Focaccia Bread

This is one of the tastiest breads that I have ever had, and I have always found it very easy to make.

I stumbled upon this recipe on Anushruti's blog and have never looked back. My own recipe is adapted from the stated one.

You will need

For bread

Atta /Whole wheat flour- 2 cups

Maida / white flour- 1 and 1/4 cups

Full fat Milk- Warm (not hot) 1 and 1/3 cups

Olive oil- 1/8 cup and some to grease your palms

Instant yeast- 1 tsp

Salt- 1 tsp

Sugar- 1 tsp

For the topping

Olive oil- 1/4 cup

Heeng/Asafoetida- a pinch ( you can add more if you like)

Basil - 2 Tbsp, chopped

How to make the Bread

Take atta and maida in a mixing bowl. Add salt, sugar and Yeast.

Mix them and make a well in the middle. Pour olive oil and warm milk in it.

Knead till the dough comes together. If it is too stiff, then add a little milk, one spoon at a time.

Take your baking dish and spread the dough in it by pressing with finger tips. Alternately, you could roll it into the desired container's shape.

Cover and keep the dough in a warm place till its doubled approximately ( as we have used atta, it'll take some time to rise). I kept it for 1 hour in summers.

How to prepare topping

Warm the oil. Add Heeng and basil.

Remove from flame and keep it covered for about 30-60 minutes for flavours to develop. You can keep it for longer also.

Baking the Bread

Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Punch holes in the dough with finger tips and pour the prepared oil.

Keep the baking dish in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The top should be slightly browned. Overly brown is a no-no.

Take it out and let it rest for 5-10 minutes while your house is filled by the rich aroma of baked bread.

Enjoy with Tomato salsa, or plain cheese or some chilli.

Sandwich with basil pesto

 Most people I know are not into sandwiches..it sounds too simple! Its not French/Italian or ethnic Indian.
 Yet ...Here I am with another recipe of Sandwich. I can't help but experiment with the fillings.
Here I have tried a vegan basil pesto (Recipe by Soma) with whole wheat bread and results are pretty good.

Ingredients (for 2 sandwiches)
1. Brown bread/ wheat bread/ multigrain bread- 4 slices
2. Cucumber- 1, thinly sliced
3. Tomato- 1 big, thinly sliced
4. Capsicum/green pepper- 1 small, thinly sliced
5. Red Onion-1, thinly sliced
6. Mushrooms- 3-4 small, thinly sliced and sautéed in oil/butter
7. Salt-to taste (remember the pesto has salt)
8. Freshly ground black Pepper-to taste
9. Homemade basil pesto- 2-3 spoons (u can increase as per your taste)
10.  Italian seasoning to sprinkle (optional)
11. Mustard sauce and ketchup (optional)- to serve
12. Cheese slices (we used 'Emborg' -edam cheese)- 2

Method

• Toast the bread slices. You can also prepare the sandwich and then grill it.
• Spread the pesto on the bread and layer all the veggies onion, cucumber,capsicum, tomatoes and mushrooms respectively.
• Sprinkle salt, black pepper and the seasoning mix . Cover with cheese slice.
• Cover with toasted bread.
• Use a sharp knife and cut it into a triangle.
• Enjoy with your coffee/tea.

If you want melted cheese then you can re-heat the sandwich on a skillet . Remember to keep it the cheese- y side down. I tried it with one, as it had went somewhat cold.

Hope you like it. Do tell me about your experience.

D

Toasted sandwich with veggie curd filling

Yes, it looks like we are on a sandwich spree this month.
Am I complaining? Definitely no.


The weather here is turning rainy, which is a perfect excuse for making this toasted sandwich.
The curd filling somehow tastes like creamy mayo. How cool is that! :-)

So what are we waiting for ? Lets get started.


Ingredients
1. Bread slice of your choice (I used brown bread)- 4
2. Thick curd- 1/2 cup
3. Carrots- 2 small, grated or chopped finely
4. Capsicum- 1, chopped
5. Coriander leaves-2 tsp, chopped finely
6. Red onions- 1/2 chopped
7. Salt & pepper to taste
8. Sooji (Semolina) -1tsp (I used this when the curd was too runny)
9. Butter to toast




Method
1. Take the curd in a deep bowl and add all the veggies, salt, pepper and sooji (if required). Mix them.
2. Heat a skillet.
3. Apply butter to a slice. Put the curd mix on the other side (without the butter). Put this bread slice on the skillet; buttered side down.
4. Cover the sandwich with the 2nd bread slice and smear with melted butter on the top.
5. Let it cook on medium flame for a while.
6. Now comes the tricky step; you have to flip the whole sandwich to toast the other side. 
7. Alternatively, you can just cook one slice and cover it with pre-toasted slice of bread. Both ways it'll taste the same. Do the same with the remaining slices.
8. Serve hot with garam garam chai. :-))




Enjoy!

A Tasty Sandwich

A tasty Sandwich


Here's another staple..though the ingredients are very simple , they result in a very satisfying bite.
Yumm…..yes, we can say that for a sandwich  :-)


Ingredients (for 2 sandwiches)
1. Brown bread/ wheat bread/ multigrain bread- 4 slices
2. Cucumber- 1, thinly sliced
3. Tomato- 1 big, thinly sliced
4. Capsicum- 1, thinly sliced
5. Red Onion-1, thinly sliced
6. Mushrooms- 3-4 small, thinly sliced and sautéed in oil/butter
7. Olives-4, thinly sliced (I used pimento olives)
8. Lettuce- 4 leaves, washed and torn by hand
9. Salt-to taste
10. Pepper-to taste
11. Cheese spread- to spread on the slices- 4 tsp
12. Mustard sauce and ketchup (optional)


Method
1. Spread the cheese on the slice. You can use readymade cheese slices also.
2. Spread the layer of each vegetable ; onion, cucumber, tomato, capsicum, mushrooms and olives.
3. Add salt & pepper. Now cover with torn lettuce leaves.
4. Cover this with another slice of bread ( if you want you can put some ketchup/mustard sauce on this slice).
5. Serve with hot cocoa or tea.


Variations to the filling:
You can add corn instead of mushrooms. You can boil them instead of sautéing them.
Add dried herbs of your liking eg. sweet basil and mint.
If red onion is too pungent for you, take white onions.
To add more color use multicolored capsicum- red, yellow & green. If you have access to colored lettuce or cabbage , use that. Cabbage needs to be washed and blanched before use.
You can use mayonnaise instead of cheese spread but, I'm not a big fan.




If you have any more filling ideas for a tasty cold sandwich, I would love to give it a try.
Ciao ….shabba khair….bbye

Garlic bread- a trick recipe

Who is not fond of warm, fragrant garlic bread?? Add a little grated cheese and you have got a winner!!
 They are a perpetual accompaniment of the Italian dishes and we love them.


 I buy garlic bread from a local bakery but sometimes  they are out of stock.
Now what does a lazy foodie do?


Find a trick!


So here's what I do when I have to have garlic bread.
Make garlic butter, smear on ordinary bread and toast it and….eureka! 


Ingredients
1. Butter- melted, 1 tbsp
2. Garlic- 4-5 cloves, minced
3. Salt & pepper- to taste (the use is optional)
4. White bread-4 slices


Method
1. Mix garlic, salt and pepper in the butter
2. Apply this garlicky butter onto the bread. I spread about 1tsp of the mix onto the bread.
3. Place it on a non-stick skillet or tava. When one side it done, put the buttered side down and let it brown on a low flame.
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese and microwave it for melted cheesey and garlicky bread
5. Serve hot with your pasta or use it as a starter.