Beetroot Bhaji

We have been getting lovely fresh beetroot in our weekly organic veg box delivery for a few weeks in a row now, and I was running out of ideas of what to do with it. I didn't want it to end up like the potatoes which we don't really eat much of, which are usually still left over at the end of the week (when we receive yet more of them). 

So I experimented and made them into bhajis, mixed with some red onion and lots of spices. I'm not sure if they are traditional at all, but they are perfect for picnics dipped into a minty raita, or stuffed into a chapati with some crunchy lettuce, tomato, cooling yoghurt and a chutney of some kind. 

Makes 20 - 25 bhaji

Ingredients

-1 bunched beetroot (roughly 500g), tops trimmed and left in their skins
-1 large red onion
-200g gram (chickpea) flour
-200ml fizzy water
-1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp nigella (jalonji) seeds
-1 tbsp cumin seeds - lightly toasted in a dry pan, then crushed
-1 tsp coriander seeds - lightly toasted in a dry pan, then crushed
-1 tsp ground turmeric
-1 tbsp good garam masala (I used madras)
-2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
-2cm chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
-1 chopped red chilli, fresh or dried (optional)
-1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

-Sunflower oil for deep frying (about 750 ml)

1. Firstly give the beetroot a good scrub, then coarsely grate into a large bowl (or use appropriate attachment on your food processor).  Then peel and finely slice the red onion, tip into the bowl with the beetroot and put to one side.
2. In a separate bowl, sieve in the gram flour then mix in the remaining ingredients (apart from the oil and the fizzy water). Make a well in the centre of the mix, then start to incorporate the fizzy water, mixing with a fork. Add just enough to form a thick batter, then pour this onto the beetroot/ red onion and mix thoroughly.
3. In a large, deep frying pan, pour in the oil to about 5cm deep. Gently heat until it is hot enough that when you sprinkle flour into it, it sizzles.
4. Take tablespoons of the mix and lower gently into the hot oil, several at a time. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes or until the bottom starts to crisp, then carefully flip over. 

When they are crispy all over remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper while you fry the rest.

Delicious served hot or cold. 

Truffle & Mushroom Ravioli

I love filled pasta and really don't make enough of it. I have a pasta machine but it is one of those things that has been stored out of reach above the cupboards in the kitchen, and has ended up being neglected. However, recently I've been watching Michela Chiappa's 'Simply Italian' series on TV which inspired me to dust off the old pasta machine. To honour its outing I decided to open the jar of truffle paste I had been saving.

For a special occasion these ravioli are delicious served with a light sauce of olive oil & garlic. I served them with a rocket & roasted fennel salad and some nice chilled white wine.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the pasta

-300g '00' flour
-3 eggs

-Semolina, for dusting

For the filling

-250g ricotta
-250g mushrooms (I used a mix of chestnut and shitake mushroom)s
-1tbsp black truffle paste (or more to taste!)

For the 'sauce'

-100 ml good olive oil
-2 cloves of garlic
-Grated parmesan style cheese, torn fresh basil, to serve

1. To make the pasta, tip the flour onto a work surface or into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack in the eggs and gradually work them into the flour using a fork. When the mixture is starting to come together, use your hands to knead the dough for 10 minutes or until smooth. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile make the filling. Finely chop the mushrooms and fry in a glug of oil over a medium-high heat, until all their water is cooked out and they start to brown. Leave to cool. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the truffle paste and mushrooms and season to taste. Chill until needed.
3. Dust your work surface with flour and either use a pasta machine or rolling pin to roll out your pasta dough to about 1mm thick. The dough should be worked well so that you get a smooth, almost translucent sheet of pasta. You need to keep the sheet of pasta dusted with flour and work quickly to prevent it drying out.
4. Have ready trays dusted with semolina to place the finished ravioli on. If you have used a pasta machine you will have 1 or several long rectangles of pasta, ideally this is what you are looking to achieve if you have used a rolling pin. Take the filling and place teaspoonfuls of it every 2-3cm along one side of the pasta sheet. Brush the edges and between the spoonfuls of filling with water. Carefully fold the other side of the pasta sheet over the filling. Press down and make sure no air is trapped in with the filling. Use a knife or pastry cutter to cut the ravioli and place on the trays dusted with semolina. Cover with cling film and chill until needed (you can also freeze them at this point).
5. Peel and finely slice the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a small pan and gently fry the garlic.
6. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, and gently slide the ravioli in. They will take under 5 minutes to cook so make sure you are ready to eat!
7. When the ravioli are cooked to your liking, very gently drain them. Transfer to heated plates, drizzle over the garlic oil, sprinkle with the cheese and basil, a little salt, and lots of cracked black pepper. 

As it has been a while, i'm submitting this to Presto Pasta Nights, this week hosted by Briciole. 

Breakfast Fruit Breads

This month I am hosting the Fresh From The Oven challenge. I had a long think about what to make and decided on breakfast fruit breads. Now, for me there are two types of breakfast breads. You've got the rich, buttery, sugary and indulgent kind. Which, don't get me wrong, are lovely once in a while. But then you have the more wholesome fruit breads, which I feel less guilty about eating for breakfast and which I find are more suited for weekday working breakfasts. This is what I have gone for here, but feel free to make your favourite breakfast fruit bread, whatever the type! I like to make a few loaves at a time, slice them, and freeze them. Then I can grab a few slices at a time to toast or defrost and to take to work.

I would usually use a 50/50 mix of wholemeal/ strong white flours but alas I had run out of wholemeal flour this time, so I used mostly white flour but added a bit of dark rye flour. This bread also has oats, peanuts, seeds, raisins and chopped prunes but you can use whatever you have handy. I have made a dried fig and walnut bread before which was lovely and also dried cherries and almonds make a nice fruit bread.


For details of how to take part in the challenge visit Utterly Scrummy blog, this is also where this month's roundup will be posted at the end of May. Happy Baking!


Healthy breakfast fruit bread


Makes 1 loaf


Ingredients


-250g strong white flour
-250g strong wholemeal flour (or a mix of flours)
-25g nuts / seeds
-75g prunes, chopped
-50g rolled oats
-350ml warm water
-2 tbsp natural yoghurt
-1 - 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
-1 tsp quick yeast
-1/2 tsp salt
-Milk for glazing


1. Combine the flours, oats, yeast and salt in a large bowl then add the yoghurt and maple syrup/ honey. Slowly add the water and combine until it starts to come together- you may not need it all.
2. Use the dough hook of your food mixer to work the dough for 5 - 10 minutes or until smooth (or knead by hand).
3. Place the ball of dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warmish place until doubled in size.
4. Punch down the dough and use your hands to spread it out into a 30  x 20 rectangle (roughly). Sprinkle the dried fruit and nuts and seeds evenly over the dough. Taking the longest side, roll up tightly then fold under the side. Place in a greased loaf tin and leave again to rise until doubled in size. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 220C.
5. When the dough is ready use a sharp knife to slash the dough, then brush with milk. Bake for 10 minutes at 220c then turn the oven down to 200C and bake for a further 20 - 30 minutes, or until golden and 'hollow sounding'.


Enjoy with butter and/ or your favourite jam.

Hot Cross Bun Rogue Gallery

I have just made hot cross buns for the first time and have discovered that, although the dough itself is quite straightforward, there is definitely a knack to the cross lattice... The cross mixture is made from flour, water and melted butter which is whisked together then spooned into a piping bag. Then you are let loose on the buns just before baking them. I obviously wasn't ready and I think I made my mixture too thin so I had to be quick... anyway it has created some interesting patterns :-)

'Rustic' would be the kindest way of describing this one

... and this one....

Success!

Happy Easter!

Banana & Hazelnut Cake

I have been experimenting with chestnut flour recently, it makes gives this cake an extra nutty flavour. To make a good banana cake the bananas need to be really ripe, ideally you need to wait until they start to turn brown -personally this is how I like them anyway as I find they have more flavour.

Ingredients


-3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
-100g self raising flour
-100g chestnut flour (or another 100g self raising flour)

-1 tsp baking powder
-2 eggs, beaten
-75g caster sugar
-50g hazelnuts, chopped or bashed


1. Grease and line a 500g loaf tin. Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature.  Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Combine the flours and baking powder and put to one side. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy then gradually add in the egg, mixing well after each addition. Fold in the flour mix until just combined, then mix in the mashed banana and hazelnuts.
3. Pour the mix into the cake tin and bake for 45 mins - 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool before eating.

Rustic White Loaf

This is the first time I have tried making bread using a poolish. It worked out well and is easy to manage- I made the poolish early in the morning before work, then made the bread in the evening so the poolish had a good 12 hours to ferment. You can also leave it overnight. This loaf had a nice flavour and great crust (it erupted!)


Ingredients

Poolish
-50 g strong white bread flour
-50 g rye / whole wheat flour
-250ml water
-1/4 tsp dried yeast


Loaf


-500g strong white bread flour
-1tsp dried yeast
-2 tsps salt
-350ml warm water


1. The night/ morning you wish to bake, mix the ingredients for the poolish together,  cover with cling film , and leave in the fridge for 12 - 24 hours.
2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Mix together the flour, salt, poolish and add the water and stir. Knead for 5 -10 minutes, the dough will come together and form a smooth ball. Leave this covered with greased cling film for 1 h or until doubled in size.
3. Preheat oven to 250C. Take the dough, punch it down and shape it, place in a 500g baking tin, cover with greased cling film and leave for 1 - 2 hours until well risen. 
4. Remove the cling film and bake for 10 minutes at 250C then lower the temperature to 200C and bake for a further 20 - 30 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. 

Roasted Butternut Squash stuffed with Beetroot 'tartare'

This is a simple midweek throw-together dish...

Serves 2

Ingredients

-1 butternut squash, halved lengthways and seeds removed

-2 cooked beetroot

-1 slice feta cheese

-1 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds, or chopped walnuts

-Breadcrumbs

-Sunflower oil

-Seasoning

-Fresh mint to garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 250C. Brush the butternut squash halves with sunflower oil and season. Transfer to a roasting tray and roast until tender - about 30 minutes.
2. Finely dice the beetroot and feta, then mix with the toasted sunflower seeds. Season to taste.
3. Spoon the beetroot mixture into the cavities of the squash. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and finish with a drizzle of oil, then return to the oven for 5 minutes. Top with chopped mint.


Enjoy with a green salad or rice/ couscous/ quinoa.