Breadsticks make a great snack, on their own or with something to dip them in, and the homemade sort is so much nicer than some old stuff out of a plastic package. Continue reading Sourdough breadsticks
Recipes and articles
Brioche
Brioche is an enriched dough; in addition to the usual dough ingredients of flour, water, yeast, and salt, an enriched dough typically includes egg, sugar, and dairy. In the case of brioche, most of the water content of the dough is obtained from eggs and the dairy component is provided by a mountain of butter. The end result is a supremely tender bread with a deep golden, but still soft, crust and a rich buttery aroma and flavour. Continue reading Brioche
Tzatziki
In the book one might spot some tzatziki in the illustration for pitta bread. We have loved tzatziki since visiting Athens many years ago and it makes a regular appearance here. It is good with various flatbreads, excellent as a dressing for a homemade kebab, and perfect as a light snack or appetiser served with a crusty white bread. Continue reading Tzatziki
Houmous
In the book I illustrated the white wheat and olive oil flatbread alongside a plate of homemade houmous (or hummus); here is the recipe. Continue reading Houmous
Tapenade
Tapenade is quick to prepare and makes a great accompaniment to some good crusty bread and an ideal appetiser. Tapenade can be made with a wide variety of ingredients, olives, capers, and anchovies being classic components. Continue reading Tapenade
Good white bread
I make a lot of different sorts of bread, but this is one of the most versatile. It is a good white bread, with a little rye for texture and flavour, and is the recipe used for the tutorial videos. I put two similar recipes in the book – one for a straight dough and one for a sourdough. This version is essentially the same, but uses a yeasted preferment. Made only from flour, water, yeast, and salt, and allowed the time to ferment properly, this makes a good quality loaf. The dough is versatile, being suitable for baguettes and crusty rolls, as well as large loaves. Approximate cooking times are given but ovens can vary, so if an instant read thermometer is available, an internal temperature of around 98-99°C is suitable for these crusty loaves. Continue reading Good white bread