Don't boil the sauce!: olive

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - Malta

Good evening Europe, Sydney, Melbourne and Sunshine* today we are tipping our toes in the warm waters of beautiful Malta.

But first a word from the lovely Maltese warrior Amber who had a message for all her fans in Australia.

*a small suburb in Melbourne where Amber has family

Sadly in Vienna Malta just missed out on a place in the final coming in eleventh in semi final two.

Delivering such a deliciously strong entry in Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 could it be Malta's time to take the top prize here?

I'm sure Amber would still want you to vote for Malta!

Stuffed Olives
Ingredients

300-400g olives pitted (I like green Sicilian but use your favourites)
95g tuna (canned spring water)
3-4 anchovies plus a splash of the oil
10g capers
1 slice of bread crust removed
1 spring onion

Method

Blend all ingredients expect olives in a food processor
Put mixture into a disposable piping bag (you don't want tuna flavoured icing next time)
Pipe each olive with the tuna mixture

So simple and I just love the colour of the olives....but wait I'm not finished yet!

Because it just isn't Eurovision without a reveal, the olives can also get treatment with flour, egg and Panko and then fried in hot oil till golden.

Salty, crispy, salty goodness, you will need to become a warrior as once these hit the table it will be on for young and old hunger games style!

Past Malta Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Pomegranate molasses ice cream

2013 Makku- White bait

Saturday, January 24, 2015

The Village Loaf: Olive and Pecorino Sourdough

What's that saying...... it takes a village to raise a loaf?

This olive and pecorino is very much all of my baking inspirations rolled into one loaf.

The base recipe is Celia's overnight sourdough recipe with some of my readings of Paul Hollywood and Dan Lepard and a quick consult with the twitter brains trust thrown in.

My main concern about this loaf was just when to add my bits, the concern of many a young man throughout history.

There was the thought of would the salty olives slow down the yeast and should they be added at the second prove? Or would the cheese cause a food safety nightmare being at room temperature while proving?

In the end the brains trust validated my original leanings, whack it all in at once!

I have another loaf on the go as I'm writing so this recipe with also include some on the changes I've made since the first loaf.

Olive and Pecorino Sour Dough

Ingredients:

100g grated (or cubed) pecorino
250g mixed olives (I used black, kalamata and Sicilian)
300g bubbling starter at 100% hydration
600ml water
1kg strong flour
10g salt

Method:

Grate or cube the pecorino
Pit and/or roughly slice the olive if not using pitted (still check for pits!!)
Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine
Leave for about 30 minutes
Knead the loaf by slapping it around the bowl for about 3 minutes till smooth
Remove the dough, give the bowl a light coat of oil and add the dough back
Cover and let prove for about 8-12 hours or till just about doubled (in the fridge will maintain food safety)
Preheat oven to 220°C
Shape the loaf (I found the 1 kg with the moist dough flattened out a bit)
Add to cold enamel pot/goose roster that has be sprinkled with semolina (with cheese cubed version I am adding some baking paper to assist with not sticking)
Let loaf prove for about 40 minutes
Give a deep slash
Place roaster in oven lid on and bake for 30 minutes
Reduce oven to 180°C, remove lid and bake for further 20 minutes
To crisp the crust it can have a further 5 minutes out of the roaster on the shelf or on a baking stone
Allow to cool before slicing
I highly recommend enjoy with some prosciutto and some extra olives
In the version I am making now, it is a 500g flour loaf but keeping the same amount of olives and cubed cheese, will report back on outcome.