Cranberry Shortbread / Happy New Year

Believe it or not, these plain shortbread biscuits are my favorites. I have to have them at the end of each year as holiday treats; sometimes I mix in some nuts, sometimes pieces of dried fruit. This year I made them with cranberries.

With this recipe, I want to finish posting for 2014 and wish a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2015 to all of you! Cheers!

Ingredients:

125 g butter, soft

125 gr ghee (clarified butter), soft

2 cups flour

1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 cup icing sugar 

vanilla or lemon zest as flavouring

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

Method:

Beat butter, ghee and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add other ingredients and mix well. Knead until smooth. Shape into 2 logs, refrigerate until hard. Cut discs, place them onto baking paper, prick with a fork and bake for 15-20 minutes at 160 *C (should stay pale). Alternatively, shape dough traditionally into 2 circles and cut into wedges; or, make any shape you want (I use measuring spoon to shape them).

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'Shortbread' sa Brusnicama

Vjerovali ili ne, kraj svih divnih kolacica, ovo su meni najdrazi. Uvijek ih pravim na kraju godine; ponekad umijesam komadice orasastih plodova, ponekad sjeckano suho voce. Ovoga puta sam ih napravila sa brusnicama.

Sa ovim receptom zelim da zavrsim 2014 i pozelim vam veoma sretnu, zdravu i 'berićetnu' 2015. U zdravlje!

Potrebno:

125 gr maslaca, omeksalog

125 gr masla, omeksalog

2 solje brasna

1/2 solje rizinog brasna

1/2 solje secera u prahu

vanila ili korica limuna kao aroma

1/2 solje sjeckanih suhih brusnica

Nacin:

Mutite maslac, maslo i secer dok ne postane pjenasto. Dodajte ostale sastojke i dobro izmijesajte. Umijesite rukama dok ne postane glatko. Oblikujte 2 cilindra ('kobasice') i ostavite u frizider da se stegne. Isjecite na diskove, nabodite viljuskom i pecite preko papira na 160*C oko 15-20 minuta (treba da ostanu blijede). Eventulano, tijesto mozete tradicionalno oblikovati u 2 kruga, i isjeci na 'kriske'. Ja koristim mjericu (kasiku) da ih oblikujem.

Crispy Calamari Rings

Very often, simplest is the best. This is my favourite way of serving squid!

Ingredients:

Calamari rings (cleaned, peeled squid cut into rings)

salt and pepper

flour (or very fine semolina )

oil for frying (peanut oil or  light olive oil) 

Method:

Season your calamari rings with salt and pepper (white preferably). Place flour in a plastic bag and shake it with calamari rings until well coated. Heat oil in a pan, fry calamari a minute each side; drain on paper  towel before serving. Any fish can be  done the same way, in order to make outside more crispy.

Hrskavi Kalamari

Veoma cesto, najjednostavnije je i najbolje. Ovo je moj najdrazi nacin pripremanja lignji.

Potrebno:

Kalamari prstenovi (lignje ociscene, oguljene i izrezane na prstenove)

so i biber

ostro brasno ( ili veoma sitna krupica / griz)

ulje za przenje (kikiriki ulje ili  svijetlo maslinovo ulje)

Nacin:

Zacinite kalamare sa solju i biberom (po mogucnosti bijeli biber). Stavine nesto brasna u plasticnu vrecicu i protresite je zajedno sa kalamari prstenovima dok  nisu dobro uvaljani. Zagrijte ulje , przite kalamare oko 1 minut svaka strana; ocijedite dobro na upijajucem papiru prije serviranja. Bilo koja riba moze biti pripremljena na isti nacin, da bi imala spoljasnju hrskavu koricu.

Bread Rolls with Sweet Potato (Kumara) Filling / 'Flower Bread'

....

For those who like their breakfast to look special. I used original (Zhong Thang) dough, but any sweet bread dough can be shaped this way. Following recipe is for 6 rolls.

Ingredients:
Zhong Tang starter-
15 g flour
75 g water
(mix flour and water, cook over low heat or microwave until thick; cover and let it cool)
Filling-
125 g cooked sweet potato, mashed
15 g sugar 
25 g  butter
(mix all into smooth paste, wrap into cling wrap and refrigerate)
Final dough-220 g bread flour
40 g sugar
3 g salt
3 g instant dry yeast (or 8 g fresh yeast)
 1  egg + 1 yolk
60 g milk
75 g zhong tang   (room temperature)
40 g  softened butter  

 -egg white for brushing, seeds for decoration

Method: 
Mix all ingredients for dough and knead a bit (or use mixer, breadmaker...). Cover and let it rise (45min-1 hour). Take filling out of fridge , divide into 6. Divide dough into 6. Roll each piece into circle, place 1 part of filling in the middle and bring edges together, forming a ball. Let it rest one time more about 20 min(with smooth side up). Roll each ball gently into a 10-12 cm circle, then cut as shown into 8 wedges, leaving centre uncut. Put the edges of 2 parts together on bottom, then press slightly with your palm. Repeat with others. When all done, brush each with egg white, place some poppy seeds (or other) in the middle . Place all rolls onto lined baking tin. Switch oven to 180*C; when ready place rolls inside and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden. Take out and place onto a wire to cool. Consume warm or cold.

Cvjetovi sa punjenjem od slatkog krompira

Pecivo za one koji zele da im dorucak (uzina) izgleda lijepo. Koristila sam Zhong Thang metod tijesta, ali bilo koje tijesto za peciva moze biti oblikovano na ovaj nacin. Navedena kolicina dovoljna za 6 cvjetova.

Potrebno:
Zong tang  smjesa-
15 gr brasna
75 gr vode
(skuhajte ovo u gustu smjesu, pokrijte i ostavite hladiti)
Fil-
125 gr kuhanog slatkog krompira, propasiranog
15 gr secera
25 gr maslaca
(pomijesajte sve sastojke u glatku smjesu, zamotajte u plasticnu foliju i ostavite u frizider). 
Finalno tijesto-
220 gr brasna (za peciva)
40 gr secera
3 gr soli
3 gr instant kvasca (ili 8 gr svjezeg)
1 jaje + 1 zumance
60 gr mlijeka
75 gr pocetne (zong tang) smjese, sobna temperatura
40 gr maslaca, omeksalog

-bjelance za premazivanje + sjemenke za ukrasavanje  

Nacin:
Umijesite tijesto od navadenih sastojaka (rucno sa mikserom ili pekacem..), ostavite pokriveno na toplom da se dize (45min - 1 sat).  Izvadite fil iz frizidera, podijelite ga na 6. Podijelite tijesto na 6 dijelova. Razvaljate svaki u krug, zatim u sredu stavite fil. Sastavite krajeve prstima, ostavite svaku lopticu naopako da se odmori, oko 20 minuta.
Razvaljajte lopte njezno na krugove 10-12 cm, zatim izrezite na reznjeve kako je prikazano, pazeci da sredina ostane neprorezana. Hvatajte po dvije 'latice' pa im krajeve slijepite prstima s donje strane. Lagano pritisnite dlanom. Ponovite sa ostalima, zatim premazite bjelancetom, ukrasite sjemenkama i smjestite na papirom oblozenu tepsiju / pleh.
Ukljucite rernu na 180*c. Kada je zagrijana smjestite peciva unutra i pecite 12-15 minuta, ili dok ne postanu blago zlatne. Izvadite i postavite na zicu za hladjenje. Konzumirajte tople ili hladne.

Croissants - step by step

The key for good croissants is chilled dough and butter, and resting between rolling. Use the best butter you can find, as it makes big difference.
Following recipe is for 15-16 large croissants (I always freeze prepared and cut dough, and take out as many as needed), but you can half the recipe if you don't want to leave some dough for later.
Be aware!...they can be addictive!

Ingredients:
4 cups flour (600g)
1/4 cup sugar (50g)
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup warm water
2 tsp (1 packet) instant yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 butter (250g)
Method:
Make a soft dough out of all ingredients (except butter); use bread maker, mixer or hands. Leave to double, then refrigerate for 1/2 an hour (at least, or wrap well and leave it overnight in the fridge). Take out on floured surface and roll out into an oblong shape (pic1). Take butter out of fridge, cut into thin (3-4mm) pieces. Dust a piece of butter with flour on both sides and roll out to 1-2 mm thin. Place it  onto dough, then repeat with other pieces of butter until you cover 2/3 of dough (pic1); make sure your edges (1 cm) of dough are free from butter. Now lift uncovered side of dough and fold as an envelope (1 over 2, then 2 over 3, as shown in picture). Roll out to an long shape (pic 2), turn 45 degrees and fold as shown in pic 3-4. Dust both sides with flour, place onto cutting board, cover with clean tea towel and refrigerate. Let it rest for 30-40 min.
Take out, roll again to an oblong shape (as pic 4 shows). If your working space is narrow, let dough hang down - it's OK. Turn dough and fold again (pic 5). Refrigerate, then after 30-40 min take the dough  out and roll out to a long rectangle. Cut shapes as shown. Roll base of the triangle towards the end (you can cut base as shown - it helps hold specific shape). Place onto lined baking sheet and let it rest on a warm spot.
Preheat oven to 180*C, brush croissants with an beaten egg white (optional) and bake for 12 -15 min, or until golden brown. Enjoy while warm!

'Croissants' - Francuski Polumjeseci

Kljuc za dobre 'Polumjesece' (Croissants) je dobro rashladjeno tijesto i maslac, kao i odmaranje izmedju razvlacenja. Upotrijebite najbolji maslac koji mozete naci, jer cini veliku razliku u okusu.
Sljedeci recept je za 15-16 velikih polumjeseca (ja uvijek pravim po navedenoj mjeri, zatim izrezem tijesto i zamrznem, zatim vadim onoliko koliko mi treba) - recept mozete prepoloviti.
Upozorenje!...mozete postati ovisni!
Potrebno:
4 solje brasna (600 gr)
1/4 solje secera (50 gr)
3/4 solje mlijeka
3/4 solje mlake vode
2 k (1 paket) instant kvasca
1/2 k soli
1 maslac (250gr)
Nacin:
Umijesite tijesto od svih sastojaka (osim maslaca - mozete upotrijebiti mikser, ruke ili pekac), neka naraste, zatim ga smjestite pokriveno u frizider (ili dobro zamotajte i ostavite u frizideru preko noci).
Pobrasnite povrsinu za rad, zatim postavite tijesto i razvaljajte ga u pravougaonik. Izvadite maslac iz frizidera, izrezite ga na komade 4-5 mm. Uzmite 1 komad, pospite brasnom i razvaljajte ga do debljine 2-3 mm. Postavite na tijesto, pa isto ucinite sa preostalim maslacem. Na ovaj nacin prekrijte 2/3 tijesta, ostavljajuci 1 cm pri krajevima slobodno, slika 1.
Prebacite slobodnu stranu tijesta preko maslaca, zatim to ucinite jos jednom, slika 2. Sada razvaljajte tijesto (od sredine prema sebi i od sredine u suprotnom smjeru, kao sto strelice na slici 2 pokazuju. Okrenite tijesto za 45 stepeni, pa ga preklopite na 4 dijela kao sto slike 3 i 4 pokazuju. Pobrasnite obje strane, stavite na dasku za rezanje, pokrijte krpom i smjestite u frizider.
Nakon 30-40 min, ponovite ovaj postupak valjanja, preklopite tijesto (slika 5) i ponovo vratite u frizider.
Nakon 30 -40 min, izvadite razvaljajte u veoma dugacak pravougaonik (slika 6). Izrezite na trouglove kao na slici, zatim savijte kifle (ako zelite specifican izgled, razrezite sredinu dna trougla zavijte kao sto je prikazano na slikama. Ukljucite rernu na 180*C. Postavite  polumjesece na tepsiju oblozenu papirom i ostavite na toplom mjestu. Prije pecenja ih mozete premazati umucenim bjelancetom (po zelji). Pecite oko 12-15 minuta ili dok ne postanu zlatno-zute.
Konzumirajte dok je toplo!

Polish 'Lazy Pierogi'

Simple, comfort Polish food that tastes good!

Ingredients:

Dough-

500 g ricotta 

2 eggs 

1 yolk

1 tsp salt

2-3 tbs cream

2 cups flour (+)

2-3 tbs semolina

Butter / crumb mixture-

40-60 g butter

1/2 cup crumbs

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl; you'll get a sticky dough. Place dough onto well floured surface; divide in 2 and roll into sausages. 

Place a large pan with salted water to boil. Cut dough sausages on diagonal to get pieroges. Place into boiling water (8-10 at a time) and cook for 5-7 minutes; take out onto absorbent paper. Repeat with the rest. Melt butter, add crumbs and cook for 2 minutes. Place pieroges into a bowl and sprinkle with crumbs.

Enjoy!

Poljske 'Lijene Piroške'

Jednostavno, zadovoljavajuce jelo Poljske, koje je odlicnog ukusa!

Potrebno:

Tijesto-

500 gr sira (rikota ili slicno)

2 jaja

1 zumance

1 k soli

2-3 K kajmaka / vrhnja

2 solje brasna (+)

2-3 K griza

Maslac / mrvice posip-

40-60 gr maslaca

1/2 solje mrvica

Nacin:

Umijesite sve sastojke za tijesto; dobicete ljepljivu masu, koju istresete na pobrasnjenu povrsinu. Podijelite na 2 dijela i rukama razvaljajte da dobijete 2 dugacka valjka (kobasice).

Stavite lonac sa zasoljenom vodom da prokljuca. Rezite valjke dijagonalno i ubacujte u kljucalu vodu, po 8-10 komada. Izvadite i ocijedite. Ponovite postupak sa ostalima.

Zagrijte maslac i proprzite mrvice. Smjestite piroske u posude za serviranje i pospite mrvicama. Uzivajte!