Episode 4 of Thandi's recipes

Mozzarella, Tomato and egg curried tagliatelle

This easy and flavoursome recipe is perfect for a summer’s day. I also serve it with Italian meats and salad garnish if I want a meat option

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g fresh tagliatelle

3 large beef tomatoes

1 large red onion

2 tsp strong curry powder

Olive oil

Cracked black pepper

Salt flakes

3 eggs

100g Mozzarella

Italian meats of choice (optional)

6 fresh basil leaves roughly chopped

Method

Cut the tomatoes into wedges and thinly slice the onion. Lightly fry the onion in a medium sized saucepan with a little oil.  

Add the tomatoes and curry powder and lower the heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes stirring occassionally. After 10 minutes add the curry powder and stir. Season to taste with the black pepper and salt. Cover and leave to simmer for another 10 minutes 

Meanwhile boil some water in a large saucepan and add the pasta. Boil for 3 minutes and drain into a colander. Season with chilli flakes and drizzle some olive oil over the pasta and rub the oil through the pasta with your hands. This stops the pasta from sticking together. 

Set oven to 200 degrees celcius. Transfer pasta to an oven proof dish and pour tomato sauce over the pasta. Cover the top with the sliced mozzarella  

and break  3 eggs over the top. Cook in the oven for 7 minutes until the eggs are cooked to your liking

Once cooked serve with italian meats on top and garnish with basil leaves.  

oooOooo

Apricot & Spiced Apple Chutney Cholla Plait

Lately  my bakes have been cake themed so I thought a change to breads is wise. This recipe is a favourite of mine for the summer to accompany salads and light meals. The key to a good loaf is thorough kneading and proving as well as a bain marie in the oven when baking which gives the loaf a great crust. As a science teacher, I use bread making to teach respiration in yeast as well as how changing the conformation of a protein like gluten by kneading alters its properties in bread making. So please use this recipe to also teach the kids some science! 

Makes 1 large loaf

Preparation time 3 hrs

Baking time 25mins

Ingredients

500g strong bread flour (I use Allison’s for this bake) plus extra for dusting

Generous pinch of salt

25g caster sugar

10g instant yeast

30g unsalted butter softened

2 medium eggs lightly beaten plus extra egg for glazing

50g finely chopped apricots

2tbsp spiced apple chutney or chutney of choice

50ml warm milk

90ml cool water

Method

Into a large mixing bowl tip flour and add salt, sugar and yeast to separate sides of the bowl. The yeast cannot touch  the salt as this kills it. Add butter, eggs and milk followed by half the water. 

Turn the mix round using your fingers combining the ingredients. Add a little water at a time if mixture is too dry until all the flour on the sides of the bowl is incorporated. Take care not to add too much water here and make the mixture soggy. Keep going until you form a rough dough.

Lightly flour a work surface and tip dough onto the surface. Knead dough with the heel of your palm  turning the dough 45 degrees every couple of kneads and folding outer dough into centre at each turn until you form a smooth and silky dough.  

This usually takes 7-10 minutes. Persevere here as you want to develop the gluten and fully combine the ingredients together.  You will know that you have fully kneaded the dough when it becomes more elastic and smooth and feels lighter too. If you need to add a little flour whilst kneading do so but do not over do it as this will dry the dough.

Oil a large bowl and place now smooth and silky dough into the bowl. Boil n kettle full of water and place a tea towel over the spout to lightly steam the tea towel. I find yeast respires better in humid conditions hence the steaming. Cover the dough with the steamed tea towel and leave in a warm room to prove for a minimum of 1 hr until dough has doubled in size. You can leave the dough for up to 3 hrs depending on the temperature of the room as yeast enzymes have a specific optimum temperature but will still work at lower temperatures just for longer. The amount of gluten in the flour used also affects proving time so be patient. 

After the proving time is up, tip the  dough onto a floured surface  and flatten it roughly using your fist. To the centre add the apricots and chutney and carefully fold into dough then knead until there is an even distribution of apricots and chutney. The dough gets quite sticky, use some flour to dry the dough. Roll the dough into a long roll approximately 30cm in length.

Divide the dough into 3 equal parts and roll each part into a long shape. Place the long shapes perpendicular to you and hold the tip of all 3 together and tuck the ends underneath to seal them.

Carefully plait one roll over the other tightly until you have a perfect braid. To seal the end fold the 3 tips inwards into the dough. You may need to redo the top end if it become loose during plaiting. 

Carefully transfer plait to a baking tray lined with parchment. Cover the tray loosely with a clear plastic bag or clingfilm ensure the plastic is not touching the dough. Leave to prove for another hour until dough has risen to double its size.

Whilst the dough is proving, set oven to 200 degrees celcius and place a metal saucepan or deep tray filled with water at the bottom of the oven

After the dough has risen to a desired level, brush with the beaten egg and place on the lower part of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until a tap on the bottom of the loaf produces a hollow sound. 

 The loaf colours quickly due to sugar and egg hence the lower level in oven so keep an eye on it that it doesn't go too brown. I normally turn it over to avoid it going too dark and allow base to form a good crust too.

Cool on a wire rack and serve as desired. I have this loaf with goats’ cheese and some italian meats.

More recipes to follow.........