Pancakes and Pastry
Samosa Pastry: this makes about 60 small triangular samosas
12 oz plain flour
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tblsp ghee* or melted butter
approx 5 fl oz water
Put the flour, salt and butter into a bowl. Rub together until like fine breadcrumbs. Pour the 5fl.oz water over the flour, all at once, knead together with vigour and gather into a ball. If it crumbles, add up to 3 more tablespoons of water a spoonful at a time until it comes together.
Knead this for about ten minutes, on a lightly floured board, until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball, brush with oil or ghee, cover with a damp cloth and leave until ready to use. (It can stay for several hours like this).
Shape and fill the samosas two at a time by pinching off a small piece of dough and rolling it into a ball about 1" across. Roll each samosa into a circle about 4" dia. Cut in half. Dampen the straight edge with water, form into a cone, fill with 1 -2 tsp. filling, moisten top edges together and seal. (They could be cut into squares and the edges moistened, put on the filling and fold into triangles, sealing the edges.). If covered, these will keep for several hours before deep frying for 2 -3 minutes or until golden.
* To make your own 'ghee', cut a block of unsalted butter into cubes and melt slowly in a small pan. When completely melted, remove from heat and leave to stand for a minute or two. Skim off any foam from the surface. Carefully spoon off the clear butter into a bowl, discarding any milky solids from the bottom of the pan.
There are many other ways to use filo: two recipes spring to mind - the Streusel (filo wrapped around apples, sultanas and cinnamon sugar); and the honey-soaked Baklava.
Today I will try and hunt out some recipes for you and post them up tomorrow.
Yesterday was a sort of 'sardines on toast for supper' day due to stuffing ourselves while our guests were here. They brought chocolate cake, so we worked our way through the the remains of that. Today I need to pull myself together and get back to the Mean Cuisine menus. As this is a working day for my Beloved, it will have to be a meal that will stand waiting for his return (which is only when all the flowers have been delivered). Probably a casserole then. With a bottle of wine left for us by our guests when they returned home.
Only three weeks left to go. Time again for another stock-check. Still haven't used the kippers, there are plenty of chicken livers left, bacon from the economy pack, plenty of other meats, a fridge packed full of odds and ends of vegetables plus the fresh ones. Plenty of onions. Could be fun, SHOULD be fun seeing what I can make from the remaining rations. Can't say I'll be sorry when it is over. Am just keeping my fingers crossed that I won't end up with egg on my face if I couldn't keep within budget after all. Even saying that has made me determined to succeed.
12 oz plain flour
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tblsp ghee* or melted butter
approx 5 fl oz water
Put the flour, salt and butter into a bowl. Rub together until like fine breadcrumbs. Pour the 5fl.oz water over the flour, all at once, knead together with vigour and gather into a ball. If it crumbles, add up to 3 more tablespoons of water a spoonful at a time until it comes together.
Knead this for about ten minutes, on a lightly floured board, until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball, brush with oil or ghee, cover with a damp cloth and leave until ready to use. (It can stay for several hours like this).
Shape and fill the samosas two at a time by pinching off a small piece of dough and rolling it into a ball about 1" across. Roll each samosa into a circle about 4" dia. Cut in half. Dampen the straight edge with water, form into a cone, fill with 1 -2 tsp. filling, moisten top edges together and seal. (They could be cut into squares and the edges moistened, put on the filling and fold into triangles, sealing the edges.). If covered, these will keep for several hours before deep frying for 2 -3 minutes or until golden.
* To make your own 'ghee', cut a block of unsalted butter into cubes and melt slowly in a small pan. When completely melted, remove from heat and leave to stand for a minute or two. Skim off any foam from the surface. Carefully spoon off the clear butter into a bowl, discarding any milky solids from the bottom of the pan.
There are many other ways to use filo: two recipes spring to mind - the Streusel (filo wrapped around apples, sultanas and cinnamon sugar); and the honey-soaked Baklava.
Today I will try and hunt out some recipes for you and post them up tomorrow.
Yesterday was a sort of 'sardines on toast for supper' day due to stuffing ourselves while our guests were here. They brought chocolate cake, so we worked our way through the the remains of that. Today I need to pull myself together and get back to the Mean Cuisine menus. As this is a working day for my Beloved, it will have to be a meal that will stand waiting for his return (which is only when all the flowers have been delivered). Probably a casserole then. With a bottle of wine left for us by our guests when they returned home.
Only three weeks left to go. Time again for another stock-check. Still haven't used the kippers, there are plenty of chicken livers left, bacon from the economy pack, plenty of other meats, a fridge packed full of odds and ends of vegetables plus the fresh ones. Plenty of onions. Could be fun, SHOULD be fun seeing what I can make from the remaining rations. Can't say I'll be sorry when it is over. Am just keeping my fingers crossed that I won't end up with egg on my face if I couldn't keep within budget after all. Even saying that has made me determined to succeed.
posted by Shirley at 5:27 am
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