Indian Style Scrambled Egg (Masala Ande Ki Bhurji) Flatbread Pizza Recipe

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“Those pizzas I ate were for medicinal purposes.”  ~ Amy Neftzger

[Jar Recipes] Eggless Masala Buttermilk Dinner Rolls - Step By Step Recipe

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"Learn how to cook -- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun."  

~ Julia Child

Quick Pizza Dough Recipe + Thin Crust Breakfast Pizza with Eggs, Tomatoes, Onions and Potatoes

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“There's very little in my world that a foot massage and a thin-crust, everything-on-it pizza won't set right.” ~ G.A. McKevett

Ever imagined serving pizza for breakfast? I do, all the time. I sometimes even dream about waking up to a hot slice of pizza and cup of piping hot coffee. Who wants a bowl of boring cereal if I can whip up a better tasting breakfast in the same amount of time. Isn't it. All you need to do is prepare the dough, let it rise the previous night and stash it in the fridge. Top with whatever veggies you have on hand and don't forget eggs. Only then you can feel good about calling the pizza a breakfast and a sumptuous meal in itself.

Enjoy..

Roasted Sweet Pepper Focaccia Bread

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I very vividly remember my first encounter with a Focaccia with some herbs & garlic. Absolutely delicious. Since then, I have baked this versatile bread with countless number of toppings. Focaccia starts with a simple dough, much easier than most of the bread doughs.

....Just place it in an oiled pan, press the dough out to the edges, dimple it with finger tips, flavor with any fragrant toppings, let it rise a bit and bake it. Done. :). To serve them as a simple treat to children, shape them into small focacce or focacine (little discs made just to fit the palm of our hands). When eaten warm, focaccia can be a one-dish meal, a snack or perfect picnic food.

Slit the bread and fill with onion, mushroom, clam or even creamy cheese fillings. Possibilities are just endless. The twist in this recipe is that I have used my 8 inch cast iron skillet to make the bread instead of the normal baking pan. The result is just spectacular as the little skillet is my new love these days :). I hope, I have inspired you guys to bake some fresh Focaccia bread for dinner tonight :D.

Veggie Flatbread Pizza with Bean puree

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Pixar has done it again - with 'UP' - a heart-touching story, amazing screenplay, with cleverest talking animals and what not! I absolutely adore the Russell kid in the movie. He is sooo cute!!!. The best part of the movie though was a lovely dialogue-free montage, in the beginning of the film which follows the sweet relationship of Carl Fredricksen and his wife Ellie - from their contented marriage to old age. It a highly recommended movie for everybody and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!



Today's recipe is kid's favorite too. Its pizza time folks but with a healthy bean puree twist. :)

Veggie Flatbread Pizza with Bean Puree (Adapted from here & here)

Ingredients:

For Flatbread dough -

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp instant dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup of warm water (105-110 F)
1 tbsp olive oil

For Bean puree -

1 cup pinto beans, canned & rinsed
few rosemary sprigs
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup oil-drained sun-dried tomatoes
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
3 tbsp olive oil


For assembling Pizza:

I used - couple of small cherry tomatoes, chopped onion, bell pepper and mozzarella cheese.

Preparation:

Pizza dough:

In a large mixing bowl, add flour, instant dry yeast, salt and oil. Make a well in the middle and add water little by little to make a dough.
Remove from bowl and knead. Place in a clean oiled bowl and let rise, slowly, about 2 1/2 hours.
Knead, divide dough into 2 portions, let rise again for 1/2 hour, and then roll out as desired.

Bean Puree:

Add pinto beans, rosemary sprigs and onion to about 3-4 cups of water & bring it to a boil.
Puree drained beans and onion, sun-dried tomatoes and chopped rosemary in processor. Add oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, puree until smooth paste. if desired, add 1/2 cup boiling water while blending in the processor. Ready to served as a dip or a spread.

Veggie Flatbread pizza:

Pre-heat oven to 400 deg F.
Roll out the pizza dough into desired shape. I ended making a rectangular one. Lightly sprinkle the pizza peel (or a flat baking sheet) with corn meal. Place the flattened pizza base on to the baking sheet. Spoon on the bean puree, place the veggie toppings and sprinkle lots of cheese :). Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm !!

Enjoy!

Before signing off, there is a sweet treat to you all - Blueberry Pound cake :) made by Shri, who is a very dear friend of mine!!

Have a great Sunday ahead.

Best,
Siri

No Knead Pizza

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Those were the days when I used to peer through the Sbarro counter to get a glimpse of how they make a pizza. I always loved their pizzas and Strombolis (minus the huge a amount of butter they use) and was always under the impression that making a 'pizza dough' is an art to learn, and moreover for a novice baker like me, it was something like - 'No way!, I can never make it'.

... But surely thats not true according to Jim Lahey, the founder of Sullivan Street Bakery ('No Knead Bread' fame). When I saw his article in Tasting Table (my favorite food newsletters of all), I was so excited to see how simple his recipe was. I tried it out and voila! I surprised me myself. The pizza crust was so delicious that I wanted to have more and more. :) Thanks Jim!

No Knead Pizza (Adapted from Jim Lahey's recipe)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting (I used all-purpose flour)
1/8 teaspoon instant yeast (I used Fleischmann's RapidRise)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup of (lukewarm) water

Toppings:

Pizza Sauce (store-bought)
Fat-free shredded Mozzarella cheese
Veggies - Onions, Tomatoes, Peppers

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the yeast and salt. Add the water and stir until blended (the dough will be very sticky). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 12 to 24 hours in a warm spot, about 70°. (I mixed the dough at night and let it rest till morning - for about 14 hours.)

2. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and lightly sprinkle the top with flour. Fold the dough over on itself once or twice, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

3. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Generously sprinkle a clean cotton towel with flour and cover the dough balls with it.

4. Let the dough rise for 2 hours. (I skipped this step as I was too eager to see how it turns out. Nevertheless, the outcome was yummy , so no regrets! :) )

5. Stretch or toss the dough into the desired shape, spread the pizza sauce cover with toppings & cheese and bake on top of a very hot baking sheet (or pizza stone) until the base is slightly browned and the cheese is starting to sizzle. Serve warm! (I baked at 350 F for about 15 mins)

Have a lovely day ahead :)

signing off for now,
Siri

BBD: Cheddar Cheese Bread

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Bread making is such a satisfying process and it dates back to Roman times. Historians say that the kind of bread eaten by Romans is determined by their social class. There were basically three varieties: 'plebeian' black bread, made from barely sifted flour; 'second', made from slightly refined flour; and 'white bread', eaten only by the rich. Hmmm, that was one interesting trivia.

Personally for me, its an awesome experience to have a fresh baked bread for breakfast/lunch or dinner and the best part is - it could be eaten with anything and everything. Even, just a simple dip - Olive oil & minced garlic will do...:)

..coming to today's recipe is for Zorra's 'Bread Baking Daily', this month hosted by Temperence with a classic theme 'Bread + Cheese'...:) Yummy!!

Cheddar Cheese Bread

You need:

2 cups All purpose flour
2 eggs
2 tsp Instant Yeast
2 tbsp Olive oil (or 1 stick of Butter)
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1/2 tbsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Cheddar Cheese

How to make:

Step 1: Heat oil and buttermilk until luke warm. (apprx 105-110 deg F)

Step 2: In a mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients first - flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 cup cheese and salt. Slowly mix in whisked eggs and then (oil + buttermilk) mixture.

Step 3: Knead for 8-10 mins to form a smooth dough. Shape into a desired shape and place it in a greased bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and leave for rising, approx 45 mins.

Step 4: Preheat oven for 375 F. Shift the dough into a loaf pan and bake for 20 mins.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese and bake until cheese melts.

Step 5: Cool it on a wire rack and Serve!!!



Enjoi..!!

Have a great weekend ahead.

- Siri

My Baking Ballyhoo # 2: Sandwich Bread

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I must say...'Baking is highly addictive!' - thats what I realized after baking my first bread...:)

For the second episode of 'My Baking Ballyhoo', I wanted to make our classic sandwich bread and Oh boy! I am so glad I did decide upon that! I followed the Lesson 2 at 'The Fresh Loaf', but with some simple variations, as listed below!

Here is the first look...



Adapted from 'Lesson 2: Putting Something More in Your Loaf'

Ingredients:

2 cups of All purpose flour (One can use a cup of bread flour, if desired.)
1 tsp Rapid rise Yeast
3/4 tsp Salt
1/8 cup Sugar
1-2 tbsp Butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cup warm milk (Make sure its NOT hot enough to kill the yeast! 100 to 105 F is fine.)
Lukewarm Water if needed

Preparation:

For a detailed version of making a bread: Click here.

Mix the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients. Mix and adjust water until all ingredients are incorporated and the dough is capable of forming a ball.

Pour the dough onto a flat, floured surface and knead for approximately ten minutes.

Return the dough to an oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes. Shape the loaf and then let rise again until the desired size is reached, approximately 45 minutes

Bake at 350 F for 40 to 45 minutes, until when tapping the bottom of loaf the bread springs back and makes a hollow sound.

Another look...

Verdict:

Addition of sugar and milk gave nice sweetness and softness to the bread and is much better in taste than my first attempt. To store the bread, place in a plastic bag!

...and I can surely say - If I can do it, so can you!!! Lets get baking then..:)

Have a great day ahead.

Cheers,
Siri

Simple Bread Loaf

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June 25th 2008

Knead...Rise...Knead...Bake... Dance....this is what I was doing yesterday- all day! U ask why? becoz I was trying to bake my first ever home made bread! I must confess, about my 'yeast-phobia' that transpires into me from my mom! She never baked! Oh ya..Never Ever!!

But I desperately wanted to get over it! After all there is nothing deary and pleasurable than 'your own baked bread'! Isn't it!

and here I am with 'My Baking Ballyhoo' - where I would share all of my 'baking' experiences with my dear readers - good or bad and its a promise! what we are doing here is not - 'creating some masterpieces' and its NOT necessary that your dough must always rise..and u will end up with a 'perfectly baked bread!'. Mistakes are bound to happen and we tend to learn a lot from them - like I did!

Yes, the first time I started off with 3.5 cups of flour with whole bunch of ingredients, kneaded and kept for its first rise. Alas! it didn't.... not even an inch!

this is how it looked after two hours of resting...

then I consulted one of my baking gurus and she gave me this lovely tip to warm up the oven for couple of minutes and then keep the dough to rise. the tip worked and I ended up with a beautiful looking bread! Yay Yay!

Here is the first look...


I must mention about 'The Fresh Loaf'(TFL), an amazing community of bread bakers, where in they had introductory lessons for amateur bakers like me.
I referred to Lesson 1 and its surely a nice way to begin the 'bread (b)making' !!

My Notes:

1. I used 1 packet of Fleischmann's Rapid Rise yeast. I directly mixed it in the flour while kneading (no proofing in warm water required.)

2. I halved the ingredients presented in the Lesson 1 of TFL. this 'Simple Bread Loaf' recipe calls for just 4 ingredients: Flour, Yeast, Salt and Water! My next experiment would be to add in more and make a flavorful bread.

3. 'Kneading' is an important part of the 'bread making' process and proper strokes help the bread rise - the right way!. Click here to view some kneading techniques.

Lets bake the bread then....

Ingredients:

1.5 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp of Fleischmann's Rapid Rise yeast
3/4 cup of Water

Ingredients:

1. Kneading: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon. When the dough gets sticky, sprinkle some flour on your hands and knead the dough for minimum 10 minutes - squish..roll...squish..turn..roll..fold ...till the dough becomes silky and smooth. Drop the dough in a greased bowl and cover & let it rise in a warm place.

Tip: Its important to place the dough in a warm place for the yeast to act. If you fail to find one (like me), warm the oven for about a minute, turn it off and then place the dough into it!

2. Rising: Typically it takes about 45-90 minutes for the dough to rise and to double its size. It may take couple of hours at times, depending on the amount of yeast, time and temperature. So, not to worry. Keep checking for every 90 minutes. After its first rise, punch down the dough and knead for couple of minutes. Put back the dough into the greased bowl and leave it for its second rise.

3. Shaping and Baking: After its second rise, shape the bread by placing in a loaf pan or any baking dish. Dust the bread with some flour and place it in a greased dish! Scoring the bread (slice it with a knife or a fork) is necessary to release out the tapped gases in the bread dough. Brush some egg wash over it and place it in the center rack of the oven.
Bake for about 40-45 minutes at 375 F. Keep checking for every 15-20 minutes.

Tip: Pour some water in an empty baking dish and place it in the below rack, while baking the bread, for a golden rustic bread! (Use this tip at your own discretion! steam may result in a shortened life span of the oven.)

Cool it down and slice it up... !!!

...and to know how I felt after 'baking my first bread!'..Click here! (.....nothing scary.. its just my joy and happiness!!)

...Another look...


P.S: U gotta check out Anu's First Bread too!! It looks beautiful!

I served with some yummy Garlic Olive Oil Bread dip (..recipe follows..). !!! Yummmy..:))


Garlic Olive Oil Bread Dip
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3 tbsp of Olive Oil
2-3 cloves of Garlic, finely minced, crushed
Salt & Pepper - to taste
1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice.

Microwave all the ingredients for 3-4 minutes on HIGH and Serve with a slice of bread!

Off this simple bread dip goes to dear Valli's MEC: Bottled event!

Thats it for now folks!.. will be back again with another adventure of 'My Baking Ballyhoo'.

...till then keep smiling!!!!

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A hearty Thanks to one and all who participated in Open Sesame 2 and made it a huge success. We are all waiting for your yummy entries now!!

To check the entries received up till now: Click here

To view the cumulative score card for Open Sesame: Visit here*

* the participant's details are added to the list as and when their entries for OS 2 are received.

Reminder: Only 4 days left 'Frozen Yogurt' event! (details on the sidebar!).. :))

signing off for now,
Siri