BLACK AND WHITE WEDNESDAY #70 - SOMETHING SOFT, MOIST AND ADDICTIVE

- Heavenly Little Rolls* -

This picture was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susan at "The Well-Seasoned Cook". It will be hosted on the 13th of February by Alex at "Food 4 Thoughts" (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).

* The recipe will be featured on my blog soon...

CARDAMOM & ORANGE BRIOCHE BREAD (TANG ZHONG METHOD) - BRIOCHE A LA CARDAMOME ET A L'ORANGE (MÉTHODE TANG ZHONG) ♥ A GUEST POST FOR ANURADHA AT "BAKER STREET"

At the moment, I regularly receive e-mails from bloggers who ask me to write posts for them. It is certainly a pleasant sensation to know that you are”notorious”, but the downside of it is that, as a consequence, the  requests have been piling up lately and I have the impression that I’m slowly drowning in them. Dealing with them is hard, because Rosa’s Yummy Yums is currently keeping me busy and to make things worse, coping with the way weeks pass (too fastly) is already challenging enough. Anyway, although it usually takes me quite a while before I am able to grant my consorts’ demands, I nonetheless always try to please my foodie buddies by offering them the best of myself as a token of respect and appreciation.

So, when Anuradha at Baker Street proposed me to show her how straightforward it is to toil with yeast and help her get rid of her uneasiness when it comes to handling this seemingly treacherous leavening agent, I could not refuse her proposition. As a fellow gastronome and kitchen dweller, it is my duty to encourage my Indian friend to take the bull by the horns and turn her into a confident dough puncher.

If you have never heard of Anuradha before, then you have missed out a lot as not only is she a talented and self-taught baker, but also the kind soul behind the highly popular Muffin Monday event. Her brilliant site is chock-a-block full with cool recipes for cakes, cookies, bars, cupcakes, cheesecakes, etc... It is impossible to browse through Baker Street without feeling the urge to replicate one of her mouthwatering treats. I am a big fan of hers!

This Friday, I am extremely thrilled to present you with my most recent edible “coup de coeur” and I wish to warmly thank Anuradha for opening the doors of her lovely platform to me. It is a true honor to be your guest today and to have my work hosted by such a fabulous individual like her! Hopefully, my step-by-step ""Cardamom & Orange Brioche Bread (Tang Zhong Method)" recipe will be as much of a revelation for you as it was for me...

Asians can't live without rice and the majority of white people could not envisage an existence devoid of bread. For most Westerners, it is an important staple which’s consumption can be traced back to the prehistoric era and which has been eaten on a daily basis since the emergence of agriculture. It belongs to those edible goods that form the basis of all civilizations’ diets due to its significant nutritional properties - poor in fat, but rich in complex carbohydrates, plant protein, fibers, vitamins and essential minerals -, cheapness and simplicity.

As an Anglo-Swiss person, it is one of the foods that is part of my European heritage, thus it has forged my identity and it characterizes me. An age-old tradition here. For instance, Switzerland is supposed to have more varieties of breads than any other country on the planet - between 200 and 300 different kinds - and our nation have been tackling dough for over 6000 years. Every canton has its own specialities and each celebration its particular loaf to which a multitude of stories as well as customs are linked. We are definitely no novices in that department. Great Britain is also very fond of that doughy aliment and there too, the art of breadmaking has seen the light of day during the Stone Age. As a matter of fact, it is one of UK's favorite eats - 99% of the households buy bread and 12 million loaves are sold each day. You'll find many bakeries across the kingdom and thanks to the vast range of British flour available, the Queen's subjects have no reason of being jealous of the Helvetic folks as over 200 types of breads are said to be produced nationwide.

At home, we rarely bought bread from the bakery or the supermarket because our weekly supply was baked by my mother, a devoted housewife who cooked our meals from scratch and shunned industrial grub. ]...[

So, if that short introduction made your mouth water and your tastebuds tingle, tickled your curiosity and gave you the urge to read my article, then please hop on over to Baker Street in order to learn more about this "Cardamom & Orange Brioche Bread (Tang Zhong Method)", get a glimpse of my pictures, discover my recipe and pay a visit to the lovely Anuradha.

This bread is getting yeastspotted by Susan’s Yeastspotting!

Etant donné que beaucoup de mes lecteurs francophones ne comprennent pas forcément l'anglais et que malheureusement peu d'entre-eux auront la chance de lire mon billet invité et dernier article en date sur le merveilleux blog Baker Street qui appartient à la tentueuse blogeuse Anuradha, je me suis permise de traduire la recette qui y figure afin que vous puissiez aussi en profiter car je pense qu'elle pourra vous intéresser (vous pouvez tout de même y jeter un coup d'oeil car ses recettes sont vraiment passionnantes et mon article contient d'autres images que celles exposées ici).

J'espère que ma "Brioche A La Cardamome Et A L'Orange" vous plaira car c'est un pain divinement moelleux et parfumé dont la méthode de fabrication (Tang Zhong) nous vient tout droit du Japon (les autres pays d'Asie en sont aussi friands) et dont je me suis enamourée dernièrement après l'avoir découvert sur le blog de la merveilleuse Gracianne. Un pur délice!

Brioche A La Cardamome Et A L'orange (Méthode Tang Zhong)
Recette adaptée de "Un Dimanche A La Campagne" et de "Kirbie's Cravings".

Pour un pain.

Ingrédients Pour Le "Tang Zhong":
25g de Farine
125g d’Eau (filtrée de préférence)
Ingrédients Pour La "Pâte":
125g (125ml) de Lait
120g de Tang zhong
1 Oeuf (63g)
350g de Farine T55
50g de Sucre cristallisé
1 CS de Lait en poudre
1 1/4 CC de Cardamome en poudre
Le zeste d'une demi orange (ou 1 sachet de zestes d'orange Dr. Oetker)
1 1/2 CC de Levure en poudre (ou 15g de levure fraîche)
1 CC de Sel de mer fin
30g de Beurre non-salé, coupé en petits cubes, à température ambiante

1 CS d'Huile d'arachide, pour huiler le bol
1 Oeuf + 1 CS de Lait, pour le glaçage

Méthode Pour Le "Tang Zhong":
1. La veille, mélanger dans une casserole, au fouet, 25g de farine et 125g d’eau. Laisser chauffer à feu moyen en fouettant constamment jusqu’à obtention d'un mélange ayant la consistance d’un roux. En principe, il faut le faire chauffer jusqu’à 65ºC pendant 2-3 minutes (dès que le mélange épaissit, devient homogène et que le fouet y laisse un sillage, il est prêt).
2. Verser le Tang Zhong dans un bol, le laisser refroidir, filmer au contact et réfrigérer pendant au moins 6 heures.

Méthode Pour La "Pâte":
3. Le lendemain, remettre le Tang Zhong au moins une demi-heure à température ambiante avant de l’utiliser.
4. Dans un bol moyen, fouetter ensemble le lait, le Tang Zhong et l’œuf.
5. Dans le bol de votre robot, mélanger ensemble la farine, le sucre et le lait en poudre.
6. Faire un puits, ajouter le mélange liquide, la cardamome, le zeste et la levure sèche (ou la levure fraîche émiettée), puis commencer à pétrir.
7. Au bout de quelques minutes, ajouter le sel puis pétrir pendant encore 5-10 minutes, jusqu’à ce que la pâte soit bien élastique et homogène.
8. Ajouter ensuite le beurre mou et pétrir de nouveau pendant 10 minutes, jusqu’à ce que la pâte prenne du corps et se détache des parois du bol.
9. Façonner la pâte en une boule et la placer dans un grand bol que vous aurez préalablement huilé. Couvrir la pâte avec un film plastique et recouvrir le bol d'un linge humide. La laissez lever dans un lieu chaud et à l'abri des courants d'airs, jusqu'à ce qu'elle ait doublé de volume, environ 40 minutes à 1 heure.
10. Dégonfler la pâte, la transférer sur une surface propre et légèrement farinée, puis la façonner en un pain rectangulaire (voire méthode - vidéo en anglais) ou la diviser en 3 parts égales, applatir chaque portion avec vos mains pour en chasser l'air, les bouler (voire méthode - vidéo en anglais) et les déposer côte à côte dans le moule.
11. Couvrir d'un film plastique et laisser lever pendant environ 40 à 60 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que la pâte ait doublé de volume.
12. Préchauffer le four à 180 ° C (350 ° F), puis battre un oeuf avec 1 cuillère à soupe de lait et badigeonner le dessus du pain avec ce mélange (la croûte deviendra dorée et brillante).
13. Verser 1/4 - 1/2 tasse d’eau dans le fond du four chaud et cuire pendant environ 30 minutes, ou jusqu'à ce que le pain sonne creux lorsque vous tapez sur sa base avec un doigt.
14. Laisser refroidir sur une grille.

Remarques:
Au départ la pâte sera extrêmement collante. C'est tout à fait normal. Continuer à la pétrir jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit élastique et lisse, pendant environ 15-20 minutes avec un batteur sur socle et à 30 minutes à la main.

Quand la pâte est prête, vous devriez être capable de l'étirer qu'elle se déchire trop rapidement.

Suggestions d'accompagnement:
Servir pour le déjeuner ou le brunch avec du fromage, de la confiture, du Nutella ou la tartinade de votre choix.
Cette brioche est parfaite pour faire un pouding au pain ou du pain perdu.

BUTTERZOPF - TRESSE AU BEURRE

I have just realized that although I totally love Swiss food and eat it on a regular basis, I strangely tend to forget to blog about it and share my latest experiments with you. Considering that there is no particular reason for that, I have decided to start writing again about the unique specialities one can find in my beautiful and multifaceted country...

Switzerland (also known as "Confoederatio Helvetica" or "die Schweiz", "la Suisse", "Svizzera", "Svizra") is a federal republic composed of 26 distinct cantons as well as 4 linguistic and cultural areas (German, French, Italian and Rumantsch). Consequently, it is not suprising if its cuisine is a reflection of the rich heritage and impressive inherant multiculturality that can be found in our island-like tiny kingdom. Each region and district has its very own traditional gastronomy and produces which they fiercely protect (at least in the countryside and amongs cooks or farmers).

Even if this tiny piece of land stuck between Germany, Austria, France, Italy has a very rich culinary identity, one cannot refute that each part of the Swiss Confederation has to a certain extent been influenced by its neighbors, and vice versa. For example, a Geneva delicatessen such as "Longeole" can also be found in Chablais (Haute-Savoie), a similar cheese to Valais "Raclette" is made in Savoie too, the Swiss German "Spätzli" seem to be of Swabian (Germany) origin, then "Polenta" or "Risotto" which evoke the Apennine Penninsula are far from being dishes rare to find in Ticino, and the list goes on. As it is the case with every place that is not in total isolation, the borders are quite permeable, so it is pretty understandable that ideas, information, arts and science transit across them.

This Friday, I am presenting a butter, milk and kirsch enriched braided bread that we generally eat on Sunday mornings (not only, though). "Butterzopf" is very similar to the Jewish "Challah" or to its German and Austrian cousin "Hefekranz/Hefezopf", minus the eggs and sugar. It is halfway between a Vienese pastry and a brioche. The name "Zopf" or "Züpfe" is derived from its shape and literally means "braid" or "plait" (hence "Butterzopf" meaning "butterbraid"). This treat is enjoyed throughout our land, but as we like to make things complicated, its appearance can vary slightly depending on the localities. In Eastern Switzerland it'll be long and pointed, in canton Bern bakers will make it look very large and round ended and in Central Switzerland it will be given a large and flat form.

The origins of it are fairly unclear and surrounded by many legends, some gloomy others cheerful. Apparently, in ancient times, women used to accompany their deceased husbands into the tomb and the spirit world in order for the married couple to be reunited in death. Thankfully that dark tradition was abanded and replaced by a new, less barbarian one. Instead of being forced to perish with her man, the widow only had to cut off her hair (usually a plait) and lay it in the grave, alongside the body of her late companion. Then, the practice of offering one's hair as sacrifice was abolished and a braided loaf was used in place of the tresses. But as there is no real evidence of that custom, it is more likely that "Butterzopf" saw the light of day in a less morbid way. In 1256, the first baker's corporation was created in Basel and not long after, a few more were formed around the Helvetic territory. During the 15th century this delicacy became very popular as people used to gift it on special occasions such as Christmas and New Year. It was even offered as a token of love or to seal a promise of marriage. Since its existence is attested since 1430, it is most probable that it is a Swiss invention. Nowadays, Swiss people still have the habit of bringing a "Zopf" to their hosts to mark special events (public holidays and feast days).

As the the 1st of August, our National Day is soon here I found that it would be very convenient to write a post coinciding with that celebration. When this date is approaching, there is not one supermarket newspaper, food magazine or leaflet that doesn't star this delightful goodie which is a part of our identity as much as the cliché-esque chocolate, cheese or watches are.

Unfortunately, I possess no family recipe for making this brioche, so the one I use faithfully and always with much success hails from the very first bread book I bought 13 years ago (wow, I'm feeling "old" suddenly LOL), "Ultimate Bread" by Eric Treuille & Ursula Ferrigno (see review here). The formula for it is quite straightforward and accessible, nothing tricky here. There is no need to stress or plan your baking session too much ahead as it'll take you only a few little hours to prepare (1/4 of an afternoon).

Their "Butterzopf" is perfect. It tastes and looks exactly as it should. Texture-wise, the crust is marvelously glossy, golden-colored as well as delicately crisp and its inside is exquistely tender, spongy, full of finesse in addition to being beautifully areated. Furthermore, its subtle flavor is just out of this world and incredibly gratifying. It is elegantly buttery and has fabulous heady hints of Kirsch that pleasantly mingle with the round, enthralling and ambrosial aromas of yeast. You should be there when my "Butterzopf" is in the oven. The smell that spreads through the apartment is dreamlike and instantly puts you in a good mood

This bread is utterly delicious that you don't need to dress up your slice with any fancy spread or accompany it with anything. Its taste alone is self-sufficient. Nonetheless, it pairs really well with butter, cheese, jams, curds, Nutella, Cenovis (the Swiss equivalent of Marmite and Vegemite), honey, dried meat, smoked fish or pate.

Come, try it. I promise you that you'll not be deceived!

Submitted to Yeastspotting!

~ Swiss Butterzopf ~
Recipe adapted from Eric Treuille & Ursula Ferrigno's cookbook "Ultimate Bread".

Makes 1 big loaf (or two medium loaves).

Ingredients
2 Tsp (7g) Dried yeast
1 Tsp Castor sugar
1 1/4 Cups (300ml) Full-fat milk, lukewarm (not over 50° C /122° F)
3 3/4 Cups (500g) Flour (high in gluten)
1 1/2 Tsp Fine sea salt
4 Tbs (60g) Unsalted butter, softened and creamed
2 Tbs Kirsch
1 Egg yolk + 1 Tbs Milk, mixed together (for glazing the bread)

Method:
1. Sprinkle the yeast and the sugar into 1/2 cup (120ml) of the milk. Let stand for 5 minutes and then stir to dissolve.
2. Put the flour in the bowl of your standmixer. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeasted mixture.
3. Using a wooden spoon, draw enough of the flour into the liquid in order to form a soft paste which's texture is similar to pancake batter.
4. Cover the bowl with a dish towel or plastic film and let “sponge” until frothy and risen, about 20 minutes.
5. Pour the remaining milk into the well, add the salt, butter and kirsch. Mix until you obtain a moist, but not tacky dough (if the dough is too wet addd a little flour our if it's too dry, add some milk).
6. Knead until the dough is smooth, shiny, elastic and passes the window pane test, about 4-6 minutes (10 minutes when kneaded by hand).
7. Oil a bowl and place the dough in it, turning to coat evenly with butter. Cover with some plastic film and then a dish towel. Let rise at room temperature, until doubled in size, about 1 1 ⁄2 to 2 hours.
8. Punch down, then let rest for 10 minutes.

9. Divide the dough into three pieces (or 6 if you are making two medium loaves), then roll out each of them into a 40cm (16-inch) long rope and make a (or 2) braided loaf (loaves) with them (see example here).
10. Place on a baking sheet covered with baking paper and cover with a dish towel.
11. Let prove until doubled in size, about 35–45 minutes.
12. Twenty minutes before the end of the proofing time, preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F).
13. Once the bread is ready to get baked, brush the top of the loaf with the egg glaze.
14. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped underneath.
15. Let cool on a wire rack.

Remarks:
If you don't have any Kirsch, then use brandy or plum spirit/brandy.
You can freeze your bread without problem. In that case, you just have to bake it as instructed above and then to remove it from the oven 10 minutes before the end of its baking time, wrap it in a dish towel and let it cool completely before freezing. On the day you choose to eat your zopf, defreeze it for 15 to 30 minutes (in its freezer bag), then bake it for 10 minutes at 200° C (400° F) and let it cool on a wire rack.

Serving suggestions:
Serve for breakfast or brunch with cheese, jam or the spreads of your choice (perfect with cream cheese, lemon curd and Nutella).
You can also make wonderful French Toasts with the leftover bread.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Tresse Au Beurre Suisse ~
Recette adaptée du livre "Le Pain" par Eric Treuille et Ursula Ferrigno .

Pour 1 grosse tresse (ou 2 moyennes tresses).

Ingrédients:
2 CC (7g) de Levure sèche
1 CC de Sucre cristallisé
300ml de Lait entier, tiède (en dessous de 50° C)
500g de Farine blanche pour pain
1 1/2 CC de Sel de mer fin
60g de Beurre non-salé, battu en pommade
2 CS de Kirsch
1 Jaune d'oeuf + 1 CS de Lait, mélangés ensemble (pour la dorure)

Méthode:
1. Verser 120ml de lait dans un petit bol, puis saupoudrer avec la levure et le sucre. Bien mélanger et laisser reposer pendant 10 minutes, jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit mousseux.
2. Dans un grand bol (ou dans le bol d'un robot électrique avec le crochet à pain), ajouter la farine et faire un puits. Y verser le mélange lait/sucre/levure.
3. A l'aide d'une cuillère en bois, incorporer assez de farine afin d'obtenir un mélange visqueux ressemblant à de la pâte à pancake.
4. Couvrir avec un linge ou du film plastique/alimentaire et laisser "lever/mousser" pendant environ 20 minutes.
5. Ajouter le lait restant, le sel, le beurre et le kirsch. Bien mélanger afin d'obtenir une pâte humide, mais pas collante (si elle colle, ajouter un peu de farine et si elle est trop sèche, ajouter un peu de lait).
6. La pétrir pendant 4-6 minutes (ou 10minutes à la main), jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit lisse, brillante, élastique et passe le test du vitrail.
7. Mettre la pâte dans un grand bol légèrement huilé/beurré et faites tourner la pâte dans le bol afin de bien l'enduire d'huile/de beurre. Couvrir avec du film plastique/alimentaire, puis avec un linge de cuisine. Faire lever à température ambiante jusqu'à ce que la pâte ait doublé de volume, pendant environ 1 1 ⁄2 à 2 heures.
8. Dégonfler la pâte et la laisser reposer pendant 10 minutes.

9. Diviser la pâte en 3 (ou 6 si vous faites deux pains) parts égales, former des longs "saucissons" de 40cm de longueur et les tresser ensemble (voir example ici).
10. Mettre la tresse (ou les tresses) sur une plaque de cuisson recouverte de papier sulfurisé et recouvrir avec un linge de cuisine.
11. Laisser lever pendant environ 35–45 minutes, ou jusqu'à ce que le pain ait doublé de volume.
12. Vingt minutes avant la fin de la période de levage, préchauffer le four à 180° C.
13. Une fois que le(s) pain(s) est(sont) prêt(s) à être enfourné(s), le(s) badigeonner avec le glaçage à l'oeuf.
14. Cuire pendant 40 minutes, jusqu'à ce qu'il(s) soi(en)t dorés et sonne(nt) creux.
15. Sortir le(s) pain(s) du four et le(s) faire reffroidir sur une grille avant de le(s) déguster.

Remarques:
Si vous n'avez pas de kirsch, vous pouvez aussi utiliser du brandy ou de l'eau-de-vie de prunes.
Vous pouvez très bien congeler votre tresse. Il vous suffit de la préparer comme indiqué dans la recette, puis de sortir votre pain 10 minutes avant la fin de la cuisson, de l'envelopper encore chaude dans un linge, puis de le laisser refroidir complètement avant de le mettre au congélateur. Après, vous n'aurez qu'à laisser votre tresse dégeler partiellement pendant 15 à 30 minutes dans son sachet de congélation et enfin de l'enfourner pour 10 minutes dans le four préchauffé à 200° C et de le laisser refroidir sur une grille.

Idées de présentation:
Servir à l'heure du déjeuner ou pour le brunch, avec du fromage, de la confiture, du cream cheese, du lemon curd ou du Nutella.
Avec le reste de pain, faites du pain perdu. Vous verrez, c'est merveilleux.

TURKISH CHEESE, SUCUK & OLIVE PIDE PIES

"Time is the only thief we can't get justice against."
- Astrid Alauda

No time, running. How many of you people have said or heard that sentence before? Too many, unfortunately. Sadly, most of us regularly struggle with a life that is far from being relaxed and suffer from that situation.

We always seem to be rushing and stressing like crazy, because our days are not long enough and we are engrossed in work and in doing chores. We are not capable of coping with the fact that hours pass incredibly fast and that we rarely get anything done as expected. I don't know about you, but although I don't mind being busy and having lots of things to do, I hate being on the run or put under pressure. It is just not a Feng-Shui/Zen lifetsyle. As a matter of fact, it is not for no reason that my favorite expressions is "trrrrranquile!" (pronounced with a Spanish accent)...

I have no clue why suddenly time started to fly by with infinite velocity, but I remember that when I was a college girl I went to school from 8am 'til around 5pm, then I studied for a while, listened to some music/CD's, wrote letters to my penpals, read novels, roamed town with friends and even had leisure to get bored or lie on my bed daydreaming. Nowadays, I barely can do half of those things and I'm continually keeping a concentrated eye on the clock!

This week, I got overtaken by the events, overwhelmed by the shortness of the those 168 hours and challenged by the incessant permutation of minutes. From Monday to Friday, I have been preparing a guest post for a foodblogger friend (creating a new dish, cooking it, taking pictures and putting my thoughts down on paper isn't all that easy and demands a certain amount of concentration), answering questions to an interview and taking care of all the household tasks (cooking, cleaning, etc...). Quite exhausting! And to crown it all I felt extremely lazy and lacked ambition. As a result, I had no stamina left to think about my new post, my schedule got busted as well as unintentionally altered.

You see, as antagonistic as it may sound, despite being a messy and chaotic individual, I am also somebody who needs structure in life, who likes a certain routine and things to be square, otherwise I tend to feel insecure, stressed and panicky. Is it bad or is it good? I don't believe it is, yet I must admit that the motives of this behaviour pattern elude me. I'm pretty sure a psychologist would find a concrete explaination, but I know that's how things work for me. I profoundly dislike having a disorganized agenda. The only places where I like anarchy and clutter to reign supreme are in my computer room, my kitchen or in arts (painting, photography, cinema or music).

For example, if I can't blog as planned I become very fidgety and anxious. Some mornings, I wake up with my heart beating loudly and an unhealthy need to run out of bed in order to sit in front of the computer. Although blogging brings me joy and fulfills my soul, it can also be a burden and a heavy weight for a disciplined perfectionist like me who has high expectations and seldom values herself positively. I am constantly afraid of never being able to deliver quality articles/recipes that are cunning enough.

I really have to find a solution to this problem as my painstaking fussiness and hairsplitting manners can be a real hindrance to creativity and productivity. I should learn how to be a little more laidback and cool when it comes to my blog, otherwise I am likely to end up loathing that activity, loosing your mojo and ending up with a burn-out, and that is something I have come dangerously close to experiencing lately...

When what you like becomes a "punishment" that brings pain, tension and confusion, then it is a sign that you are doing it the wrong way. Such destructive feelings can completely eradicate all the pleasure you used to feel while exercising your hobby and disgust you to the point of no return. Bad and really not constructive, so don't forget not to take blogging too seriously and be casual!

Anayway, despite my hectic mood and difficulty to deal with my "overbooked" agenda, I have nonetheless been able to prepare a post to share with you. I might be someone who needs a lot of energy to get out of her slumber, but it is always a joy to kick myself in the ass for you, my dear readers! So, this Friday I am presenting you one of my fetish recipes for a traditional pizza-like treat that hails from beautiful Turkey.

"A quick poll of our friends revealed that most did indeed think of Turkish food as being limited to endless versions of oily braised eggplant, with a few sticky pastries and limp doner kebabs thrown in for good measure. Yet we had read plenty of books that described Turkish food as one of the greatest cuisines in the world, and numerous magazines and newspapers were busily printing stories about a revitalised Istanbul - the new 'cool' travel destination."
- Greg and Lucy Malouf

Apart from having amazing landscapes, photogenic sceneries and astonishing monuments, to die for eats, unique atmosphere and being romantically exotic, this incredible country placed at a crossroads between Europe and the Middle East is also the beholder of incredible culinary traditions that blow my mind away. With its Central and Far East Asian, Persian, Arabic, Balkanese and Mediterranean influences, the refined cuisine from "the land of the Turks" is so stunning and bewithchingly authentic that it is quite impossible not to fall under its irresistible charm.

Being a big fan of the gastronomy from this part of the world and a fervent admirer of the great Australian Lebanese-born chef Greg Malouf, I constantly crave the dishes that can be found in his three marvelously written as well as illustrated award-winning food and travel compendiums "Turquoise" (Turkey), "Saha" (Lebanon & Syria) and "Saraban" (Persia). They are a fantastic source of recipes and inspiration.

I have already tested a few of the specialities that this talented cook dispenses in his remarkable cookbooks. One in particular has been on the menu more than once and has never failed to sweep us off our feet. His succulent "Cheese, Suçuk And Olive Pide Pies" are terrific and so addictive.

Those scrumptious boat-shaped tarts known under the name of "Sucuklu Pide" are made with simple bread dough which is enriched with olive oil and garnished with halloumi, kasseri (or Mozarella if you can't find this Greek/Turkish stringy cheese), Kalamata olives, green bell pepper and a pungent sausage called suçuk. A wonderful delicacy that is lipsmackingly spicy, cheesy and bready. There sure is more to the Turkish cuisine than kebabs!

Submitted to Yeastspotting!

~ Cheese, Suçuk & Olive Pide Pies ~
Recipe adapted from Greg and Lucy Malouf's, "A Chef's Travels In Turkey: Turquoise".

Makes 3 medium (or 2 big) pide pies.

Ingredients For The "Pide":
1 x Pide dough (recipe follows)
250g Halloumi cheese, finely sliced (see remarks)
150g Mozarrella, finely sliced
12 Pitted Kalamata olives, cut in 4
1 Medium-sized green pepper, seeded and cubed
1 (240g) Suçuk sausage, sliced
Kirmizi biber (Turkish chilli powder, see remarks), to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 Egg yolk
2 Tbs Milk
Ingredients For The "Pide Dough":
1/2 Tbs Dry yeast
A pinch castor sugar
190g/ml Warm water
250g Bread flour or all-purpose flour
3/4 Tsp Fine sea salt
2 Tbs Extra-virgin olive oil

Method For The "Pide Dough":
1. In the bowl of your mixer, dissolve the yeast in half the warm water and sprinkle with the sugar, set aside in warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Incorporate enough flour to create a sloppy paste (similar in texture to pancake batter) and cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 20 minutes in a warm place or until bubbly.
3. Add the remaining flour, the salt, water and the olive oil. Using the dough hook attachment, knead on low speed until the dough is smooth, springy and passes the window pane test, about for 10 minutes (add a little flour or water according to need - the dough should be slightly sticky, but not be tacky).
4. Transfer the dough to lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic film, and let rest until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hour.
5. Cut the dough into 3 equal portions and set aside.

Method For the "Pide":
6. Preheat the oven to 250° C (450° F).
7. Roll each piece of dough into a long 30 x 10cm (14 x 4 inches) rectangle.
8. Scatter 1/3 of the topping over the dough (start with the halloumi, then the mozarella, the olives, the pepper and the suçuk), leaving about a 2cm (1 inch) border around the edges.
9. Fold up the two long sides of the dough, bringing them up and over the topping, but without meeting in the middle, then squeeze the sides together at each end, twisting them together slightly to create a long "canoe/boat" shape. Sprinkle with the chilli powder and black pepper.
10. Repeat the operation with the rest of the dough.
11. To make the egg wash, mix together the yolk and the milk. Brush each pide with the egg wash.
12. Bake one Pide at a time for about 7 minutes, or until the bread is golden in color and the cheese has completely melted.
13. Serve hot.

Remarks:
If you don't have any halloumi, suçuk or kirmizi biber, you can replace them with quality Edamer cheese, Calabrese/dried or raw chorizo sausages and the chilli powder of your choice (fragrant and medium hot).

Serving Suggestions:
Serve with onion slices and a salad (tomato & cucumber or lettuce).
Sprinkle with additional olive oil and fine sea salt if you wish.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Pide Au Fromage, Aux Olives Et A La Saucisse Suçuk ~
Recette adaptée du livre "A Chef's Travels In Turkey: Turquoise" par Greg and Lucy Malouf.

Pour 3 pide moyennes (ou deux grandes).

Ingrédients Pour La "Pizza Turque":
1 x Pâte à pain pour pide (la recette suit)
250g de Halloumi, tranché finement (voir remarques)
150g de Mozarrella, tranché finement
12 Olives kalamata, dénoyautées et coupées en lamelles
1 Poivron vert moyen, nettoyé et coupé en petits cubes
1 (240g) Saucisse suçuk sausage, coupée en rondelles
Kirmizi biber (poudre de piments turque, voir remarques), à volonté
Poivre noir, moulu, à volonté
1 Jaune d'oeuf
2 CS de lait
Ingrédients Pour La "Pâte A Pizza Turque":
1/2 CS de Levure sèche en poudre
190g/ml d'Eau tiède
Une pincée de sucre cristallisé
250g de Farine à pain ou farine blanche
3/4 CC de Sel de mer fin
2 Cs d'Huile d'olive extra vierge

Méthode Pour La "Pâte A Pizza Turque":
1. Dans le bol de votre robot, dissoudre la levure dans la moitié de l'eau, puis saupoudrer avec le sucre. Laisser reposer à température ambiante pendant 10 minutes, jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit mousseux.
2. Ajouter assez de farine afin de former une pâte visqueuse (telle une pâte à pancake). Recouvrir avec un linge de cuisine et laisser la "pâte" lever pendant 20 minutes à température ambiante.
3. Incorporer le reste de la farine et de l'eau, le sel et l'huile d'olive, puis pétrir dans votre robot (à l'aide du crochet) à basse vitesse pendant 10 minutes (ajouter de l'eau ou de la farine selon besoin - la pâte ne doit pas être collante) afin d'obtenir une pâte douce et élastique (elle doit passer le test du "vitrail").
4. Mettre la pâte dans un bol huilé, recouvrir avec du film plastique et laisser lever pendant 1 1/2 heures (la pâte doit avoir doublé de volume).
5. Couper la pâte en trois parts égales et mettre de côté (recouvrir avec un linge humide pour pas qu'elle sèche).

Méthode Pour La "Pizza Turque":
6. Préchauffer le four à 250° C.
7. Abaisser la pâte en un rectabgle de 30 x 10cm.
8. Recouvrir la pâte 1/3 de la avec la garniture (commencer avec le halloumi, puis continuer avec la mozarella, les olives, le poivron et la saucisse suçuk) tout en faisant attention de laisser un bord de 2cm de chaque côté.
9. Rabattre les deux bords de 30cm vers l’intérieur, sur la garniture, sans les faire se joindre (seulement les 2cm de pâte qui doivent être repliés), puis entortiller les bouts afin d'obtenir une forme de bâteau ("canoe"). Saupoudrer avec la poudre de piments et le poivre noir.
10. Répéter l'opération avec les deux autres parts de pâte.
11. Mélanger ensemble le lait et le jaune d'oeuf, et dorer les bords à l’aide d’un pinceau culinaire. 12. Cuire pendant environ 7 minutes, ou jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit cuite, dorée et que le fromage ait fondu.
13. Servir.

Remarques:
Si vous ne trouvez pas de halloumi, de suçuk ou de kirmizi biber, vous pouvez les remplacer par du Edamer de qualité, de la saucisse de Calabre/du chorizo cru ou séché de qualité et dela poudre de piments de votre choix (parfumé et pas trop épicée).

Idées de présentation:
Manger chaud et servir avec des oignons en rondelles et une salade (tomate et concombre ou laitue).
Si vous le désirez, vous pouver aussi ajouter un giclée d'huile d'olive et saupoudrer avec un peu de sel de mer fin.

KORVAPUUSTIT - FINNISH CINNAMON BUNS

Scandinavia is a place which's fascinating and tumultuous Viking past, unique culture, scenic grandeur and epic landscapes particularly speak to me. For some reason or another, I am mesmerized by the "land of the midnight sun". It could very well be due to the fact that I have Nothern roots and share berserker blood with its inhabitants. As a matter of fact, on my mother's side, I have English ancestors (some might have been Danish as well as Russian if you dig deep in the past) and probably also Danish origins thanks to my Swiss father (my family name seems to originate from Danemark). Anyway, Scandinavia has a certain romantic and nostalgic "je-ne-sais-quoi" that captivates my interest and touches my soul deeply...

In fact, my attraction to this penninsula dates since my early teenage years (quite a while now, LOL). My passion for this part of Europe started when I discovered Norwegian Black Metal in 1993, began to correspond with penpals who shared the same love for this sound-style and send letters all over the planet. Then, most people didn't have computers and the only way of keeping in touch was either by snail-mail or telephone.

It was an incredibly exciting period of my life because this musical movement was at it's beginning, still very underground and unspoilt by the big labels who only think about money rather than art. The music I listened to was not sold in stores and most musicians used flyers (which were placed in our letters and endlessly passed around) in order to let people know of their existence. I was in contact with many bands, bought lots of demos as well as fanzines (the printed version of blogs - I also contributed to a few of them with articles and interviews) and traded loads of tapes. I really enjoyed the secretive atmosphere and the feeling of belonging to a "hidden" group of avant-garde and alternative people.

“For me, NBM and nature are very closely related. It is synonymous with the mystique and magic of Norway."
- Peter Beste, Photographer

As a rule, Heavy Metal music (black, death, pagan, viking, folk, thrash, etc...) is very popular in the North of Europe. In Norway the Black Metal subgenre (the "2nd wave of BM" saw the light of day there at the beginning of the 199o) is quite possibly one of the country's n°1 musical/cultural export since the last 20 years and the negative tabloid coverage regarding the unfortunate events of the 90's didn't stop people from buying records or the Norwegian television channel NRK and medias from supporting this kind of Extreme Metal (live reports from festivals are made, documentary are being shown, musicians are being invited on TV shows, articles are posted on Norways's official site in the UK and photographies are being exhibited). Sweden, Danemark and Iceland have brought some amazing music and have a big scene too with very popular bands, but it's Finland that has the biggest Metal scene. It is the only country on the globe where Metal is mainstream (there are 3 million metal fans in a population of 5 million)...

"Why Heavy Metal? Perhaps it's something in our hearts and we are very passionate people!"
- Madame President of Finland

Nowadays, I still listen to a lot of Black Metal and Metal in general, but my love for Nordic culture has expanded to embrace other artistic genres. Lately I have discovered a growing interest for Scandinavian cinema which offers a big number of well-produced and refreshing films (nothing like the big Hollywood productions) as well as talented actors (Kristoffer Joner - one of my favorite, Aksel Hennie, Stellan Skarsgård, Alexander Skarsgård, Samuli Edelmann, Peter Franzén, Bjørn Floberg, Fares Fares, Mads Mikkelsen, Kim Bodnia, Torkel Petersson, Michael Nyqvist, Björn Starrin, etc... ) and filmakers. In addition to that, I have become extremely enthusiastic about their food and culinary customs. Being a foodie with an open mind and in constant search for novelty it is all naturally that I am strongly drawn to Scandinavia's unique cuisine and savors.

Bamboo plate supplied by Restauranware.com (plastic plates & catering supplies).

Being an amateur baker and having heard many words of praise regarding Béatrice Ojakangas' "The Great Scandinavian Book Of Baking", her cookbook has been on my mind and I have been dreaming of possessing it since a while. Happily, after much aching for that masterpiece I finally bought it for my birthday last December. Even if it is not a new publication and although it is a softcover devoid of photos this book is a real jewel. There are dozens of fabulous Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Icelandic and Finnish recipes for delightfully hearty breads, divine yeasty coffeetime confections, rich and delicate cookies as well as cakes, scrummy pies and savory treats.

Until now, I have tested four specialities (Finnish "Rieska", "Pulla" and "Korvapuustit", and Norwegian "Butter Horns") and was really satisfied with the results. All were easy to bake, the measures were accurate and the methods were extremely straight-forward. Very encouraging. Now, I am looking forward to trying more of her awesome recipes.

Today, I have decided to present you a Finnish pastry named "Korvapuustit" (also called "Kanelli Pulla" when turned on their side and not sitting on their bottoms) and which consists of cardomomy sweet yeast dough filled with sugar and cinnamon. In Finland, you'll find them in every café or bakery. They are very popular with both Finns and foreigners alike.

Those rolls are similar to Sweden's "Kanelbullar" and to the American "Cinnamon Rolls", yet they differ a little from both. The differences lie within their ear-like shape (hence the name "Korvapuustit" meaning "little ear buns"), flavor (cardamom in the dough and a lot less sweet than their US counterpart), texture (less gooey than "Cinnamon Rolls") and size (relatively small compared to the oversized American rolls).

"Korvapuustit" are damn good and extremely irresistible. Once you've eaten one you can be sure that you'll come back for more and will not stop gobbling dem babies until you are literally exploding and feel stuffed like a pig!

My coffee rolls were dreamlike, fabulously soft, gorgeously moist, wonderfully buttery, divinely spicy and soothingly sweet. One bite into these luscious bundle of pleasure will bring a smile on your face. An blissfull feeling will descend upon you and ecstasy will submerge you. Are you ready to get experience that? There's no time to procrastinate, heaven is waiting for you so get busy baking!

~ Korvapuustit ~
Recipe adapted from "The Great Scandinavian Book Of Baking" by Beatrice Ojakangas.

Makes 10-12 rolls.

Ingredients For The "Dough":
1 Package (7g) Active dry yeast
1/2 Cup (120ml) Lukewarm water
1/4 Cup (60g) Unsalted butter, melted
1/4 Cup (50g) Castor sugar
1 Big egg, slightly beaten
1 Egg yolk
1/2 Tsp Fine sea salt
3/4 Tsp ground cardamom (optional)
2 1/4 -2 1/2 Cups (~ 300g) All-purpose flour
Ingredients For The "Filling":
1/4 Cup (60g) Unsalted butter, softened
1/4 Cup (50g) Castor sugar
1 Tbs Ground cinnamon
Ingredients For The "Glaze":
1 Egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbs Milk
Pearl sugar

Bamboo plate supplied by Restauranware.com (plastic plates & catering supplies).

Method For the "Dough":
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the butter, sugar, egg, yolk, salt, cardamom and 2 1/4-1/2 cups flour, then knead until dough is smooth.
3. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to a rectangle of 30x60cm (12 inches by 24 inches).
Method For The "Filling":
5. Spread with the butter, then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
6. Roll up, starting from one of the 60cm (24-inch) side.
7. Cut the roll diagonally into 12 pieces (each piece will be about 1.3cm/½ inch on one side and 7.6/3 inches thick on the other side).
8. With two thumbs or the handle of a big wooden spoon, press down the middle of the side of each roll (by doing that the two cut edges will be forced upward/the rolls will resemble two “ears”).
9. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
10. Place the cinnamon ears on prepared baking sheets. Cover them with a humid towel.
11. Let rise for about 40 minutes, until the rolls are puffy and have doubled in size.
12. Preheat the oven to 200° C (400° F) after 20 minutes of rising.

Method For The "Glaze":
13. Once the rolls have risen, mix the egg and milk together.
14. Brush each roll with this mixture and sprinkle with the pearl sugar.
15. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Remarks:
You can replace the castor sugar by light brown sugar.
This recipe can be easily doubled.

Serving suggestions:
Eat those delicious rolls at any time of the day or night (!!!) and serve with a cup of good coffee or tea.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bamboo plate supplied by Restauranware.com (plastic plates & catering supplies).

~ Korvapuustit ~
Recette adaptée de "The Great Scandinavian Book Of Baking" par Beatrice Ojakangas.

Pour 10-12 brioches.

Ingrédients Pour La "Pâte":
1 Sachet (7g) de Levure sèche
120ml d'Eau tiède
60g de Beurre non-salé, fondu
50g de Sucre cristallisé
1 Gros oeuf, légèrement battu
1 Jaune d'oeuf
1/2 CC de Sel de mer fin
3/4 de CC de Cardamome en poudre (en option)
300g de Farine blanche
Ingrédients Pour La "Garniture":
60g de Beurre non-salé, mou
50g de Sucre cristallisé
1 Tbs Ground cinnamon
Ingrédients Pour La "Dorure":
1 Oeuf, légèrement battu
1 CS de Lait
Sucre perlé

Méthode Pour La "Pâte":
1. Dans un grand bol, dissoudre la levure dans l'eau et laisser reposer pendant 5 minutes.
2. Ajouter le beurre, le sucre, l'oeuf, le jaune d'oeuf, le sel et la cardamome. Battre ensemble, puis ajouter la farine et pétrir jusqu'à obtention d'une pâte lisse et douce.
3. Couvrir et mettre au frigo pendant 2 à 24 heures.
4. Mettre la pâte sur une surface farinée et la rouler en un rectangle de 30x60cm.
Méthode Pour La "Garniture":
5. Etaler le beurre mou et saupoudrer avec le sucre ainsi qu'avec la cannelle.
6. Rouler la pâte pour en faire un boudin assez serré (en commençant par l'un des côtés de 60cm).
7. Couper le boudin diagonalement en 12 tronçons.
8. A l'aide de vos pouces ou du manche d'une grosse cuillère en bois appuyer au centre de chaque tronçon (de cette manière les côtés coupés sont exposés et les brioches ressembleront à des "oreilles").
9. Recouvrir une plaque de cuisson avec du papier sulfurisé.
10. Mettre les brioches sur plaque et couvrir avec un linge humide.
11. Les faire lever pendant environ 40 minutes, jusqu'à ce qu'elles aient doublé de volume.
12. Vingt minutes avant d'enfourner les brioches, préchauffer le four à 200° C.
Méthode Pour La "Dorure":
13. Battre ensemble l'oeuf avec le lait.
14. Peindre chaque brioche avec la dorure et saupoudrer avec le sucre perlé.
15. Cuire 8 à 10 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que les brioches soient légèrement dorées.

Remarques:
Le sucre cristallisé peut être remplacé par du sucre brun clair.
Cette recette peut être facilement doublée.

Idées de présentation:
Mange à toute heure du jour ou de la nuit (!!!) et servir avec un bon thé ou café.

Bamboo plate supplied by Restauranware.com (plastic plates & catering supplies).