantly looking for ideas to make different kinds of sandwich creations. They are great in lunch boxes and perfect food when you are on the go. They are also a healthy option when you are too tired to cook and whatsmore a sandwich is something that even husbands can make on their own without grumbling too much. “
I agree with her… I’m always game for creative sandwich ideas too. Am now beginning to go a step further; I sometimes try & make the bread too! This ‘sandwiccia‘ was the result of one such culinary adventure…one that was very satisfying!
Of Spaghetti & Vegetables… this one’s acombination full-of-flavour!
Bursting with flavour…an incredibly delicious focaccia!
Ever since I read that CasaBencomo has a huge jar of organic garlic waiting to be used up, my minds hit the garlic trail. Am sure the jar at Amy’s end is history, but my pursuit in never ending…garlic is one of my favourite ingredients. I was at a loose end for a meal one day…rummaged in the fridge & found bell peppers. Had a couple of heads of garlic & spaghetti. The Pasta Bible has place of honour on my bedside these days…a recipe I had read a couple of nights back came to my mind…Spaghettiniall’AglioArrostio (Spaghettini with Roasted Garlic). The garlic was duly put to roast, & the poor bell peppers tortured to grill again!
I decided to use most of my roasted garlic & chargrilled peppers in the spaghetti & the remainder in a focaccia! Yummy meal that was & have to say that the focaccia was unbelievable; the flavours were heady & fulfilling. Have read that garlic becomes sweet on roasting…couldn’t believe it. Spot on!
Prior preparation:
Grill 2 bell peppers, a red & a yellow one till charred. I do it over the flame. Seal them immediately in a ziploc till they cool. Remove the charred skin & wash. Chop fine.
Take 2 bulbs of garlic wrapped in foil. Bake in oven at 180 degrees C for 30 minutes. Allow to cool & then gently squeeze the insides into a bowl. Mash well with a fork (mashes very easily & becomes smooth), add about 1/2 cup of olive oil & freshly ground black pepper. Mix well.
Both these can be done in advance to save time.
Roasted Garlic & Grilled Peppers Focaccia
Ingredients:
Yeast – 1 tbsp Sugar – 1 1/2 tsps Warm water 1 3/4 cups Flour – 3 cups (+ a little extra if required) Wholewheat flour – 1 cup Salt – 1 tsp Olive oil – 3 tbsps Roasted garlic paste – 1 tbsp Mixed Italian herbs – 1tbsp Roasted chili flakes – 1/2 tsp Chargrilled red & yellow peppers – 1 heaped tbsp each Handful of fresh basil leaves Garlic – 3-4 cloves / sliced Sea salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Method:
In a bowl, stir together yeast, sugar and 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water and proof yeast for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy. Mix in the salt (not sea salt) + roasted garlic paste + herbs + chili flakes.
Stir in 3 cups of flour + 1 cup of wheat flour + 1 tbsp of olive oil adding as much more flour as necessary to form a soft and slightly sticky dough. Mix in the bell peppers.
Transfer to a lightly-oiled bowl, turn to coat, and let rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until double in size.
Knead dough down and press with lightly-oiled hands into 2 well-oiled 8″ round sandwich loaf pans & one slightly smaller one. Let them rise, covered loosely, for 30 minutes.
Dimple dough with your fingers in places, drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over and spread over dough; sprinkle with onions, basil, garlic, a few bits of bell pepper and sea salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until pale golden.
Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.
My twist on Spaghetti all’AglioArrostito…Spaghetti with Roasted Garlic & Chargrilled Peppers as adapted from ‘The Pasta Bible’ by Jeni Wright, pg 164
Ingredients: Spaghetti – 400-500 gms Roasted garlic paste – all the remaining paste Chargrilled peppers – of 1 1/2 – 2 peppers / chopped fine Handful of basil leaves / chopped Parmesan to serve Roasted red chili flakes (optional)
Method:
Cook & drain pasta.
Toss in the roasted garlic paste + chopped grilled peppers + basil leaves.
Serve immediately with Parmesan shavings handed separately, focaccia & a salad.
Talking of my dear friend Amy, from FamiliaBencomo, ahem, it seems kinda apt to add in this post, that I’ve been given this precious award from the dear girl….blush! It’s the Arte y Pico Award, awarded to bloggers ‘for their creativity, design, interesting material, and who also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language’.Iam really really touched; thank you Amy…this means more to me than you can imagine! This is indeed an inspiring award & I’m proud to have got it. I will pass it on to 5 blogs soon.
“A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety.”
Aesop
VICTORY LOAF….FOCACCIA!
Come spring & you find breads being baked with renewed fervour. Easter holiday breads are popping up all over the blogosphere…from hot cross buns to sweet braided loaves! I too have abandoned with glee my yeastophobia & jumped into the fray… though not with a sweet bread. I decided to make focaccia the other day. For me this finally symbolises victory over my fear of yeast! I’m ready to conquer the world of breads!! What better time but with the advent of Spring…
Fun with dough… mastering the plait!
This flat bread topped with olive oil, spices and other products is an early prototype of modern pizza. The basic recipe is thought by some to have originated with the Etruscans or Ancient Greeks. Focaccia, known and loved in Italy and abroad, is a yeasted bread dough, often mixed or spread with oil, herbs, or onion, and ancient way of cooking bread dough quickly, possibly connected with offerings made by the Romans to the gods, liba… Early versions were cooked on the hearth of a hot fire, or on a heated tile or earthenware disk, like the relatedflatbreads. Many have an inventive range of flavourings, the olive oil, rosemary, garlic or onion of the schiacciataallafiorentina of Tuscany, or the herbs, sage, rosemary, oregaon, onion, and ciccioli of the focciagenovese of Liguria.
Loafing around…
Focaccia is a versatile bread indeed. Full of flavour & full of options. I used a highly rated ‘Rosemary Garlic Focaccia‘ recipe from Recipezaar; substituted the rosemary with fresh garlic & sliced onions, & added a portion of wholewheat flour too. The whole house smelt divine while the loaves were baking…absolute nirvana! We ate 2 loaves the first day with a chicken casserole, baked garlic potatoes, crumb fried fish & salad. The next day I made sandwiches with the 3rd loaf! I believe you can even top it & make it into a pizza! It’s got a lovely light & fresh crumb & keeps for 2-3 days at cool temperatures.
Redolent…in the rays of the setting sun
I saved some dough & plaited it into a braid… it’s been my dream for many years to plait a loaf of bread! Strange but true!! I used to drift through baking books wondering how such beautiful braided breads were possible. My first attempt wasn’t too bad as I made the plait from my mind; have since found out that I needed 4 strands & not 3 as I used! Until next time then…
Ingredients Yeast – 1 tbsp Sugar – 1 1/2 tsps Flour – 4 cups Wholewheat flour – 1/2 – 1 cup ( I substituted a bit of the flour with this) Salt – 1 tsp Olive oil – 3 tbsps Handful of fresh basil leaves Onion – 1 sliced Garlic – 4-5 cloves / sliced Roasted sesame seeds & poppy seeds Sea salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Method:
In a bowl, stir together yeast, sugar and 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water and proof yeast for 10-15 minutes, or until foamy.
Stir in 3 cups of flour + 1 cup of wheat flour, 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and the salt, adding as much of the remaining flour as necessary to form a soft and slightly sticky dough.
Transfer to a lightly-oiled bowl, turn to coat, and let rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 hour, or until double in size.
Knead dough down and press with lightly-oiled hands into 2 well-oiled 8″ round sandwich loaf pans, saving some for a braided bread.
Make a braid with the remaining dough, tuck in the ends underneath & let them rise, covered loosely, for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set rack in center of oven.
Dimple dough with your fingers in places, drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over and spread over dough; sprinkle with onions, basil, garlic and sea salt. I drizzled oil over the braided loaf & sprinkled sesame & poppy seeds all over it.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until pale golden.
Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
A loaf I’m quite proud of…
‘Breadbakingday‘ the monthly event was started by Zorra for passionate and to-be bread bakers, who bake bread and share recipes and experiences on the first day of every month. This month’s ‘Breadbakingday’ is hosted by someone who I’ve been in awe of for LONG…Susan @ Wild Yeast. She says…”As one of the oldest and most universal of foods, bread is associated with celebrations in every part of the world. For this month’s BreadBakingDay, you are invited to share your own spring holiday bread tradition, explore one you’re not yet familiar with, or start a new one. Choose any seasonal holiday or event you’d like to honor with a special bread.”
My new found freedom from yeastophobia is event enough to announce the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I’m gonna celebrate it with this braided loaf & am sending it off to Susan’s. I recommend you check out her blog & marvel at her ease with yeast…especially if you are yeastophobic like I was.
