Vegetables Stack & Quinoa

Grilled eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin and red capsicum with white quinoa with basil pesto and flaxseed oil. 

Craisins & Walnut Chelsea Buns

This recipe was taken from the Australian Good Food magazine - 

 

Ingredients:

450g white "00" flour
2 x 7g sachets dried yeast
50g caster sugar
1 tsp salt
150ml warm milk
50ml warm water
1 egg, beaten
50g butter, melted
extra 25g softened butter
100g craisins (dried cranberries), finely chopped
100g walnuts (toasted), coarsely chopped
a handful of flaked almonds (toasted) to decorate
2 tbsp peach jam


Method:

• Place flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Mix well.  Make a well in centre.  Pour in warm milk, warm water, beaten egg and melted butter.
• Mix to form a dough, starting with a wooden spoon and finishing with hands.  If dough is too dry, add a little more warm water or if it is too wet, add a little flour.
• Knead dough until smooth and springy (it shouldn't stick to your hands).  Transfer to a clean, lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with a clean, damp tea towel.  Stand in a warm place until doubled in size (about an hour).
• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.  Grease a deep 23cm cake pan.
• Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for a few seconds.  Roll out to a 20cm x 30cm rectangle.  Spread extra softened butter evenly over dough, then scatter with craisins and  chopped walnuts.  From one long side, roll up firmly like a Swiss roll.  Cut into 8 slices and arrange in the prepared pan, cut sides up.  Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (about 20 min).
• Bake buns for 10 mins, until starting to brown.  Reduce oven temperature to 160 degrees C.  Bake for another 10 mins, until golden.
• Heat jam and 1 tbsp water in a small saucepan on medium-low heat until melted.  Brush buns all over with jam, then scatter with almond flakes.  
• Serve warm.

Margherita Pizza

Adapted from the world's most treasured pizza recipe shared by John Lanzafame, the Australia's foremost pizza chef and World Pizza Champion in his Pizza modo mio.  According to John's pizza philosophy - less is more.  Concentrate on one flavour rather than a bunch of different ones. 

Pizza Dough

Ingredients:  Makes 160g dough - enough for one 30cm pizza

1 tsp dried active yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

100ml warm water

2 tsp olive oil

160g OO strong flour, sifted

• Put yeast, salt, sugar and warm water in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
• Gradually whisk in the olive oil, then leave in a warm place for 10 minutes, or until the mixture starts to bubble.
• Place flour into the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached.  Turn mixer on to low speed and add in yeast mixture.  Mix for about 5 - 6  minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
• Rub the inside of a large bowl with olive oil.  Roll the dough around the bowl to coat it with oil, then place in the bowl.  Cover with a clean cloth and leave to rise until doubled in size (it will take about 1 - 1 1/2 hours).
• Punch down the dough to expel trapped air.  **
• Place the dough on a baking tray, cover and set aside for 15 minutes, or until risen by half again.  
• The dough is now ready to use.

** At this stage, the dough can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight or frozen.  Bring back to room temperature before continuing.

Ingredients for Margherita toppings:

semolina (for dusting) or you can use flour

garlic oil (enough for brushing the pizza base)

basil leaves

100g proscuitto, tear into pieces

grated mozzarella cheese

grated parmesan cheese

cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced

•  Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
• Lightly dust your workbench with semolina, then roll out the dough into a 30cm circle.  
• Place pizza on a tray and prick all over with a fork.  Spread garlic oil over the base and scatter the basil leaves, grated mozzarella and tomatoes.  
• Place the tray on the preheated stone and bake for about 6 - 7 minutes, or until the base is golden and crisp.
• Remove pizza from the oven, top with basil leaves and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.  Serve hot.