Kitchens. Oh how I love them.
I really do. It’s where wonderful things are created and made. Once again, I’ve been having frequent day dreams of what my dream kitchen would look like. No detail is too small to think on. Bench space, natural light, decent storage, bench space, a cookbook shelf, tall stools so people can still talk to you and interact while I’m cooking, (I don’t want to be shut away)…bench space, did I mention that one?
So with all that kitchen thinking, what has actually been happening in my kitchen lately?
Well, I’ve tried Tania’s hot water pastry and loved it to bits. I hadn’t done pastry like that before, loving that it was incredibly easy to make and versatile to roll and shape. (Just how I like my pastry to be.) I had my sights on a Timpano. After watching the movie Big Night seventeen years ago, I still had that one dish on my mind. So finally it was Timpano time. I looked at a few google images and decided there weren’t any particularly flattering shots of the mother of all pasta dishes, I wondered why that was?
Because it’s a complete and utter mess to photograph! Well mine was anyway. It tasted good though, so have vowed to make it again, and see if I can possibly find a flattering side to Signor Timpano.
Renewed love for my rosette bread stamp. I hadn’t used it for a while, so have been happily rediscovering it.
Discoveries of new fair trade chocolate. Made in Madagascar, now that’s a little bit exciting.
And after my last post on a simple every day sourdough recipe, I played with this fella. Max and Becs were asking about no knead bread baked in a cast iron pot and would it work for sourdough. I hadn’t done this method before so I wanted to give it a go. Now I don’t have a cast iron pot but I did it with as little handling as possible, and baked it in a souffle bowl. Did it work? Yes, I think it did. I didn’t get those bubbles and air pockets in there, so it’s a much tighter crumb. But maybe a wetter dough would be more forgiving with the lack of folding/ handling that would normally trap a few more holes.
This is how I did mine.
Mix ingredients together, (I use a mixer) wait for about 40 minutes then add the salt. Mix again and put dough in a really well oiled souffle bowl. Stick a plastic bag over the top and put in the fridge for about 12 hours (over night). Back out on the bench, and bring it back to room temperature. (It’s cold here at the moment so this took about 4 ish hours.)
Baked in the oven with steam at 230C on the top shelf for 20 minutes and ten minutes on the bottom shelf. It stuck a tiny bit round the sides when I went to get it out as it had been nestled in the souffle bowl for 16 plus hours, a little loosening with a knife and it popped out though. If you didn’t want to do that you could line it with bakers paper as well, (or cast iron pot if you have one.)
I would definitely play around with a slightly wetter dough next time, just to see what the crumb structure would be like. It also shows that once again, sourdough, you are a forgiving beast and I love you to bits.
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How about you? Have you been busy in the kitchen?
Linking in with Celia this month.
cityhippyfarmgirl 
Absolutely! I baked your lemon meringue pie and did a post about it- also rhubarb custard pie, made bread and bread and bread- also some fried sourdough that was wonderful!
I have baked in a cast iron pot- and used parchment paper to keep it from sticking.
Your Timpano looks delicious to me. I’m off to follow your link and maybe give this a try myself!
Thanks, Brydie!
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Thank you for giving the pie a go Heidi š
The timpano was deifinitely fun to do, as I had waited for sooo long to do it. The pastry was really versatile to use for lots of other things too…and I do like pastry!
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Your baking no knead! Yay! I am about to publish our version of that recipe in a new cookbook for the Bream Creek Market. š We have been baking the no knead bread for a few years now, and I have one on at the minute. Your bread looks gorgeous! But it occurred to me you might like the lazy version. This recipe is based on inactivity- the less contact and interference the better the results. Cast iron is also essential. They will cook fine without one (I have tried ceramic, normal bread tins, and baking on a tray for buns) but in iron they nearly make you cry they are so beautiful when they are baked in a size 20 le creuset (which I had but don’t anymore but will again with my birthday coming up- Thanks Fred!).
Key points- no mixer. no effort. no work at all. The timing is the crucial aspects. And the pot. The perfect pot is unfortunately really pricey- $279 at the local kitchen store and the other cheaper french brands dont supply a size 20 that I can order or get in Tassie. I am going to buy a cheaper brand ($50 bucks each) in a smaller size and modify the recipe to suit it and see if they are as good- as I am going to start baking bread for the Bream Creek Market and I need pots, lots of them, and dont want to spend a grand just to be able to. š So…
We just mix it all together (3 cups of flour, yeast 1/4 teaspoon, salt pinch, 1 and 5/8ths cups of water- I know that seems silly but it is exactly the right amount of water) with a spoon in about 10 seconds. Cover it with cling wrap (Fred uses a plastic bag) and put it somewhere warm for 14 hours (12-20 hours is fine, I have had mine sitting near the fire all night). When your ready- ply it from the side of the bowl and move it a little until it puffs down and leave it for 15 minutes, then you dust with flour and flour your hands and sort of roughly flop it on itself 2-3 times and roll it into a ball shape covered in flour or seeds or whatever, which prevent the bread from sticking to the pot with the seam on the bottom of the bowl and leave it for about 2 hours. An hour and a half into this 2 hours you preheat the oven to 230 degrees with the pot and at the two hour mark pop the dough into the hot pot- seam up- and put the lid on it and back in the oven. The heavy lid allows the bread to steam itself and it does its magical tearing and rising and cures any flaws in the mix- too wet? no problem, too dry? no problem, it will work. When you can smell the bread filling the house you take the lid off (check that its risen to the lid suitably) and let it brown for another 10 minutes or until cooked- Magic.
The bread is the best texture, flavour and method I have ever encountered and we have been obsessed with it for a while. Our friend Dillion Kesur on facebook has a wonderful album of all of his experiments with this recipe with a few hundred different variations. Hugely inspirational. Although we have tried many other methods this one just beats everything else we have tried hands down. Being super busy people we really don’t have time for anything else and have modified the original Jim Lahey method to accommodate our extra laziness in this regard. He calls for flopping onto the bench for the 15- and 2 hour rise- which just makes a dirty bench and using a tea towel for the final 2 hours coating the dough in flour which makes a very dirty tea towel and that just isn’t practical when you do your laundry. (glue in your washing machine ultimately). Last night after I had mixed all the ingredients together I sprayed the side of the bowl with cooking oil to lubricate and its made the plying off the bowl this morning even easier. š
It should take you (when you set timers and can get on with your life while it is doing its magic) a few minutes of actual contact at most. Maybe 2 minutes of actually doing anything.
Freds sister Rosie uses her sourdough starter in her no knead bread every day, we just use ordinary yeast as the result is perfection either way. Fred’s fathers partner makes a dark and a white dough and puts them side by side in a big cast iron pot and they cook together and tear apart into two different loaves… its all just so much fun. Give it a go! x
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Rebecca thank you so much for taking the time to write all that out, I think that’s going to help a huge amount of people. I’m still not sold on this method but I’ll definitely still play a little more with it. Solely as I just don’t have the space for a pot like that, nor the space for doing multiple loaves at a time….and just quietly I still love getting to slash my loaves š
I love the look of all your lovely things you are going to selling at the markets (IG)…wish I lived closer! Although I did just finish one of my favourite, favourite wines from your area this weekend, which was sort of like being there..sort of.
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Glad I could pass on something you could use Brydie. What an amazing dish you made with that pastry. There are so many chocolates for sale now aren’t there?
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That pastry is a winner Tania. More planned this week…it’s the perfect weather for it.
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The chocolate is divine! I also need more bench space š
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Mr Chocolate hated it it, me though?…loved it.
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Oh, my dream kitchen…lots of natural light, large cupboards and plenty of hanging rails, a central island with inbuilt gas hob, one of those double ranges, a long worktop…The dreams I have. Until then, I will make do š Never heard of a timpano before, is this just me?!
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I don’t think it’s particularly well known, so don’t worry about not having heard of it before. I think it would be a great one to do for a family dinner…thinking big!
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Kitchens are definitely places of magic. Your wish list is similar to mine I suspect – also fitted out with the best in pots and pans š Congratulations on your timpano and that chocolate looks divine!
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The chocolate leaves a lovely warmth after eating it, it was good stuff!
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Cinnamon and sakay chocolate! mmmmmmm yum
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It was Lisa š
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I have a kitchen designer coming this week! Sadly it still won’t be the kitchen of my dreams, because that would be HUGE, but it will hopefully still be dreamy š That chocolate looks yummy indeed!
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Ooooh now that IS exciting though.
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I was so intrigued with Tania’s hot water pastry. I have been meaning to try it. I think your dish looks very good and perfect for the current climate. xx
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I love hot water pastry – a friend gave me a recipe for it a few years ago and I have made it a few times – even tried it with commerical gf flour but it was a disappointment. But it is great for pasties. I will be interested to see more about your timpano if you post about it. As for kitchen design – I love all the space and woodwork and ovens in those grand kitchens like on downton abbey but I don’t think they always have lots of light.
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Your rolls are soo cute, Brydie! You just reminded me that I have a kaiser mold somewhere at the back of the drawer that could be fun to play with. And you may think that Signor Timpano has no attractive angle but I have to say he looks very yummy indeed!!
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The no knead bread looks delicious. What seeds do you add? and whereabouts do you purchase them? x
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Zara it changes all the time with what goes in and depends on what I can get hold of at the time. Sources vary from about 4 different farmers markets and 2 health food shops. This particular batch had sunflower kernels and linseed.
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Thank you so much Brydie, really appreciate you trying out a no knead sourdough. I started my starter today, can’t wait to try your recipe/method x
ps glad i’m not the only one who never heard of a timpano before. REALLY want to try that out too now…
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May your starter be strong and generous Max š
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Hi Brydie – I think we were at the same workshop at the weekend? I overheard you mentioning your blog (sorry to eavesdrop!) and I googled it – and I love it! I have custody of my daughter’s sourdough starter when she goes overseas this weekend so I am going to try out some of your amazing recipes.
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Deirdre I’m so happy you eavesdropped, as we definitely did the same course, (which I’m still buzzing from!) I hope there are some recipes in here that you might like to play with.
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Brydie, I’m forever in your debt for putting us on the quest for a rosette stamp. I use mine just about every week! Love your pastry, and your loaf, but I’m with Mr Chocolate on the chocolate – I didn’t like it either. š
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