And here is something different: have you ever tried *sweet* Focaccia? Normally it’s savory, with rosemary or garlic or olives or just as a rustic accompaniment to Italian food, but I decided to make some with honey, oranges and hazelnuts. Wow! Simply phenomenal. I could see this along side a salad for brunch or even as a breakfast bread. It’s bursting with flavor, light, sweet and delicious. And it was another excuse to experiment with my sourdough.
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Brötchen/Brötle, Semmel, Weck/Weckle/Wecken, Bömmel, Schrippe, Rundstück, Laible, Weggen … and I am sure that I am missing some! Germans and their regional words for “bread roll” … English speakers aren’t much better, but when it comes to Germans and their love of the bread roll, it goes to a whole new level. These rolls even reference that Germanic culture in that they are Kaiser Rolls, with their distinct markings. I used a roll press to imprint them and they sort of stayed imprinted — I think my baker’s ratio made a little bit too lose of a dough (and I have to admit, Alice, my starter, was especially bubbly yesterday afternoon). These are delicious and light and perfect for breakfast with butter and jam, or a lunch sandwich. Just the perfect amount of crunch. Pleased with the result. You can also make them with poppy seeds or sesame seeds.
Here’s another little bread recipe: I realized that I had no bread in the house last night, and I am a “toast for breakfast kind of person”, though I am not an early breakfast eater. That means that this loaf making was perfect as I started my day baking and ended up having a few slices near mid-day. Great all-purpose bread, from breakfast to sandwiches.
These are addictive. Very addictive.
In my weekly adventures in Wondoughland, my sourdough starter this week produced these absolutely fantastic bread sticks, aka Grissini. I can’t stop eating them. Wrap them in prosciutto, add them to a charcuterie platter, use them as a crouton with soup or salad, or just dip them in some ranch dressing, they are crazy yummy no matter how you snack on them. I made 6 varieties, sesame seed, nigella seed, poppy seed, herbs de provence, pretzel salt and plain. These may become a staple at my place!
Hand pies, pasties, whatever you want to call them are a great alternative to making a sandwich when you’re headed out on a mini-picnic (in March!), so I made these Potato Leek and Cheddar ones before heading out. Bacon would have been a lovely addition but I didn’t have any in the fridge. So yummy. So easy too — just remember to take the puff pastry out of the fridge the night before. And I am off on my mini-adventure!