February 20, 2010

Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato and Snow Peas : Mustard Flavor

This is very easy and yummy.


comment from Mrs. P.
The mustard and mustard seeds add a secret dimension to the pasta!
Makes you wonder, "What is that delightful taste?"

ingredients
3cups of your favorite short pasta
2cups of snow peas, cut in half
8-10 sun dried tomatoes marinated in olive oil, sliced
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
1/2 table spoon of mustard seed, crushed
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

directions
Mix the olive oil and the mustard in a big bowl.
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the salt ( 1.3 tablespoons for 0.5 gal ). Put the pasta in the water and cook as long as indicated. Add the snow peas to the water 2 min before the pasta is done. Drain the pasta and the snow peas and put them in the bowl which has mustard oil and mix well. Add the sun dried tomatoes and the mustard seed and mix lightly.
Salt to taste.




February 11, 2010

Black Sesame Seeds Bread

These breads were made from my homemade live yeast.
The smell is great!
You can make them with ordinary dry yeast
if you don't have the live yeast.

comment from Mrs.P.
These little breads have a wonderful tender texture.
The black sesame seeds made a delightful surprise.
Good frangrance when toasted!

ingredients
220gm bread flour
30gm whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons of roasted black sesame
130ml lukewarm water
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of sea salt
100gm live yeast or 4gm dry east

directions
Put both flours into bowl.
In another bowl mix the yeast, the honey and the water.
Pure the mixture in the bowl of flour and mix well. Add the salt and mix with your hand until the dough is very well combined. Add the sesame seeds and mix well.
Cover the bowl with a wet paper towel and cover it with plastic wrap, and leave in a warm place ( about 27c/80f ) to rise until the dough becomes twice its original size. This will take 2-3hours)
Push the dough to release its gases and divide it into eighths with a knife or a card.
Shape into balls, put them on your plate and cover with a wet towel. Leave it for 15min. to rest.
Shape into balls again and put them on parchment paper with their joints down. Leave it in a warm place to rise again. This will take about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 220c/430f.
Sprinkle some whole wheat flour(out of the ingredients) over the rolls.
Make shallow cut (qoop) on each roll with your sharp wet knife.
Spray water around the dough and also spray water into the oven (6-7 pushes). The water makes the crust thin and crisp.
Put the rolls in the oven and reset the temperature to 210c/410f.
Bake it for 15min.



Process of Live yeast


Put organic raisins and water in a clean bag


Shake it and open the bag to exchange the air a few times a day.
It will take 7-8days


Filter out the raisins.


Put the liquid and whole wheat flour in a clean bag and mush.
Leave it in a warm place until it doubles in size.
Keep it in a refrigerator to rest for 1 night.
Repeat : add the liquid and water, let if rise and rest for 3-4days.


Keep it in the refrigerator.