Focaccia doesn't mean ugly seal!

Have you ever heard of focaccia? It's an Italian type of bread which translated literally means ugly seal, but it actually doesn't have anything to do with this funny animal. 

Focaccia is very popular in Italy as its dough is very similar to the one of pizza. Since it's usually topped with "dry" ingredients such as herbs, olives, or onions, instead of with tomato sauce and mozzarella, olive oil is generously spread over the dough to preserve the moisture. Also a common thing to do is to dot it, either with a fork or with fingers, in order for the dough to soak the oil. 

I made this week the version with herbs and salt and want to share the recipe with you.

Ingredients

400 ml. water

15 gr. salt

12 gr. yeast

2 spoons of sugar 

600 gr. flour

100 ml. olive oil

mixed herbs: sage, rosemarin, basil, oregano, etc.

Procedure

Put in a bowl the yeast and the sugar and stir with 20 ml. of water until melted. In the remaining water melt the salt and add the oil. Put the flour in your mixer and add the fluid mixtures. Mix for about 5 minutes or until you have a homogeneous but sticky dough (if you prefer you can work with your hands). On an oven tray pour some oil and place your dough ball in the middle. Put the tray in the oven without turning it on (this is very important!) and let the dough rise for about an hour. As soon as it has doubled its size you can start giving it the right shape by spreading it with your hands and some oil. Make sure to leave fingerprints or to dot it with a fork. Then let it rise for 10 more minutes. Now heat your oven at 200• C and in the mean time add the herbs, salt, and oil that is left over. Spray over your focaccia some water; it's important to crate a humid environment to keep the dough soft. If necessary spread more water whilst the focaccia bakes for 15 minutes. When golden-brown it is ready. Let it cool down and then enjoy a bite of Italy!

Enjoy ♥

Martina

AAA: Bunny lost in the snow

Happy Easter all!!!

Have a great day filled with family moments, colored eggs, lovely sweets, loads of chocolate, and funny bunnies!

Unfortunately it's snowing in Salzburg so no egg hunting or picnicking but... BAKING!

Enjoy ♥

Martina

I ♥ APPLES (& You)

Guys, guys, guys oh what a great weekend! 

I went skiing in Schladming: wonderful weather, cool slopes, best company ever ♥

It has been the nicest way too end the skiing season.

When I go skiing I love to eat Austrian Apfelstrudel with hot vanilla sauce. I am quite sure most of you know waht I am talking about and have succesfully baked apple strudel at home. I also do it quite oftenly; my dad taught me how to bake it since he loves it but is too lazy to peel the apples. What I learned from him is the traditional recipe, but the one I am showing you today is a new version, an idea I had...

a sweet bread braid hugging apples!

It's a yeast based dough - the same you use to make bread or sweet bread- with sugar and a little butter, but no eggs, which embraces a heart of apples, cinnamon and raisins (if you like them).

It's really good and fluffy and something different from the usual Apfelstrudel.

Enjoy ♥

Martina

Rapunzel

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb the golden stair.

 Today I'm sharing with you one of my favourite recipes: the Austrian sweet bread braid or "Riesenstriezel". It's very easy and quick to do and it always tastes delicious!

Ingredients:

500 gr. flour (wheat, rye or spelt = Weizen, Roggen oder Dinkel)

300 ml. warm water or milk

30 gr. yeast

50 gr. butter

100 gr. sugar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

chocolate chips

1 egg

Procedure:

In a bowl melt the yeast with the warm water and mix to it the sugar.

In your mixer put the flour, salt, butter, and using the hook start mixing. Then add the water-yeast-sugar mixture and keep on mixing all the ingrediendts. If it looks too liquid add more flour, on the other hand if it looks too dry add water. 

Once you have a soft and elastic dough put it in a floury bowl and cover it with a dishcloth. Let it rise for at least one hour. When the dough has doubled its size add the chocolate chips.

Take an oven dish with baking paper and start forming your braid: divide the dough in three parts and form three rolls you will braid and join at both ends. Brush it with the egg.

Put the braid in the oven at 180° C for about 20 minutes, it will be ready as soon as you see a nice golden crust.

Serving & eating suggestion:

Let the braid cool down before serving. Decorate your braid with some chocolate chips (eg. hearts). Eat it spread with some Nutella cream and drink a hot chocolate :-P

Enjoy ♥

Martina

Winds of change...

It'a called bora and it's the wind which made my weekend, but stole my voice.

I was at home in Trieste and had such a great time! From the top of the lighthouse I watched the Barcolana, an historical European sailing race, one of the largest in the world as in number of partecipants. I love to live the city in this occasion so I woke up early, bought a "cornetto alla crema", met a friend and drove together to the lighthouse, waited for a while, walked a lot of steps to the top, ate the cornetto, coped with a fat photographer, and finally saw a sea of white sails with snowy mountains in the background. The company and the warm autumn weather were just perfect.

Every time I go home I realize how much I miss the sea and the smell of salt. For this reason today I baked something which reminds me of home: baba', a small yeast cake saturated in rum.

Enjoy ♥

Martina