#178 Italy's Frittata with mushroom and spinach

This is so good to eat for breakfast! It has eggs, vegetables and fats in one baked dish. :) I love heavy cream and so I added it in my newly discovered Italian breakfast dish: the Frittata. This egg dish requires a little bit of work than simply boiling or scrambling your eggs in the morning, but it is beautiful and very tasty. I do not regret spending more time learning and cooking this awesome dish that the whole family enjoyed for a nice Sunday breakfast. :)

FRITTATA WITH MUSHROOM AND SPINACH 

Ingredients: 

6 large organic eggs
1 1/2 cups heaving whipping cream
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp sliced onions
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped or you can use baby spinach whole
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. In a pan, heat olive oil, sauté onions and mushrooms until cooked, then add spinach until wilted. Drain the water that comes from the cooked vegetables, set aside.
3. In a bowl, beat eggs, add heavy whipping cream, salt and pepper, 2/3 cup of mozzarella cheese. 
4. Bake for 30 minutes. 
5. Open the oven and add 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese on top of the frittata. Close  the oven and let it bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the mixture is set.
6. Enjoy! 

An italian expression: "hai fatto una frittata", means I made a mess. This comes from the fact that in Italy, a frittata is made from left overs at the last minute when nothing else is available in the fridge. Now I also learned one more Italian sentence! I also learned that in Italy you will rarely see Frittata in its restaurant's menu, because to the Italians, Frittata is a dish that is commonly  made at home, nothing special and can be made with any meat or vegetables from left overs. It's funny how I thought it is some kind of a fancy national breakfast food in  Italy and I can order it anywhere in Rome when I visit this year. Good to know. :) This dish is good, it's very healthy, the cream is optional so you can remove it from the recipe. 

I love my Frittata! It tastes great and very satisfying! 

Hope you enjoyed this post! If you did, follow this blog as we will be posting 187 more recipes! 187  recipes to discover, learn to cook, take pictures and share to complete the goal of 365! 

#155 Eggless Tapioca Pudding

I love to eat pudding as a dessert or a savory dish. The word pudding is believed to come from the French word boudin , originally from the Latin botellus, meaning "small sausage". Where did it originate? Nobody really knows where exactly, but the British claim it as part of their culinary heritage. 

I make ahead a couple or jars or two, this helps a lot during my busy week day schedule. It keeps in the fridge for 7 days with no problem! :) 

This is so easy to make. We omitted the eggs, and so this pudding only has 3 ingredients. Ready?

EGGLESS TAPIOCA PUDDING 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1/4 cup tapioca pearls
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 1/4 cups milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Soak tapioca pearls for about 30 minutes. Do not drain.
2. Add milk, cook in medium heat until boiling then simmer in lowest heat for 15 minutes, or until done. 
3. Sweeten to taste, or add fruits to sweeten. Enjoy!

Buy your Tapioca Pearls on Amazon.com, just click on the image below:

#143 We made delicious Donuts for the first time! Move over, Krispy Kreme!

Goodness,  how delicious it was! I am craving for it.  My advice to first time donut makers who will use the recipe I will share? Eat in moderation (if you can) or say goodbye to your low fat diet. Lol. This recipe yields many, soft, sweet, tempting and  amazing donuts. It is easy to make, but requires patience since it is yeast based, so it will take a few hours to finish, but well worth the wait! I learned that a gap of at least 2 inches is needed between the donuts during the second proofing. Mine grew too big and stuck with each other so I had to punch it down and formed it again before adding it in oil. I didn't think it would turn out alright since I did that last minute dough punching, but it expanded once it is fried and huge donuts came floating before  my eyes. It was a happy dance moment. And another thing, do not fry it in temperatures more than 350 F degrees, a candy thermometer is not expensive and it's worth getting or you could end up with a burned donut that is uncooked inside, or  too crispy ones for frying it too long.  I am also posting the recipe for the glaze, I skipped it and used sugar instead, which is how I like my donuts. "Yay, we made our very own donuts", said my adorable fan. It was a great first try, and this recipe will  save me long drives to the donut store whenever she wants it. They say we become our mothers, I totally agree, but I do  feel like I am becoming my grandma Ina Anselma too, my grandma and my mother are two of the most hardworking women I know; Ina, was super creative and made very delicious soft pilipits which she sold in the streets at one point in her life, and she made it everyday. Pilipit is a Filipino twisted fried bread that tastes like donuts. Sometimes it is crunchy on the outside, sometimes really soft. So I always call it twisted donuts. I am nowhere near Ina Anselma's baking skills, I tried making pilipit using this dough but it was so difficult! I need more practice! I am glad I used this recipe for making it the first time, the donuts were excellent, even better than Krispy Kreme! I'm sure if I made the glaze too it would have tasted beyond incredible...isn't this generation so spoiled? we can make any food we want if we are willing to work for it; I cannot imagine living in my grandma's era in her youth, how did she learn to make fantastic donuts and pilipits? And the energy she had to make it every morning!,  kneading by hand before the sun rises so she can sell to the streets in the morning, is amazing. We are very blessed with so much information and technology, and I never forget to give thanks everyday.  :) 

Yield: 39 pieces

DONUTS

Ingredients:

For the donuts:
3 (1/4 ounce / 7g) packages yeast
1/2 cup (120ml) water  (105-115F / 40-46C)
2 1/4 cups (530ml) milk, scalded, then cooled
3/4 cup (169g) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup (113g) shortening
7 1/2 cups (940g) all-purpose flour
canola oil for frying

For the glaze
1/2 cup (113g) butter
3 cups (375g) powdered sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
6 -9 tablespoons (90-135ml) evaporated milk (can substitute regular milk or water for milder flavor)

Directions:

1. Proof your yeast by adding it to the warm water.  Mix it up and let it rest
2. Scald the milk in your microwave or on top of your stove, and let cool.  I learned from a baker that the reason you scald the milk is because regular milk has an enzyme in it that will kill the yeast. If you don't scald it first to kill the enzyme, your donuts won't rise.
3. Combine yeast, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 3 cups (375g) flour.
4. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly.
5. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
6. Carefully, stir in remaining flour until smooth.
7. Cover and let rise until double for 1 hour
8. After the dough has risen, turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour.
9. Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin.
10. Cut with floured doughnut cutter, or using your hands, form a round ball, flatten it, make a hole in the middle and shape it into a donut. (I made mine using hands.) 
11. Cover and let rise until double, 30-40 minutes.  
12. Make the glaze: Melt the butter and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Add milk (or water) until desired consistency is reached.  To make chocolate glaze, melt 6 ounces of chocolate along with the butter.
13. Heat your oil to 350F (180C).  A thermometer makes this part fool-proof, and you can monitor the heat to make sure it stays in this prime frying range. Even after you take the donut out of the oil, the remaining oil on it is hot enough to continue cooking it! Carefully place the donuts in the oil.  Cook on each side for about one minute.  Use chopsticks to flip the donuts and remove them from the oil.
    Place donuts on a rack or paper bags or paper towels to drain.
14. Dip them in the glaze and set them on a rack to dry. Or you can coat them in sugar just like what I did.

Recipe adapted from here

 Donuts originated in the United States. Read more

No need to buy donuts! :) This is perfect!

#141 Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

I have a really good pancake recipe, but I am always looking for more. When I found this, I was curious! Lemon Ricotta Pancake sounds fancy, so I had to try this recipe. I like Ricotta cheese, it was my first time to try to make something with it,  we bought a small tub from the store, it's flavor is bland almost, with just a little hint of sweetness, but soft and just pleasant that I'm sure it will go well with anything sweet, breads, maybe even great on a pizza! This pancake recipe is not low in fat and  calories, but it is worth it. It's delicious! Although I wouldn't make it every morning, I plan to make it atleast twice a month, it's too good to forget. The refreshing taste of the lemons, and the moist the ricotta cheese brings are just perfect! So fluffy! We loved it!

Yield: about 16 medium sized pancakes

LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for coating the frying pan and serving
1 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine salt
3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon packed finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 to 3 medium lemons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
Powdered sugar, fruit, or maple syrup, for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. Place butter small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until butter has melted, add the milk; remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; set aside.
3. Place egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in a quarter of the milk-butter mixture (this will temper the eggs and prevent them from curdling), then whisk in the remaining milk-butter mixture until smooth.
4. Add the reserved flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined (do not over mix); set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks (they should bend like soft-serve ice cream; make sure the bowl and whisk are perfectly clean with no traces of grease, or the whites will not whip properly). Halfway through whisking them, sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using the rubber spatula, fold the whites into the reserved batter until just combined.
6. Gently fold the ricotta into the batter, being careful not to break down the texture of the cheese (the batter will be lumpy and streaked with ricotta); set aside.
7. Heat a large nonstick frying pan, griddle, or seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat until hot, about 4 minutes. Test to see if the pan is hot enough by sprinkling a couple of drops of cold water in it: If the water bounces and sputters, the pan is ready to use.
8. Lightly coat the pan’s surface with butter, then use a 1/4-cup measure to scoop the batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles form on top of the pancakes, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until the bottoms are golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately with powdered sugar, fruit, butter, or maple syrup. 

Recipe adapted from here

Ricotta (Italian pronunciation: [riˈkɔtta]) is an Italian whey cheese made from sheep (or cow, goat, or Italian buffalo) milk whey left over from the production of cheese. Learn more from here. 

Let me share  David Lebovitz's recipe for home-made ricotta cheese that I found here. Looks uncomplicated! :) Will make this soon too.

Yield: Makes 2 cups.

 

HOMEMADE RICOTTA CHEESE

Ingredients:

2 quarts whole milk
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
Optional: 1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring the milk, yogurt, heavy cream (if using), vinegar, and salt to a boil. Very gently boil for one to two minutes, until the milk is curdled.
2. Meanwhile, line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl.
3. Pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain for 15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid.

Storage: Homemade ricotta is best served slightly warm, although it can be refrigerated for up to three days, if desired.

We didn't need to use maple syrup, just a sprinkle  of powdered sugar on top. (^^,)

#140 Philippines' Taho

Ah, this breakfast food made with silken tofu, sago (tapioca) pearls and brown sugar vanilla syrup brings back many great memories of the happy life in the Philippines. Green grass, laughter, Roseville, busy streets, the sound of motorcycles, jeepney, the airplanes flying too close to our house. Warm nights. Warm sand. Warm water in the ocean. Sleeping with windows open at night, all year round. Coconut trees, balimbing, macopa. And Taho, sweet and filling.., and many more..sigh, only in the Philippines. Taho, is one inescapable breakfast food for Filipinos, and oh how Russell, my younger brothers and I loved it. My nurse friends Grace and Michelle did too, we used to meet up after school twice a week along Ilustre, steps away from Davao Doctors Hospital, where our favorite Taho place was. We ate Taho for late afternoon snack. :) How wholesome, innocent and simple life was! And then of course there's the weekend mornings, it is when I catch the hardworking Taho vendors  selling it in our neighborhood, they loudly yell "TA-HO!!!", yup! no horns, just their powerful deep voices in every 5 steps they make, "TA-HO, TA-HO MO DIHA!!!"..  on their shoulders rests a bamboo stick about 8 feet long, on each end of the stick,  their huge covered stainless steel buckets  hang, one filled with gallons of silken tofu, and the other with more gallons of arnibal (the vanilla & brown sugar syrup), and they carry this heavy load by walking for miles and miles hoping that by the end of the morning, all the patrons would have already bought all the contents of the heavy buckets on their shoulders, which thankfully, it is what happens 99% of the time.  Then they go back home to rest and make the silken tofu from scratch for the next morning. Thanks to them for supplying this treat to the communities. Who doesn't love Taho? I don't know of anyone! Certainly not me! We were among the loyal patrons, my brothers I believe still are. Back when I was living there, I bought it every time a vendor passes by our home because 1.) It is delicious 2.) I felt for the vendors. But I think it's also because their happiness and optimism in life were so infectious and by golly, such great social people they are too! 3.) I had no idea and definitely no interest in making it myself.

Life has changed in many ways. Gone is the simplicity, and now it's a constant chasing of goals, and life can be busy because in this day and age, the level of contentment for anything material and even the personal relationships we acquire and retain is kind of high, especially in this part of the world. I guess it comes with the territory, being young and full of life means being in a marathon that will only end in retirement. :)  And when I want to get away from it all for a few minutes,  I sit down and open my bucket of golden memories and what pure bliss it is every time. Taho brought me back to my center last week, I did not buy it ready made nor did a google search on where to find because, 1.) I wanted something delicious for breakfast 2.) I miss home, everything and every one in it, and I knew it would bring me joy 3.) I have every desire to make it myself now, because I learned how easy it is to make at home, thanks to my source.

Yield: 4 servings

TAHO

Ingredients:

To cook the sago pearls, you will need:

1/4 cup dark brown sugar
6 cups water
1/4 cup sago (tapioca) pearls

For arnibal,  the vanilla & brown sugar syrup, you will need:

1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup water

1 one-pound package organic silken tofu

Directions:

1. Put sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add sago pearls and stir until water returns to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and continue cooking sago with the lid on, stirring occasionally, until they are almost translucent with a pinpoint of white in the center. Sago is cooked when it is tender but still chewy. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again.Small sago pearls take about 20 to 30 minutes to cook while the bigger ones take much longer. In low heat, simmer big pearls with the lid on for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat and let them continue to cook in the saucepan for about an hour. If they are still not done, bring water to another boil, reduce heat, and simmer with the lid on for another 30 minutes. Repeat the process until they are almost translucent with a pinpoint of white in the center. Cooking sago in a rapid boil for a long time breaks them apart and makes them too soft and too mushy. Sago can be prepared ahead of time. Transfer drained cooked sago pearls to a container, add enough water to cover pearls, cover and refrigerate for up to a few days. Stir well and then drain before using. 
2.  To make arnibal, put sugar, vanilla, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. One part sugar to one part water. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir a minute or two, until the sugar dissolves. Take off heat and set aside.
3. Steam silken tofu in a steamer until heated through, about 15 minutes.
4. Divide tofu equally into four glasses or bowls. Add sago pearls and sweeten with arnibal. Mix together and serve warm.

Nostalgic. 

#134 Oatmeal Apple Crisp

We made this last sunday, and it was delicious. Just a little too sweet for me, but it's a great breakfast dish or snack and is perfect with coffee or tea. I  did not have the brown sugar, so my topping is lighter than it should be. But even with white sugar, it was delicious! The recipe below calls for brown sugar and I also reduced the amounts to balance the sweetness.

Yield: Serves 8 

OATMEAL APPLE CRISP

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 cups apples - peeled, cored and

chopped

2 teaspoons white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, flour and butter. Mix until crumbly. Place half of crumb mixture in pan. Spread the apples evenly over crumb mixture. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons white sugar and cinnamon and top with remaining crumb mixture.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

 Recipe adapted from here

Apple Crisp originated in the US. Read more about it's history here

Loved it!

#133 Whole Wheat Pandesal Rolls

I shared some of my freshly baked pandesal to the Mckays and they loved it! I told them I can make more if they want, but they said, they couldn't control their portions after eating one. And Sheryl said, "it's sweet and it's white bread...I ate 4 in one day!". Then I realized I should also try to make whole wheat breads. So I tweaked the pandesal recipe that I recently posted by replacing a few cups of all purpose flour with whole wheat flour. It turned out really really good. I noticed that it took me about 25 minutes of kneading by hand before I got a smooth dough. Then it took about 1 1/2 hours for the dough to double it's size the first time, and then another 1 1/2 hours to double the size while resting before baking. Well, it was worth the wait. Soft, fluffy, sweet whole wheat Pandesal came out of the oven. I did not sprinkle breadcrumbs on top before baking this time. It's been frozen after 3 days in the pantry, and when I heated it in the toaster oven, it was soft and delicious!

Yield: 36 rolls

WHOLE WHEAT PAN DE SAL

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/3 cup white sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 

Directions:

1. Put the warm water in a small mixing bowl and add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar; stir to dissolve. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining 15 teaspoons of sugar and the oil and mix until smooth. Add the salt, 1 cup of flour and the yeast mixture; stir well. Add the remaining 5 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, supple and elastic; about 25 minutes. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in it and turn to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume; about 1 1/2 hour.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces. Form each piece into a cylinder and roll out until the 'log' is 1/2 inch in diameter. Using a sharp knife, cut each 'log' into 1/2 inch pieces. Place the pieces, flat side down, onto two lightly greased baking sheets. Gently press each roll down to flatten.
5. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours more.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C).
7. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and bake at 350 degrees F (190 degrees C) until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

 

 Recipe adapted, but I slightly improvised it, from here

 

before and after

#119 Philippines' Pan de Sal

After failing to create Filipino Pan de Leche, I searched for more bread recipes. The next on my list was Pan de Sal, which I easily found the recipe and learned that it would be an easier bread to make. I think I am addicted to baking, one night, while in bed, I couldn't stop thinking about making fluffy Pan de Sal for breakfast- this wasn't me a month ago by the way, I didn't care for breads! Nowadays, I see breads and cakes in a different light, and I get excited at the thought of making bread- eaten once or twice a week at most before, lately it has been  consumed everyday, ever since we started making it from scratch.  We've become  little bread monsters and artisan pastry chef wanna-bes. We will be careful, I know, white flour is not good to binge on; but it is also certainly difficult not to eat more than two, or three, right after we bake these, oh sooo good, fluffy, authentic tasting Pan de Sal, the Philippines' favorite breakfast bread. I use to buy this for the entire family everyday when I was in grade school, starting when I was around 6 or 7 years old, every morning, I would walk 10 minutes to go to the fragrant small bakery, and walk 10 minutes back. Then eat a heavy breakfast (rice, fish, meat, eggs) plus the Pan de Sal, which is always on the table, and then get ready for school.  I haven't had this  in  a long long time, and my reaction after I took a bite of our warm, freshly baked Pan de Sal, was a mix of joy, sadness/homesickness, and a sense of fulfillment- knowing that I am able to make it  from now on. This bread will keep well in the fridge, and I learned that it also freezes well  for up to a month, just heat it up in the toaster or the microwave oven before serving. I made my own bread crumbs to sprinkle on top before baking it. I love it, and I'm excited to share this delicious bread recipe. 

Yield: 36 rolls

PAN DE SAL

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/3 cup white sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

6 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Put the warm water in a small mixing bowl and add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar; stir to dissolve. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining 15 teaspoons of sugar and the oil and mix until smooth. Add the salt, 1 cup of flour and the yeast mixture; stir well. Add the remaining 5 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, supple and elastic; about 10 minutes. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in it and turn to coat the dough with oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume; about 1 hour.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces. Form each piece into a cylinder and roll out until the 'log' is 1/2 inch in diameter. Using a sharp knife, cut each 'log' into 1/2 inch pieces. Place the pieces, flat side down, onto two lightly greased baking sheets. Gently press each roll down to flatten.
5. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 more hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C).
7. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and bake at 350 degrees F (190 degrees C) until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

 

 Recipe adapted, but I slightly improvised it, from here

 

After the second proofing and ready to bake in the hot oven.

I don't know what caused the holes? Maybe because I'm baking at high altitude?

The beauties, fresh from the oven.

Our third bread made from scratch. Soft, fluffy, delicious!

We have a long way to go before we can produce perfect bread, every time. We are really lucky to find this recipe. My friend wished me  "happy baking" before I started manually kneading the dough, and it sure was a happy baking day, indeed! :)

#114 Switzerland's Rösti

Rösti, is a dish native to the German speaking side of Switzerland. READ MORE HERE. It mainly consists of potatoes which are boiled, coarsely grated and then cooked in a pan. I liked this very much. The butter and white pepper made the potatoes taste so delicious.  Thanks to my 7-year old food stylist, we made a heart-shaped sunny side up eggs which are added on top with fresh parsley, both added a wonderful blend of flavors. Our Rösti is shaped into a patty, and looked like potato pancake. Quick tip: I learned that the potatoes must not be prepared in advance nor rinsed after boiling, because it will reduce the starch. After boiling, cool it, then peel and grate. This great dish can be added with anything you like for breakfast, and is also eaten as an accompaniment to meats. It is so tasty, I can eat it by itself again and agan. :)

Rösti

Ingredients:

russet potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated coarsely
butter
salt
white pepper
fresh parsley, for garnishing
eggs, sunny side up

Directions:

1. Boil, cool, peel, coarsely grate, and then season the russet potatoes with salt and white pepper.
2. In a hot pan, heat butter, then add the grated cooked potatoes, gently flattening it to form a round patty.
3. Turn to cook the other side, serve immediately with sunny side up eggs and parsley on top.

Additional notes: 

If you are squeamish about runny eggs like me, I learned how to cook "well-done" sunny side up without burning the egg whites. I heat the pan with a little oil, and once I add the eggs, I lower the heat to it's lowest setting and then cover the pan. The result is a perfectly cooked egg whites and hardened yolks.

Delicious! :)

#113 Spain's Pan de Leche

After I made bagels, there was no stopping my experiment with yeast. I have to admit, there were  3 packets of yeast that were dissolved in water and then poured down the drain because of my lack of know-how. The first packet was poured in the water that was too hot from the microwave oven, then the other 2  were discared also because I thought I did something wrong when I poured yeast in milk- it didn't foam. But I didn't give up. The next day, I bought another packets, and was more determined to make my favorite Filipino Pan de Leche. After proofing..which didn't foam much..I started mixing in a large bowl, and  kneaded it until smooth.Then I let it rise, it didn't double it's size..I know I did everything correctly, so I followed my gut and baked it anyway. I watched the bread with so much excitement, it's been at  least  18 months since I had it. After I took it out of the oven, I noticed the cracks, and I thought, well, maybe it is because I am baking at 5,800 ft above sea level, whereas the Philippines is at sea level. I tasted it, and it was very good and very sweet..but  was definitely not what I was looking for, it reminds me of a filipino bread  called Pantso.  Further investigation led me here, where the same recipe I used was adapted from. It states that it is a Spanish Sweet Milk Bread, not Filipino. I was relieved to see the similar cracks on the bread crust in their picture! Whew! In Spain, it is eaten for breakfast or "merienda" (afternoon snack). In the Philippines, we eat it mostly for merienda, but our Pan de Leche is very soft and fluffy, and it does not have cracks :) . I will be searching for the recipe and will share once I have successfully made it. This recipe is great, and I am happy to have discovered and made this bread. It's lovely!

Yield: 8 medium rolls

SPAIN'S PAN DE LECHE


Ingredients:

3 oz (100 ml) lukewarm milk
1 envelope (1/4 oz) dry yeast
1 egg
1/2 cube (50 gr) softened butter
1/3 cup (70 gr) granulated sugar
1 ½ cups (200 gr) unbleached white flour
2-3 Tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Warm milk and pour into a glass measuring cup. Mix in the dried yeast until completely dissolved. Cover with a small kitchen towel and set in a warm place, away from drafts for 10 minutes.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a medium size mixing bowl. Beat egg into the butter-sugar mixture. Add yeast-milk mixture and mix thoroughly.
3. Add flour to mixing bowl, a 1/2 cup at a time. Mix in flour with a wooden spoon until dough forms a ball. If necessary, add additional flour 1 Tbsp at a time until soft dough is formed.
4. Dust dough with 1 Tbsp flour. Cover bowl with a wet kitchen towel and place in a warm spot, away from drafts. Allow to rise for 30 minutes.
5. After rising, dough will be soft, spongy and sticky. Coat hands with oil. Uncover and knead dough 5-6 times. Separate dough into 4 pieces. Form into balls or rectangles and place on cookie sheet or baking stone. Allow to rise for 15 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 400F . Bake bread for 7 minutes. Remove and brush bread with vegetable oil. Return to oven and continue to bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove when bread begins to brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then serve with butter or jam.

My second bread made from scratch, we love it!

#111 We made Bagels!

We made Bagels! We boiled it before baking, which explains the shape. :) This delicious bread originated in Poland, and has many variations. Read more. Chewy on the outside, somewhat soft and dense on the inside, it was just perfect for us and even better than the ones we buy.  This is our first home made bread from scratch, and I am glad it that it tasted very good. Finally, after telling myself for months that I should learn how to make bread, I did it! I purposely refused to buy a bag of bagels from the grocery store, so I can push myself to make it. It is one of our  favorite breads, and on that day it was requested for snacks to pack for school, so I had no choice but to make it. I woke up very early in the morning and when I was looking at the recipe, I thought it was really easy. Well, it wasn't complicated, but, making breads are best for us to do on weekends, not weekday mornings! LOL. Dough needs to rise,  my selective vision only communicated "15 minutes" to my busy brain whilst I was browsing the recipe and   gathering the ingredients at the same time.. 1 hour and 40 minutes later, I wasn't done. Thankfully, I woke up at 6:00 am. And this one was a hard dough to knead, so if you use pure muscle power like me in kneading doughs, I warn you, this made me sweat. I do not exercise every day, so I guess it was a blessing in disguise, it was a good arm workout early in the morning. Fun! :)

Yield: 8 bagels

BOILED BAGELS


Ingredients:

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 pouches (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast 

1 1/2 cups water, 110 degrees F

3 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

1. In large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour and yeast. Mix water, 3 tablespoons sugar and salt together, and add to the dry ingredients. Beat with a mixer for half a minute at a low speed, scraping the sides of the bowl clean. Beat at a higher speed for 3 minutes. Then, by hand, mix in enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough.
2. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes). Cover, let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Cut into 12 portions, shape into smooth balls. Poke a hole in the center with your finger, and gently enlarge the hole while working the bagel into a uniform shape. Cover, let rise 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, start a gallon of water boiling. Put 1 tablespoon of sugar in it, mix it around a bit. Reduce to simmering.
5. When the bagels are ready, put 4 or 5 bagels into the water, and cook 7 minutes, turning once. Drain them. Place on a greased baking sheet, and bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven, eat hot or cold.
6. Broiling option: For a glossier surface, place raised bagels on an ungreased baking sheet prior to boiling them. Broil them five inches from heat for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes on each side. Then put them into the hot water to be boiled as above. Note: do not bake broiled bagels as long as non-broiled ones, 25 minutes should be long enough.

Recipe adapted from here

( ^ _^ ) /