Recipe: Calzones

The pocket pizza. 

My enormous calzones

You can also use the dough recipe as a regular pizza pizza base!

Ingredients:

• 500g strong flour
• 1 sachet of fast acting yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp oil
• 325ml warm water

Method:

1. Put flour, yeast and salt into a large bowl.
2. Mix together the warm water and oil, and add the the dry mix.
3. Stir into a soft dough with a wooden spoon.
4. Once combined, place onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
5. Place into a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cling film.
6. Leave in a warm place for about an hour. (Dough should have doubled in size)
7. Punch down and divide into six balls.
8. Roll into circles, about 1 cm thick and spread on your sauce, leaving a 2cm boarder from the edge.
9. Fill with your favourite toppings. (My favourites are goats cheese, spinach and mushroom!)
10. Fold over, pressing the edges down to keep the filling in. I crimped mine to ensure.
11. Place onto a baking tray, lined with baking paper, and prove for another 30 minutes.
12. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees centigrade. 
13. Brush you calzones with oil and bake for 25 minutes (or until golden brown)

Recipe: Sun-dried tomato and basil bread

Final product

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of warm water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups strong bread flour
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp of dried basil
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 sachet of dried yeast

Method:

1. In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
2. Add two cups of the flour and all other ingredients and start mixing with a fork (or dough hook if you have one)
3. Add the last cup of flour, this prevents dough from sticking to the sides.
4. Transfer the dough into a new, clean bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place for an hour. (Will have doubled in size)
5. After it has risen, punch the dough down and shape into an oval.
6. Place your dough into a lightly greased 2 pound loaf tin, cover and leave to prove for a further 30 minutes. 
7. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees centigrade. 
8. After 30 minutes and proved, bake for 15 - 20 minutes. The bread should appear lightly golden brown.
9. Leave to cool on a wire rack. When slightly warm, serve with a bowl of good, hearty soup.

Recipe: Apple and Berry Cobbler

Cobbler is a fantastic Sunday dessert to accompany your hearty roast dinner. 

Finished product: Warm with the juices of the fruit bubbling. Best served with custard. 

Ingredients:

Filling:

• Five Bramley apples
• Around 300g of Blue and Blackberries 
• 30g Butter
• 50g Soft light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon

Cobblers:

• 255g self-raising flour
• 1/4 tsp of cinnamon
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 5 tbsp milk
• 100g cold butter

Method:

1. Peel and core the bramley apples, then slice finely.
2. Place the apple slices and berries in the pie dish.
3. Melt the 30g of butter and pour over the fruit.
4. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the fruit and then mix together so all are evenly coated.

Your filling should look like this. Evenly coated and moist.

Leave the filling to one side whilst you make the cobbler. 

1. Preheat your oven to 180C
2. In a mixing bowl, place the flour and cinnamon, then rub until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Once rubbed, stir in the sugar.
4. Beat the egg and four of the five tablespoons of milk together in a small bowl and then add to the dry mix.
5. Mix the two together until a soft dough is formed. 
6. Knead out of the bowl for five minutes and then roll until around a couple of centimetres thick
7. With a glass or a round cutter, cut out as many rounds you can from the dough. (I got around 8 rounds)
8. With your finger poke a ridge into the rounds and with the remaining milk, brush over each round.
9. Sprinkle some brown sugar over the top of the rounds and bake for around 30 minutes. (If your tops are golden, but the fruit isn't quite done, place some foil over the top so it can be placed back in the oven without burning your cobblers for a further 10 minutes.)
10. When ready, serve with custard or ice-cream, which ever is to your liking.

    

    A great dessert for those that love tart flavours.