Damp and cold.....
We woke up to a smattering of snow, which disappeared when it started to sleet, then rain, then more snow, then sleet and currently more rain....all the snow has disappeared.
It's cold too! Mr Cee and I seem to be having a problem getting rid of this cold virus. We have both decided that it's a nasty one, and we need to give in and take it easy this weekend. Although he is just finishing off the little bits and pieces in the renovated bathroom so it doesn't drag on any longer, and I have been sorting out paperwork.
I wanted to try out the video upload to Lj, and took some video of some of the cats watching the snow out of the window earlier, but I can't get it to work. I don't think it likes the .mov format of iphone video, and I tried converting it to .avi but it doesn't like that either. Anyone got it to work??
So - in the meantime - the meme continues:
A question a day for five days.
1. What is the meaning behind your LJ name?
2. What was your favourite childhood book or books?
3. What is your favourite recipe and why? Try to post the recipe if you have time.
4. What are the top 5 things on your wish list & have you done any of them?
5. What do you collect?
I have a gazillion favourite recipes, and most of them are from a variety of chefs online. My current favourites tend to revolve around bread as I am enjoying making my own now I have so much time. I love making foccacia and my favourite recipe is Paul Hollywood's version as it tastes so wonderfully authentic. It does take time to make though, and I do the initial mixing in my stand-mixer using a dough hook as the dough is really wet.
Another favourite is a recipe I found when I was clearing out things when I first stopped work (I have a habit of buying magazines and tearing out recipes and being at home has helped me sort the cuttings out properly!). Its for another Italian bread with pancetta in. So a kind of bacon roll really. This is the recipe:
Pancetta Panetti
Makes 12 rolls
Preparation time: 3 hours+
Cooking time 25 minutes
Ingredients:
130g pancetta (you can also use cubed bacon lardons, but pancetta is better)
2 tbsp Olive oil
450g Strong white bread flour
7g ready to use yeast (2tsp)
50g dry polenta or cornmeal
1tsp caster sugar
275ml water (doesn't have to be warm and is better if it isn't)
1 large egg white whisked with 1tsp water and a pinch of salt
10g parmesan cheese
1. Using a non-stick frying pan, gently dry fry the pancetta until just golden brown and set aside to cool.
2. Sift the flour and polenta into a bowl, stir in the yeast and sugar.
3. Make a well in the middle and add the cooled pancetta, it's oil (it will produce quite a bit) and the olive oil.
4. Add half the water and mix the together, keep adding more water until it forms a dough (it may not need all of the water, depending on the flour).
5. Knead either in a machine using dough hook for 5 minutes, or by hand for 10 minutes until the dough becomes elastic. If kneading by hand, instead of using flour to dust the worksurface, use a little olive oil to stop the dough sticking.
6. Lightly grease a bowl to stop it sticking, and put the dough in. Cover with cling film and wait for it to double in size. This should not be hurried - it is best if you leave it somewhere at room temperature and let nature do the work, so can take up to 2 hours. Don't put it in an airing cupboard or somewhere warm as it will not taste as good.
7. Knock back the dough and divide into 12 balls and place on a baking sheet (I line mine with a silicone sheet to stop them sticking). I put a the baking sheet with the rolls inside a (clean) supermarket plastic bag (it doesn't have to seal up, just keep any drafts at bay) and leave the rolls to prove again for about another hour. They should be soft and pillowy to the touch.
8. Preheat the oven to 200C, gently brush the rolls with the egg white wash and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove from the oven, re-glaze and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for about another 10 minutes.
Delicious still warm with butter, and great with soup or salads.
It's cold too! Mr Cee and I seem to be having a problem getting rid of this cold virus. We have both decided that it's a nasty one, and we need to give in and take it easy this weekend. Although he is just finishing off the little bits and pieces in the renovated bathroom so it doesn't drag on any longer, and I have been sorting out paperwork.
I wanted to try out the video upload to Lj, and took some video of some of the cats watching the snow out of the window earlier, but I can't get it to work. I don't think it likes the .mov format of iphone video, and I tried converting it to .avi but it doesn't like that either. Anyone got it to work??
So - in the meantime - the meme continues:
A question a day for five days.
1. What is the meaning behind your LJ name?
2. What was your favourite childhood book or books?
3. What is your favourite recipe and why? Try to post the recipe if you have time.
4. What are the top 5 things on your wish list & have you done any of them?
5. What do you collect?
I have a gazillion favourite recipes, and most of them are from a variety of chefs online. My current favourites tend to revolve around bread as I am enjoying making my own now I have so much time. I love making foccacia and my favourite recipe is Paul Hollywood's version as it tastes so wonderfully authentic. It does take time to make though, and I do the initial mixing in my stand-mixer using a dough hook as the dough is really wet.
Another favourite is a recipe I found when I was clearing out things when I first stopped work (I have a habit of buying magazines and tearing out recipes and being at home has helped me sort the cuttings out properly!). Its for another Italian bread with pancetta in. So a kind of bacon roll really. This is the recipe:
Pancetta Panetti
Makes 12 rolls
Preparation time: 3 hours+
Cooking time 25 minutes
Ingredients:
130g pancetta (you can also use cubed bacon lardons, but pancetta is better)
2 tbsp Olive oil
450g Strong white bread flour
7g ready to use yeast (2tsp)
50g dry polenta or cornmeal
1tsp caster sugar
275ml water (doesn't have to be warm and is better if it isn't)
1 large egg white whisked with 1tsp water and a pinch of salt
10g parmesan cheese
1. Using a non-stick frying pan, gently dry fry the pancetta until just golden brown and set aside to cool.
2. Sift the flour and polenta into a bowl, stir in the yeast and sugar.
3. Make a well in the middle and add the cooled pancetta, it's oil (it will produce quite a bit) and the olive oil.
4. Add half the water and mix the together, keep adding more water until it forms a dough (it may not need all of the water, depending on the flour).
5. Knead either in a machine using dough hook for 5 minutes, or by hand for 10 minutes until the dough becomes elastic. If kneading by hand, instead of using flour to dust the worksurface, use a little olive oil to stop the dough sticking.
6. Lightly grease a bowl to stop it sticking, and put the dough in. Cover with cling film and wait for it to double in size. This should not be hurried - it is best if you leave it somewhere at room temperature and let nature do the work, so can take up to 2 hours. Don't put it in an airing cupboard or somewhere warm as it will not taste as good.
7. Knock back the dough and divide into 12 balls and place on a baking sheet (I line mine with a silicone sheet to stop them sticking). I put a the baking sheet with the rolls inside a (clean) supermarket plastic bag (it doesn't have to seal up, just keep any drafts at bay) and leave the rolls to prove again for about another hour. They should be soft and pillowy to the touch.
8. Preheat the oven to 200C, gently brush the rolls with the egg white wash and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove from the oven, re-glaze and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for about another 10 minutes.
Delicious still warm with butter, and great with soup or salads.