Saturday, May 5, 2012

Hungarian Flaky/Puff Pastry unyeasted, traditional & veganized (Hajtogatott leveles tészta)

My dad's side of the family came to Canada from Hungary, and like many families, some of our fondest memories were the incredible meals we had together. Food plays such an important part in who we are, and I was fortunate to have a grandmother who cooked and baked traditional Hungarian foods for us. 

When I was in my late teens, maybe early twenties, my grandmother showed me how to make the dough for her almas kifli, which translated means apple crescent pastries. I watched her work, and took notes on a little index card. Years later, I found the card, and decided to give it try as a surprise for my father. Problem was, my grandmother didn't measure a thing...the card simply read: flour, fat, salt, water. Yikes! Over the past couple of years, I've reworked variations of her ingredients and technique, and finally hit the jackpot last week. The dough is as close as I can get to her recipe, and that makes me happy.

Hungarian pastry is robust and filling, nothing delicate or dainty here, so don't be afraid to roll it out thick when making your pastries. Use this dough for jams, apple, poppy seed, or walnut fillings...recipes to follow. As for veganizing the recipe, little does anyone know that I have never used butter - I always bake with Earth Balance, a vegan margarine. Use the blocks, not the spreadable kind (2 blocks = 1/2 lb). 

Plan ahead, this recipe takes at least a day or two, lots of time is needed to chill the dough. Not sure if it's worth it? Here's a sneak peak at what the final product looks like in full almas (apple) action. 
Recipe to follow...   :-)

Makes 12-20 pastries, depending on type. I strongly suggest you double the recipe!

Traditional version:               Veganized:

1/2 lb butter, softened           1/2 lb vegan margarine, softened
4 cups flour                            4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt                            1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vinegar                       1 Tbsp vinegar
2 egg yolks                            1/4 cup vegan margarine, softened
ice cold water as needed        ice cold water as needed

Start by mixing your 1/2 lb butter/margarine with 1/2 cup of the flour, I use a hand mixer to make things go a little more quickly. Next, cut 3 pieces of parchment paper, and spread out your mixture into 3 thin layers, approximately 3-4 mm thick. Put on a baking tray in fridge for an hour or two to chill. 

When you've put your butter away to chill, start making your dough. The only difference between the traditional and vegan recipes is that the 2 egg yolks are substituted by an additional 1/4 cup vegan margarine, which you should work into the flour with a fork or pastry cutter before mixing with the other ingredients. I actually used a bread mixer for this part, but my grandmother used a good old-fashioned wooden spoon. Mix the remaining ingredients until a smooth elastic dough forms, adding more flour or ice water as needed. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in fridge for 4-5 hours, overnight if possible.

Now you're going to work the butter/margarine layers into your dough. Roll up your sleeves, you're going to need to put some muscle in it! Remove 1 butter block from the fridge, let it soften just a little while you roll out your dough. The dough should be rolled out to about 3-4 mm thick, or at least 3 times the size of your butter block. Use a lightly floured surface to roll the dough out, you want to add as little additional flour into the dough as possible. 

Lay the butter in the center of the dough, and fold over edges as pictured. Roll out dough again to three times the size of a butter block, and repeat the folding and rolling again with remaining butter blocks. 

Flour your dough and surface lightly, only as needed.


My grandmother used to refrigerate the dough for an hour or two in between rolling in the butter blocks, 
but I find if you're sort on time it still 
works well if the butter is chilled and you simply roll in all three pieces in the same go. 





Wrap in plastic wrap and let refrigerate for 4-5 hours, or overnight. Do not skip this step! The difference in using the dough right away versus letting it chill thoroughly is incredibly...sure, your pastries still look nice and taste great, but chilling the dough greatly changes the appearance and flakiness of the layers. The last time I made these, I used only 1/2 of the dough right away, and made the second batch a couple of days later - the second batch was incredible, the dough has a hearty crispiness common to Hungarian pastries but still melted in your mouth. I had zero appetite at the time, but still managed to eat two.


I'll post some Hungarian filling recipes soon, but you could use this dough for almost anything. Another key step to beautiful results is to  keep the dough chilled until the very minute you are ready to roll, fill and bake it! Preheat your oven, have your fillings ready.

In the traditional recipe, before baking brush the tops of the pastries with an egg that's been beaten first with a tablespoon of water. For the veganized version, brush with soy milk or leave plain, they'll still be delicious!

Bake pastries at 440-degrees for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Watch your pastry carefully, especially if your oven runs hot - you don't want these to burn. Dust liberally with powdered sugar, if desired. Store in a covered container.

Calorie count? Trust me, you don't want to know. This recipe actually uses less butter than my grandmother's, cause you know, I was trying to keep it light.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Hungarian Tomato-Pepper Stew with Seitan Bacon (Lecsó)


Lecsó (leh-cho) is a simple stew of several ingredients favoured in Hungarian cooking - peppers, tomatoes, and onions...and of course, a generous dousing of paprika. When made in the traditional fashion, the onions and peppers are fried in bacon fat until crisp, tomatoes are then added and the whole thing simmered until it resembles a thick tomato stew. There are actually quite a few variations; served with boiled potatoes or cooked with rice or egg barley (tarhonya), served as is, with bread or as a savory pancake filling, thickened with beaten eggs or with a fried egg on top, with bacon or kolbász sausages, and of course, with sour cream if one desires.

Veganizing this recipe was actually quite easy - I used cubes of seitan bacon from this recipe to impart a smoky flavor. It's optional though, you could certainly make this without the bacon. The photo above kinda looks like it's mostly peppers, but that's just the pic, there was plenty of tomato goodness going on. Try to get yellow Hungarian peppers if you can, but otherwise standard green ones will do just fine. This is a very simple dish to make, and can be served as a main course or a side dish...it made for a great lazy day lunch.

Splurge on some decent quality Hungarian paprika - the Spanish variation is just not the same. More on that later, remind me to tell you about the time I got into an argument with a Polish butcher (during my omnivore days) over the difference...trust me on this point.


Makes 4 large servings.


3 Tbsp olive oil
2 servings seitan bacon or store-bought equivalent
3 large green peppers, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, diced
3 large tomatoes, chopped
2-5 Tablespoons sweet and/or hot Hungarian paprika
  *add as much or as little as you like, depends on your own tastes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
black pepper (if desired)
1/4 cup sour cream of choice


Heat up a skillet or pot, preferably non-stick or ceramic (pictured is an 'Earth Chef' ceramic frying pan, awesome). Cube the seitan bacon and fry in 2 Tbsp of the oil until nicely browned, then remove and put aside. Fry the onions and green peppers in the remaining 1 Tbsp oil until browned, add the garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and paprika and continue to cook for another minute - be careful to not let the paprika burn on the bottom of the pot! Add the tomatoes, put on a lid, and simmer for 10-20 minutes, until the veggies are all well-cooked. 


During the last 2 minutes of cooking, throw in your seitan bacon to impart a wonderful smoky flavour. mmmmmm...serve with a Tablespoon of sour cream and sprinkle with paprika.


Per serving: 219 cals, 13g fat, 17g carbs, 312mg sodium, 4g fiber, 11g protein. (PRO40.2/19%,CHO64.1/29%,FAT112/52%)

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Homemade bagels - quick method














I have always wanted to master making homemade bagels, and I have to admit I was really pleased with how these turned out. The recipe is fairly simple, but the method of finishing the bagels take a bit of time - about 1.5 to 2 hours, start to finish. Worth it? Yes. And, if you're watching calories like I do, check out the counts below - reasonable portion size means they are far lower in calories than store-bought larger varieties.

This recipe is the "quick method" in that the dough goes together quickly. Other recipes involve using a starter that gets made 24hrs beforehand, kind of like a sourdough bagel, and we'll try those one day soon too. But for now, here's a great simple way to serve up something homemade. Have fun with the various flavour options, pictured here are double-chocolate chip...mmmm...what a way to start the day.

Makes 12 large or 16 medium bagels.

4 cups flour (try 1/2 white, 1/2 spelt or whole wheat)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp quick-rise instant yeast
1.5 cups warm water

Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix into a dough, adding just enough water to incorporate all of the flour - the dough should still be fairly stiff. Knead for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface, you may still notice some of the yeast speckled throughout the dough - that's ok, it will dissolve eventually. Cut the dough into 12 or 16 equal pieces, depending on how large you want to make them. Let rest for 20 minutes.

Take a piece of the dough, and knead it slightly. Using the palms of your hands, roll out the dough into a long rope. Bring the ends together to make a circle, and squish them together so that they stick. Now slip your hand through the circle, keeping the joined end under your palm, and gently roll it back and forth to smooth out the area that was joined together. Voila! A perfect circle. Let rest for 20-30 minutes.


Start a large wide pot of water to boil, and turn on your oven to 425 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. I found that the shaping process took the most time...by the time I was done, the first few bagels were risen and ready for boiling. No problem, I boiled and baked in 2 batches. To boil the bagel, take 2-3 bagels and lay them in the boiling water. They will expand as they boil, so don't crowd them. Boil for 1 minute, flip them over, and boil 1 minute more. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove them from the water and allow any excess water to drip off. Lay on baking sheet.


Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on how crisp you like the surface. Cool on a baking rack to allow the bottoms to remain crisp too, if you cool them on the sheet condensation will build up and bottoms will be soft while the tops are crispy. These are super-amazing toasted!


Variations
lemon cranberry: add 1-2 Tbsp lemon zest and 1/2 cup dried cranberries to the bowl as you add the ingredients together at the beginning of the process.
flax/sesame/sunflower seed, etc: add 3-4 Tbsp whole or ground seeds to the bowl as you add the ingredients together at the beginning of the process.
blueberry or cherry: yikes, fresh berries will make a huge mess - go with 1/2 cup dried fruit instead, available in the bulk or baking section of your grocery store. A little pricey but what a treat!
cinnamon raisin: add 1-2 Tbsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup raisins to the bowl as you add the ingredients together at the beginning of the process.
double-chocolate chip: add 1/3 cup cocoa powder to the bowl as you add the ingredients together at the beginning of the process, and when you go to punch down the individual pieces of dough in order to roll them out, add 1 Tbsp of mini chocolate chips per bagel while you knead. Don't add the chocolate chips at the very beginning of the process, they will simply melt when you add in your warm water.

Per large plain bagel: 149 cals, 2g fat, 30g carbs, 196mg sodium, 5g fiber, 5g protein. (PRO19.7/13%,CHO114/76%,FAT16.2/11%)
Per medium plain bagel: 112 cals, 1g fat, 23g carbs, 147mg sodium, 4g fiber, 4g protein. 
(PRO14.8/13%,CHO85.1/76%,FAT12.2/11%)
**adjust the counts to include additional ingredients if you make one of the variations

Sunday, January 29, 2012

German pretzels (Bretzeln)















I tried pretzels (Bretzeln) for the first time a few months ago, while travelling in Germany with husband. We grabbed a couple of sandwiches made from pretzels from a small food counter in the Nürnberg train station...it was love at first bite. The surface was salty and crisp, the bready center was soft and yummy and delicious. I knew once we returned to Canada that I would have to try making them - the first time, we ate them all on the very same night, every single last one. Sooooo gooooood. 
U
Nürnberg
Here is a modified version that turns out a pretty good Bretzel, but without the traditional use of food-grade lye bath. It does not taste the same, the surface has a little less flavour, but it is simpler and yummy all the same. I plan to order the lye soon, because I do want to make authentic Bretzeln to remind me of our adventures in Germany, but for now these are a great treat and will go well with hot mustard or served up as yummy sammies for lunches. 

Making Bretzeln is a little time-consuming, so it's a good weekend baking task to do between other chores. Well worth the effort, you won't be disappointed!




Makes 10 large pretzels.


1.5 tsp instant yeast
1 Tbsp malt powder or sugar
3.5 cups of white flour
1.5 tsp salt
1.5 cups warm milk of choice
2 tsp olive oil
1-2 tsp coarse salt, for sprinkling


Put the yeast, sugar, 2 cups of flour, salt and warm milk in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to work the dough, mix for about 2-3 minutes to activate the yeast. Clean off the beaters, and work with a wooden spoon to mix in the remaining flour. Turn out on to a clean surface dusted with flour. Knead for 4-5 minutes, and shape into a ball. 


Drizzle the oil into a clean mixing bowl, and spread it around the bottom and sides. Place the dough ball into the bowl, and pat the top with the oil on your fingers to cover the exposed surface - this prevents the dough from drying out while it rises. Place in a warm spot for about an hour, or until doubled in size.


Turn out the dough on to a clean floured surface, and knead for 1 minute. Cut the dough into 10 equal parts. With your hands, roll each piece of dough back and forth so that it forms a long rope about the thickness of your index finger. To keep things authentic, leave the middle of the rope a bit thicker, this will form a 'Bauch' (belly) at the bottom of the pretzel once formed. Allow the dough to relax for 5 minutes - use the time to start a large pot of water to boil, and to turn your oven on to 425 degrees.


Shaping the pretzels is simple. Place one of the ropes in front of you, take each end in one hand, and bring them together and twist once. Lay the ends down on the 'belly' of the rope, using a bit of water and pressure to make the ends stick. Cut across the belly with a sharp knife. 

To boil the pretzels, place a pretzel on a spatula and lower into the boiling water. Use the spatula to push the pretzel under the water, and hold it there for exactly 20 seconds. Lift the pretzel out of the water, and allow any excess water to drain off. Place on your prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with salt while the surface is still wet. It's best to boil the pretzels one at a time.


Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until nice and browned on top. Enjoy!


Per Bretzel: 184 cals, 2g fat, 36g carbs, 350mg sodium, 15g fiber, 5g protein. (PRO12%,CHO80%,FAT8%)

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Chickpea Swiss Chard Sauté

















And we're back! After a couple of months of craziness - which included a change in career, new job, and new work/travel schedule - I'm back to cookin' up some bitchin' food in my little kitchen. Here's a simple but delicious dish, adapted from Plenty, which was given to me by my sister. Wow, will do a review of the book soon, but I can say this...my husband flipped through the book, every page or so said 'make this'/'and this'/'this too'. Gorgeous food, wonderful pics. 


But I digress. My new schedule means a little less time each night to prepare dinner, so meals that can be prepped ahead are a dream. You can chop the veggies, cook the chickpeas, and mince the herbs ahead of time...goes together in about 15 mins, which is mostly the stove doing all the work. Here, I've bulked up the veggies a little, cut back the amount of oil called for in the original recipe, and swapped out yoghurt for sour cream. Yummy lemony chickpea goodness!

Makes 4 hearty servings.

1 large bunch swiss chard
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 large carrots, in small dice
1 large white onion, in small dice
1-2 tsp caraway seeds
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
1 large garlic clove, minced
2-3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, shredded
2 Tbsp fresh mint, shredded
2 Tbsp lemon juice
salt & pepper
1/2 cup sour cream (choose soy if making vegan)
1 Tbsp olive oil, to drizzle


Heat oil in pan, sauté carrots and caraway seeds in olive oil on medium heat for about 4 mins, then add onions to the pan and keep cooking until nicely browned. In the meantime, prepare the swiss chard. Cut the leaves away from the stalks - chop the stalks, and blanch in boiling water for 3 mins. Remove the stalks from the water. Once carrots and onions are nicely browned, add the swiss chard stalks & leaves, cilantro, mint and garlic to the pan and saute until the chard leaves wilt. Add lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with rice or couscous. Add a dollop of the sour cream, and drizzle with olive oil...sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper....and serve! Light-tasting but filling.


Per serving, not including rice/couscous or side of your choice: 352 cals, 12.3g fat, 49g carbs, 842mg sodium, 16g fiber, 20g protein. (PRO21%,CHO51%,FAT28%)