Sunday, October 27, 2013

Homemade sourdough bread. No knead, super easy.

This was my first attempt to make a sourdough loaf ( dusts shoulders off) and it worked!

Seriously, I suck at baking bread but for some reason sourdough LOVES me, and I love it.

Preheat over to 450 with a pan of water on the bottom rack
I used my pizza stone so it was also in the oven


3.5 cups flour ( I used all purpose)
1.5 cups water
2 cups starter
 A teaspoon salt

A pinch of sugar

Mixed it up covered it and let it set. I had read it should take 8-12 hrs to rise it it had more then doubled in 4. I had to go ahead and bake it I didn't have time to let it rest either so I flopped it out to a parchment paper dusted in flour, shaped it very gently into a ball, cut the top and moved it to the oven
Baked for 28 min... I checked at 25 and it didn't sound hollow enough when tapped on.



The pan of water is very important. It helps the bread form that crispy, chewy crust.
The rise time isn't that important, as far as how long is takes to rise. Once it doubles, form it and let it rest.
It may not rise much in the rest period and that's fine, Oven spring normally takes care of that.
If you cant let it rest, don't freak out. The loaf pictured didn't rest and it was AMAZING! The air holes just wont be as large.



Batatas Mashi Egypian meat stuffed potatos.

 My mother in law made these as have my amazing sister in law Naglat but since we have been back in the states it hadn't crossed my mind to make them until a Jordanian friend of mine made them a few days ago.
They are a great way to use leftovers. I used a pot roast that i ground up but chicken, turkey or ground beef could all be used.
I used this niffty little corer to core out my potatoes

Cored out tater ready to be stuffed  





Once they were cored I stuffed them with a mixture of the seasoned, ground pot roast and I added some cheese, everything is better with cheese.


Line them in a baking pan and bake for 1.5 hours or until tender, You can bake them covered in tomato sauce or without.