flatbread

FLATBREAD RECIPE

Ingredients

300 g wheat flour

200 g buckwheat flour (or 170 g wheat flour)
7 g dry yeast
250 ml lukewarm water

1/2 tsp of salt
1 pinch of sugar

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 tbsp of fresh dill* (chopped)

 Method:

Stir the yeast into the lukewarm water and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes. Mix the flour with the salt and sugar. Once yeast is ready, add in oil. Stir the yeast, water and oil into the flour mixture and add fresh dill. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth. Cut in three and leave the dough to rest while you prepare the toppings (about 20 minutes). Roll the dough out onto a surface (one at the time). Add toppings and bake it in the oven until crispy (15-20 minutes in a preheated oven on 220°C).

TOPPING 1

125 g fresh mozzarella cheese

one clove of garlic (finely sliced)

one small courgette (thin sliced lengthwise)

few slices of fresh goat cheese (fresh goat cheese infused with chilly flakes)

olive oil for drizzle 

pinch of salt 

fresh dill

TOPPING 2

125 g fresh mozzarella cheese

one clove of garlic (finely sliced)

1/2 aubergine (thin sliced lengthwise)

few slices of fresh goat cheese (fresh goat cheese infused with chilly flakes)

olive oil for drizzle 

pinch of salt

fresh dill

TOPPING 3

*for the wheat flour crust I did not use fresh dill in the dough

2 tbsp pumpkin puree + 1tbsp tomato puree (cover the flatbread dough with this mixture)

125 g fresh mozzarella cheese

1/2 of fennel bulb (thin sliced lengthwise)

few big capers from a jar

pinch of salt

olive oil for drizzle

chilly flakes (optional) 

October 5th, Sara is sending cold breeze from the North. And in that very moment the only thing that keeps her warm is glass of a very young wine and pizza she made for herself. Only pumpkin, garlic, cheese and chilly my dear. And there it was, I made a promise I will make her version of pizza, but by some strange circumstances I remembered courgette.. courgette.. Her version would be TOPPING 4 and the real effect of what was once only idea. Cheers to Sara and her ideas!

odd thanksgiving

What kind of a thanksgiving dinner is this? Where's the turkey, mash potatoes, cranberry sauce, where is the pumpkin pie!!?

Instead, on your menu today: all day aubergine!

Breakfast

Roast the aubergines in the oven until tender (for about one hour on 200^oC). Peel the skin off or cut them in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Leave to drain for few hours, or in a fridge overnight.

Toast thin slices of bread. Spread stripes of aubergine on toast and season with salt and pepper and drizzle some olive oil on top. Dollop spoonful of Greek yogurt and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and parsley.

Lunch

one large red onion

3 cloves of garlic

2 small aubergines

3-4 tbsp olive oil

1 big zucchini

8 tomatoes (blanched for a minute and peeled)

2 cups of homemade tomato juice 

salt and pepper to taste

parsley (optional)

poached eggs (optional) 

This is a classic one pot dish, very nursing and tasty. Wash the vegetables and cut in cubes. Salt the aubergines and leave to drain for at least 20 minutes. Chop the onion and place with drained aubergines in a a large pan with olive oil. As the vegetables soften, add peeled and thinly sliced  garlic and fry briefly. Add chopped fresh tomatoes and juice. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes, and add zucchini and leave to simmer for another 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and finish with a little fresh parsley and poached egg.

Dinner

‘The aubergine and the chickpea are old friends, going hand in hand throughout the Mediterranean. They turn up together in mezes, often whipped to a purée with olive oil, and in garlic-scented stews, in the company of tomato, lamb, mint, lemon and, of course, olive oil.’

Remember that roasted aubergine from breakfast? Better do, as we will use it for our spread. 

Place flesh into a food processor together with can of chickpeas. Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, and one tablespoon lemon juice and one clove of garlic. Puree until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper and pulse again to combine everything. Transfer to a bowl and finish with a little fresh parsley and roasted chilly peppers. Keep refrigerated up to 3-4 days. Serve with crackers. 

 Thank you aubergine!

trick or treat

Devilishly good pear and mandarin orange that thinks it’s a pumpkin. What good can come from this?

Delightful sweets to begin party with! 

Big muffins

muffins

130 g light brown sugar

180 g all purpose flour

30 g cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

60 ml sunflower oil

2 eggs

zest and juice from 1 mandarin orange

one huge pear, 250 g, peeled and diced

crumble topping
3 tbsp all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder
35 g cold butter, diced

3 tbsp granulated brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Preheat oven to 200°C and line a muffin pan with 12 muffin cases. Beat eggs, sugar, oil, zest and juice from a mandarin orange by hand. Mix the flour, cocoa powder, ground cardamom and baking powder and add this mixture, beating gently, to the egg mixture. Fold in peeled and diced pear and  spoon it into the prepared muffin cases.  Fill cases 3/4 full.

Crumple topping

In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and cardamom. Add butter and mix with your hands until mixture is crumbly, sandy. Add sugar and mix everything with a spoon. Sprinkle crumble on top.

Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes.

Happy Halloween!