Author: Crunch Crunch Away

Jam Sandwich Cookies / Keksići sa pekmezom

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Are you guys aware that Christmas is in less than a week?! Of course you are, I mean, everyone has a calendar. But, seriously, doesn’t it seem like the whole holiday season just sneaked up on us? I definitely have those feels. And if you don’t have all the deserts and cookies planned out yet, here’s a simple recipe for tasty little treats that are also gonna brighten up your holiday table. These are great to make in advance, as they can keep for weeks stored in an airtight container.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 25 – 30 cookies / 2.20 EUR for all)

For the dough:

8 heaping tbsp all-purpose flour (0.07 EUR)

4 heaping tbsp corn starch (0.13 EUR)

4 heaping tbsp caster sugar (0.05 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

125 g butter, at room temperature (1.00 EUR)

1 egg (0.20 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

To assemble cookies:

Jam of choice (0.67 EUR)

Caster sugar (0.03 EUR)

Additional:

Flour for dusting (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

In a bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Add in cubed butter, egg and vanilla and using your fingers form smooth dough. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap in cling foil and refrigerate for at least an hour.

When ready to bake, allow the dough to loosen for 5 minutes at room temperature so it’s easier to work with. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Roll out the dough on a well-floured work surface and cut into desired shapes while cutting small holes in half of the cookies. Spread the cookies on prepared baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes. The cookies will get lighter in shade, but don’t let them start browning. Allow the cookies to sit for 5 minutes on a baking sheet then transfer them on a wire rack to cool off completely.

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To assemble the cookie sandwiches, spread jam on cookies without a hole and toss the half with a hole in caster sugar. Carefully assemble the two together and store cookies in an airtight container in a dry and cool place for later. Or serve them right away if you are so inclined.

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Jeste li svjesni činjenice da je Božić za manje od tjedan dana?! Naravno da jeste, mislim, svi imamo kalendare. Ali, stvarno, ne čini vam se kao da su nam se blagdani jednostavno prišuljali? Ja definitivno imam takav osjećaj. A ako već niste isplanirali do kraja koje ćete kekse i kolače raditi, evo vam jedan jednostavan recept za male poslastice koje će baš fino razveseliti blagdanski stol. Ovi keksići se mogu napraviti i unaprijed, jer drže i par tjedana ako ih čuvate u hermetički zatvorenoj posudi.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 25 – 30 keksa / 16,41 kn za sve)

Za tijesto:

8 velikih žlica glatkog brašna (0,50 kn)

4 velikih žlica kukuruznog škroba (1,00 kn)

4 velikih žlica šećera u prahu (0,40 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

125 g maslaca, na sobnoj temperaturi (7,50 kn)

1 jaje (1,50 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta od vanilije (0,20 kn)

Za složiti kekse:

Pekmez po izboru (5,00 kn)

Šećer u prahu (0,20 kn)

Dodatno:

Brašno za posipanje (0,10 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U zdjeli pomiješajte suhe sastojke. Dodajte maslac narezan na kockice, jaje i vaniliju te rukama umijesite glatko tijesto. Spljoštite tijesto u disk, zamotajte u prijanjajuću foliju i stavite u frižider na barem sat vremena.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje, izvadite tijesto iz frižidera na 5 minuta da se malo otpusti i da vam bude lakše s njim raditi. Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Obložite protvan papirom za pečenje i stavite na stranu. Razvaljajte tijesto na dobro pobrašnjenoj radnoj plohi i režite u željene oblike, a polovicu keksa napravite s rupom. Raširite kekse na pripremljenom protvanu i pecite 6 minuta. Keksići će pobijeliti kako se peku, ali pazite da ne počnu tamniti. Pustite ih 5 minuta da odstoje na protvanu i onda preselite na rešetku da se ohlade do kraja.

Da napravite keksić sendviče, polovice bez rupe premažite pekmezom, a polovice s rupom uvaljajte u šećer u prahu, pa pažljivo spojite kekse. Čuvajte keksiće u hermetički zatvorenoj posudi na suhom i hladnom mjestu. Ili ih poslužite odmah, ako ste tako raspoloženi.

Jam Sandwich Cookies / Keksići sa pekmezom

Gingerbread Cookies / Paprenjaci

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This is my take on holiday classic, resulting with a batch of lovely and fragrant gingerbread cookies that are not overly too sweet. If you’re feeling inspired, you can most certainly take these cookies even further and decorate them with royal icing or make cookie sandwiches with your favorite cream filling. But I personally prefer to nibble them on their own, while sipping some nice hot tea. IMGP4459

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields about 40 cookies / 0.10 EUR per cookie / 4.09 EUR for all)

1 cup all-purpose flour (0.07 EUR)

1 cup whole wheat flour (0.10 EUR)

1 ½ cup ground walnuts (1.33 EUR)

2 tbsp raw cocoa powder (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp ground cinnamon (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp ground ginger (0.03 EUR)

½ tsp ground nutmeg (0.03 EUR)

½ tsp ground cloves (0.03 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

¼ tsp ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 cup butter, cubed and at room temperature (1.60 EUR)

1/3 cup sugar (0.07 EUR)

1 large egg (0.20 EUR)

1 egg yolk (0.20 EUR)

2 tbsp honey (0.27 EUR)

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METHOD:

In a small bowl, mix together flour, ground walnuts, cocoa powder, cinnamon ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg, yolk and honey until creamy. Bit by bit, incorporate the dry ingredients until a uniform mass forms, using a dough-hook attachment on your mixer. Wrap the dough tightly in cling film and store in fridge for at least an hour, but best overnight.

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When ready to bake, preheat oven to 180°C. Line baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. Roll the dough out on a well-floured surface and using a cookie cutter cut into desired shapes. Refrigerate any dough scraps for at least 15 minutes before re-rolling.

Arrange cookies on prepared baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on cookie thickness. Let cookies cool for about five minutes on a baking tray before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. Store cooled cookies in a tin container, in a dry and cool place, for up to a month.

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Ovo je moja verzija tipičnih blagdanskih keksića, a paprenjaci mirišu prekrasno i nisu pretjerano slatki. Ako se osjećate nadahnutima, slobodno idite korak dalje pa kekse ukrasite šećernom glazurom ili složite sendviče od keksića i najdražeg kremastog punjenja. Ali ja ih osobno volim grickati ovakve kakvi jesu, bez ikakvih dodataka, uz šalicu vrućeg čaja.

SASTOJCI:

(Za oko 40 keksića / 0,77 kn po keksiću / 30,63 kn za sve)

1 šalica oštrog pšeničnog brašna (0,50 kn)

1 šalica integralnog pšeničnog brašna (0,75 kn)

1 ½ šalica mljevenih oraha (10,00 kn)

2 žlice kakao praha (1,00 kn)

1 žličica mljevenog cimeta (0,07 kn)

½ žličice mljevenog đumbira (0,25 kn)

½ žličice mljevenog muškatnog oraščića (0,25 kn)

½ žličice mljevenih klinčića (0,25 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

¼ žličice mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

1 šalica (200 g) maslaca, narezanog na kockice i na sobnoj temperaturi (12,00 kn)

1/3 šalice šećera (0,50 kn)

1 jaje (1,50 kn)

1 žutanjak (1,50 kn)

2 žlice meda (2,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U zdjelici pomiješajte brašna, orahe, kakao, cimet, đumbir, muškatni oraščić, klinčice, sol i papar. U većoj zdjeli izmiksajte maslac i šećer da budu pjenasti. Umiksajte jaje, žutanjak i med da dobijete kremu. Malo po malo dodajte suhe sastojke i miksajte sa kukom za tijesto dok se ne formira jednolična masa. Zamotajte tijesto u prijanjajuću foliju i stavite u hladnjak na minimalno jedan sat, a najbolje preko noći.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje zagrijte pećnicu na 180°C. Obložite pleh za pečenje masnim papirom pa stavite na stranu. Razvaljajte tijesto na dobro pobrašnjenoj površini i režite na željene oblike. Ostatke tijesta stavite barem na 15-tak minuta ponovo u hladnjak prije nego što ćete ih opet razvaljati.

Raširite keksiće po pripremljenom plehu za pečenje i pecite 8-10 minuta, ovisno o debljini. Ostavite ih 5 minuta da se hlade na protvanu prije nego ih preselite na rešetku i ohladite do kraja. Ohlađene kekse možete do mjesec dana čuvati u metalnoj posudi na hladnom i tamnom mjestu.

Gingerbread Cookies / Paprenjaci

Shakshuka / Jaja u umaku od rajčica

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I’ve been meaning to post about Shakshuka for a while because it’s my perfect quick, cheap and satisfying lunch solution. As usually, life somehow got in the way. But here’s we are, finally, to admire this tasty dish.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 generous servings / 1.70 EUR per serving / 3.39 EUR for all)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

1 chili pepper (0.20 EUR)

3 cloves of garlic (0.10 EUR)

2 bell peppers (0.67 EUR)

1 can of tomatoes (0.67 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

4 eggs (0.80 EUR)

Small chunk of feta cheese (0.67 EUR)

2 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash, peel and finely dice all the vegetables. Place skillet on high heat, add oil and saute diced onion for a few minutes until slightly translucent. Add in diced chili and garlic, stir and saute for a minute, then add in diced bell pepper and cook for a few minutes to soften. Add in canned tomatoes, salt and pepper. Crush tomatoes with spatula and cook for a few minutes until excess liquid evaporates and the sauce is slightly thickened.

Carefully crack the eggs into the skillet so all the yolks remain intact. Cover skillet with a lid, reduce heat to low and cook shortly, until the whites are cook through, but yolks still remain runny. Using a spatula crumble the cooked egg whites into tomato sauce but leave the yolks intact. Crumble feta on top, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with a hunk of good bread for dipping.

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Već duže vrijeme mislim napisati recept za Shakshuku, jer je to jedna savršena brza, jeftina i zasitna solucija za ručak. Kao i obično, vrijeme je jednostavno proletjelo. Ali evo, recept je napokon tu da se svi možemo diviti ovom ukusnom jelu.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 2 izdašne porcije / 12,61 kn po porciji / 25,22 kn za sve)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

1 čili papričica (1,50 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

2 paprike babure ili roge (5,00 kn)

1 konzerva pelata (5,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

4 jaja (6,00 kn)

Komadić feta sira (5,00 kn)

2 žlice sjeckanog svježeg peršina (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, ogulite i nasjeckajte svo povrće. Stavite tavu na jaku vatru pa na ulju popržite nasjeckani luk da bude staklast. Dodajte nasjeckani čili i češnjak, kuhajte minutu, pa dodajte narezane paprike i dinstajte ih nekoliko minuta da omekšaju. Dodajte pelate, sol i papar. Izgnječite pelate špatulom u komadiće i kuhajte kratko da ispari višak tekućine i umak se ne zgusne.

U takav umak pažljivo razbijte jaja tako da vam svi žumanjci ostanu cijeli. Poklopite tavu, smanjite vatru na nisku i kuhajte par minuta dok se bjelanjci skroz ne skuhaju, a žutanjci još budu tekući. Špatulom izmrvite kuhane bjelanjke u umak od rajčice, ali žumanjke ostavite netaknute. Nadrobite po svemu komadiće fete, posipajte sjeckanim peršinom i poslužite sa komadom nekog finog kruha za umakanje.

Shakshuka / Jaja u umaku od rajčica

Gravlax Style Tuna / Usoljena tuna

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I’ve been thinking of making gravlax – a traditional Nordic dish of cured salmon for a while. Since I couldn’t get a hold of fresh salmon and my fishmonger had the most amazing looking tuna, I decided to go with that. The process of salt curing fish is super easy and only requires you to be patient and wait while the salt and any spices you wanna add do their thing. The most important thing is that you use only very fresh fish, like sushi grade. Since this was my first attempt, I went with very basic recipe. But feel free to go wild here and use any other dried herbs and spices you like.

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INGREDIENTS:

250 grams piece of tuna

3 tbsp salt

1 ½ tbsp sugar

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

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METHOD:

Wash, then pat dry tuna with paper towels. Combine salt, sugar and black pepper in a small bowl. Spread a big sheet of plastic wrap on a bottom of a glass dish. Sprinkle half of salt mixture on the wrap, place tuna on top and then sprinkle with remaining salt mixture. Wrap tightly, but leave one edge open so the liquid can run out. Press tuna with a plate or another dish and place a few cans on top for weight. Refrigerate for 2-3 days, depending on thickness of the fish. I cured mine for 3 days, but suspect it would have been done after 2 already.

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A small note: you can slip a napkin under one side of the tuna dish, so it refrigerates tilted. This will keep all the liquids draining away from the fish. Make sure to discard those liquids about two times a day.

Once the fish is cured, quickly wash away the remaining salt and pat the fish dry. Slice very thinly before serving.

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Već neko vrijeme razmišljam o tome da napravim gravlax – tradicionalni nordijski usoljeni losos. S obzirom na to kako nisam uspjela nabaviti svježi losos, a u mojoj su ribarnici imali predivnu tunu, odlučila sam pokušati sa njom. Procedura sa usoljenom ribom je jako jednostavna i trebate samo biti strpljivi i čekati da sol i začini koje odlučite dodati naprave svoju čaroliju. Najvažnije je da koristite samo jako svježu ribu, kao recimo onu koju bi upotrijebili za sushi. S obzirom da mi je ovo bio prvi pokušaj, odlučila sam se za najosnovniji recept. Ali vi se slobodno razmašite i ubacite bilo koje sušene začine koji vam se dopadaju.

SASTOJCI:

250 g tune u komadu

3 žlice soli

1 ½ žlica šećera

½ žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra

PRIPREMA:

Operite i kuhinjskim ručnikom dobro posušite tunu. U zdjelici pomiješajte sol, šećer i papar. Na dnu staklene posude raširite veći komad plastične folije. Po foliji posipajte pola mješavine soli, stavite na to tunu, pa po njoj posipajte ostatak. Dobro umotajte tunu u foliju, s time da jedan rub ostavite otvoren kako bi tekućina iz ribe mogla otjecati van. Tunu poklopite tanjurom ili drugom posudom koju ćete još opteretiti limenkama. Stavite u hladnjak na 2-3 dana, ovisno o debljini ribe. Ja sam svoju pustila 3 dana, ali mislim da bi već i nakon 2 dana bila gotova.

Mala napomena: podmetnite krpu ili ubrus pod rub posude s tunom kako bi u hladnjaku stajala nagnuta. Tako će vam sva tekućina iz ribe oticati iz ribe na jednu stranu. Dva puta dnevno to izlijte.

Kada je riba gotova, brzo ju isperite od soli pod mlazom vode i posušite kuhinjskim ručnikom. Režite tunu jako tanko prije posluživanja.

Gravlax Style Tuna / Usoljena tuna

Seeded No-Knead Bread / Kruh koji se ne mijesi sa sjemenkama

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Oh hey, I’ve made a no-knead bread again! I’m gonna experiment some more with such bread baking method, so expect more recipes to come in the future.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 medium loaf / 0.70 EUR)

For the dough:

3 cups whole-wheat flour (0.30 EUR)

¼ tsp dry active yeast (0.03 EUR)

1 tbsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

3 tbsp pumpkin seeds (0.20 EUR)

2 tbsp hulled millet (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp ground flax seeds (0.07 EUR)

1 ½ cups warm water (–)

Additional:

Flour for sprinkling (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

In a large mixing bowl whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Pour warm water over the mixture and stir with a spoon to form shabby dough. Cover mixing bowl with cling film and allow the dough to ferment in a warm room for 3-4 hours.

After 3-4 hours when the dough is fermented and bubbly place a heavy lidded and oven safe pot in your oven and preheat everything to 220°C. This is gonna take about 30-40 minutes. During that time turn the dough around on a well-floured counter and just fold it about dozen times with a dough scraper and form it into a ball. Transfer the dough to a bowl lined with parchment paper, similar in shape and size to the dish you’re going to use for baking. Cover with clean kitchen towel and allow to rest while the oven preheats.

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Once the oven and the heavy pot are thoroughly preheated, carefully transfer the dough together with parchment into the pot and bake covered for 30 minutes. After that uncover and bake for 10 more minutes so a beautiful crust can form.

Once the bread is done, transfer it to wire rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing into it.

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Eto, napravila sam još jedan kruh koji se ne mijesi. Planiram još eksperimentirati sa ovom metodom, pa očekujte još recepata u budućnosti.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 srednju štrucu / 5,14 kn)

Za tijesto:

3 šalice integralnog brašna (2,25 kn)

¼ žličice suhog kvasca (0,25 kn)

1 žlica šećera (0,03 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

3 žlice bučinih sjemenki (1,50 kn)

2 žlice prosa (0,50 kn)

2 žlice mljevenih sjemenki lana (0,50 kn)

1 ½ šalica tople vode (–)

Dodatno:

Brašno za posipanje (0,10 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U velikoj zdjeli pomiješajte sve suhe sastojke, zalijte toplom vodom i miješajte žlicom dok se ne oformi labavo tijesto. Zdjelu pokrijte prijanjajućom folijom i ostavite da tijesto fermentira u toploj prostoriji 3-4 sata.

Nakon 3-4 sata kada je tijesto odfermentiralo i napuhalo se, stavite teški lonac sa poklopcem koji je siguran za korištenje u pećnici da se grije skupa sa pećnicom na 220°C. Za to će vam terbati oko 30-40 minuta. U međuvremenu iskrenite tijesto na pobrašnjenu radnu plohu i strugalicom za tijesto ga presavinite desetak puta i oblikujte u loptu. Tijesto preselite u posudu obloženu papirom za pečenje koja je veličinom i oblikom slična loncu u kojem ćete peći kruh. Prekrijte čistom krpom i ostavite da miruje dok vam se pećnica grije.

Kada su pećnica i lonac dobro zagrijani, oprezno preselite tijesto skupa sa papirom za pečenje u vrući lonac, poklopite i pecite 30 minuta. Nakon toga pecite otklopljeno još 10 minuta, da se napravi lijepa korica.

Kada je kruh gotov, preselite ga na rešetku i pustite da se do kraja ohladi prije nego ga krenete rezati.

Seeded No-Knead Bread / Kruh koji se ne mijesi sa sjemenkama

Grilled Tuna (paleo) / Tuna na žaru (paleo)

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I’m ashamed to admit how long it’s been since I’ve last cooked up some fresh fish. Since I bought a beautiful piece of tuna for gravlax, I decided to toss a chunk on a grill as well. I ate it with a handful of cherry tomatoes and this whole lunch was done in about 10 minutes.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 serving / 3.51 EUR)

For tuna:

Tuna fillet of preferred size (2.67 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 tbsp olive oil (0.04 EUR)

For serving:

Handful of cherry tomatoes (0.67 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

Drizzle of olive oil (0.02 EUR)

Juice from ¼ of a lemon (0.07 EUR)

METHOD:

Place grilling pan on high heat and allow it to get thoroughly warmed up. Wash and pat dry tuna with a paper towel. Brush the fish with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on preheated grilling pan and grill for about 3 minutes on one side, then flip and finish for another minute or two on the other side. Meanwhile, while the fish cooks, wash and halve cherry tomatoes and season them with salt and pepper. Transfer cooked fish on a plate with tomatoes, drizzle with a bit more olive oil and lemon juice and dig in right away.

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Sve me sram priznati kada sam zadnji puta kuhala neku svježu ribu. Pošto sam kupila krasanu tunu za gravlax, odlučila sam baciti komad i na gril. Poslužila sam ju sa cherry rajčicama i cijeli je ručak bio gotov u desetak minuta.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 porciju / 26,10 kn)

Za tunu:

File tune po želji (20,00 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

1 žlica maslinovog ulja (0,33 kn)

Za posluživanje:

Pregršt cherry rajčica (5,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

Mrvica maslinovog ulja (0,15 kn)

Sok od ¼ limuna (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Stavite gril tavu na jaku vatru da se dobro ugrije. Operite i papirnatim ručnikom dobro posušite tunu. Premažite ribu maslinovim uljem te posipajte soli i paprom. Stavite peći na zagrijanu tavu i pecite oko 3 minute na jednoj strani, pa okrenite i dovršite još minutu-dvije na drugoj strani. U međuvremenu, dok se riba peče, operite i raspolovite cherry rajčice te ih začinite soli i paprom. Gotovu ribu stavite na tanjur sa rajčicama, pokapajte sa još malo maslinovog ulja i limunovim sokom pa odmah navalite.

Grilled Tuna (paleo) / Tuna na žaru (paleo)

Salsa, Pancetta and Cherry Tomato Spaghetti / Špageti sa šalšom, pancetom i cherry rajčicama

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As with most things in life, my drive for cooking often fluctuates. There are weeks and days when I dive head on into something complicated and don’t mind spending the whole day hovering over the stove. Of course, there are also days when assembling a sandwich seems like a daunting task. This quick recipe definitely falls into the latter spectrum.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 serving / 1.91 EUR)

To cook the spaghetti:

Water (–)

1 tbsp olive oil (0.04 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Handful of spaghetti (0.33 EUR)

For the sauce:

3-4 thin slices of pancetta (0.40 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

½ cup tomato salsa (0.21 EUR)

Handful of cherry tomatoes (0.67 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

For serving:

1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (0.07 EUR)

A bit of fresh basil or parsley (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Place a big pot filled with water, tablespoon of oil and a good pinch of salt on high heat. Bring to a rolling boil, add pasta and cook according to package instructions to al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water for later. Drain spaghetti and rinse well under cold running water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Clean any remaining pasta bits from the pot and return it to high heat. Cut pancetta slices into segments and add them to your pot together with olive oil. Cook briefly, just to crisp pancetta up. Add salsa to the pot, stir and cook for a minute or two. I used some of my roasted tomato salsa, but you’re more than welcome to use whichever’s your favorite. Return pasta to the pot and stir well to coat with the sauce. Cook just briefly so everything is thoroughly heated through. As necessary, add a splash of reserved pasta water. Remove from heat, cut cherry tomatoes in half and toss them with pasta, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with parmesan cheese and chopped up fresh herbs.

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Kao što je slučaj sa većinom stvari u životu, moja želja za kuhanjem često fluktuira. Ima tjedana i dana kada se bacim u nešto komplicirano i nije mi teško provesti cijeli dan kraj šparheta. Naravno, ima također i dana kada mi se slaganje običnog sendviča čini kao nepremostivi pothvat. Ovaj brzinski recept definitivo pripada drugom dijelu spektra.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 porciju / 14,16 kn)

Za skuhati špagete:

Voda (–)

1 žlica maslinovog ulja (0,33 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Pregršt špageta (2,50 kn)

Za umak:

3-4 tanke kriške pancete (3,00 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

½ šalice šalše od rajčica (1,60 kn)

Pregršt cherry rajčica (5,00 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

Za posluživanje:

1 žlica ribanog parmezana (0,50 kn)

Malo svježeg bosiljka ili peršina (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Stavite lonac sa vodom, žlicom maslinovog ulja i dobrim prstohvatom soli na jaku vatru. U kipuću vodu dodajte tjesteninu i kuhajte prema uputi na pakiranju dok ne bude al dente. Sačuvajte ½ šalice vode od tjestenine za kasnije. Ocijedite špagete i dobro isperite pod mlazom hladne vode da se ne nastave kuhati. Stavite na stranu.

Obrišite lonac od eventualnih mrvica tjestenine i vratite ga na jaku vatru. Narežite pancetu na komade i stavite u lonac skupa sa uljem. Kratko kuhajte, samo da se panceta zahrska. Dodajte šalšu, promiješajte i kuhajte minutu-dvije. Ja sam upotrijebila svoju šalšu od pečenih rajčica, ali slobodno iskoristite onu koja vam je najdraža. Vratite tjesteninu u lonac i dobro promiješajte da se obloži umakom. Samo kratko prokuhajte da se sve dobro ugrije. Po potrebi dodajte mrvicu vode od kuhanja tjestenine koju ste sačuvali. Maknite lonac s vatre, raspolovite cherry rajčice, pa ih pomiješajte sa tjesteninom, soli i paprom. Kušajte i prilagodite začine.

Poslužite odmah, posipano sa parmezanom i sa malo nasjeckanog svježeg peršina ili bosiljka.

Salsa, Pancetta and Cherry Tomato Spaghetti / Špageti sa šalšom, pancetom i cherry rajčicama

No-Knead Sandwich Bread / Sendvič kruh koji se ne mijesi

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The saddest thing happened the other day – the bottom heating coil in our oven decided to stop working. We don’t even have our oven for that long, just a bit over two years. However, we bake stuff almost daily. Our oven is still functional, but things just don’t get done nearly as quickly as before. Hopefully, we’ll be able to fix this issue soon.

In other news, I’ve been exploring no-knead breads some more and made a really easy plain white loaf. It’s perfect for sandwiches or to slather with some delicious jam. The actual work with this bread is maybe 10 minutes altogether. However, my advice here is to be patient and not skimp too much on waiting period while the dough ferments. Just don’t try and rush this. Because that’s how the magic happens. During fermentation period tiny air bubbles in bread will form and those are responsible for awesome texture.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 small loaf / 0.16 EUR)

For the bread:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (0.10 EUR)

1 tbsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

¼ tsp dried active yeast (0.03 EUR)

¾ cup warm water (–)

Additional:

Extra flour for sprinkling (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Pour warm water over it and mix everything for a minute with a spoon, until shabby dough forms. This dough is gonna be soft and sticky. Don’t worry if it’s not completely even and just cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm room for 3-4 hours. After 3-4 hours the dough is going to double or even triple in size and it’s going to be full of air bubbles.

Take a round and heavy oven-safe dish together with its lid (cast iron, clay, etc.), place it in the oven and set the oven to 220°C. It’s going to take the oven and your heavy dish about 30-40 minutes to get thoroughly warmed up and in the meantime you can prepare the dough.

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Turn the bubbly dough out on a well-floured work surface and using a scraper fold it over about 10 times. Place parchment paper in a bowl similar in shape and size to the heavy dish you placed in the oven and gently transfer the dough there. Cover with clean kitchen towel and allow to rest in a warm room for another 30-40 minutes, while the oven is heating up.

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After 30-40 minutes, remove hot heavy dish from the oven. Now comes the scary part of carefully transferring the dough, together with parchment, into a piping hot dish. Please don’t burn yourself! Cover the dish with its lid and bake the bread covered for 20 minutes. The steam captured inside the dish is going to do wonders and make bread taste juicy and magical. After 20 minutes remove the lid and bake the bread for 10-15 more minutes, so a beautiful crust can form. If you’re unsure about doneness, you’ll know that the bread is done when it sounds hollow after you tap it on the bottom.

Remove baked bread from the heavy dish and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into it.

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Neki dan nam se desila najtužnija stvar – donji grijač na pećnici nam je krepao. Pećnicu čak ni nemamo tako dugo, malo preko dvije godine. Međutim, skoro svaki dan pečemo nešto. Pećnica nam i dalje radi, ali se stvari ne peku tako brzo kao prije. Nadam se da ćemo taj problemčić ubrzo riješiti.

S druge strane, još sam malo eksperimentirala sa kruhom i napravila jako jednostavnu običnu bijelu štrucu koja je skroz savršena za sendviče ili da ju premažete nekim finim pekmezom. Stvarni posao oko ovog kruha je sve skupa možda 10 minuta. Međutim, moj savjet je da budete strpljivi i ne požurujete stvari dok tijesto fermentira. Tu se upravo dešava čarolija. Za vrijeme fermentacije u tijestu će se formirati mali mjehurići zraka i upravo su oni odgovorni za divnu teksturu.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 malu štrucu / 1,16 kn)

Za kruh:

1 ½ šalica glatkog brašna (0,75 kn)

1 žlica šećera (0,05 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

¼ žličice suhog kvasca (0,25 kn)

¾ šalice tople vode (–)

Dodatno:

Malo glatkog brašna za posipanje (0,10 kn)

PRIPREMA:

U srednjoj zdjeli pomiješajte brašno, šećer, sol i kvasac. Zalijte toplom vodom i promiješajte kratko žlicom dok se ne oformi labavo tijesto. Ono će biti mekano i ljepljivo. Ne brinite se ako vam nije sve skroz jednolično i samo pokrijte posudu plastičnom folijom i ostavite da odstoji 3-4 sata u toploj prostoriji. Nakon 3-4 sata tijesto će se udvostručiti, ako ne i utrostručiti, te će biti puno zračnih mjehurića.

Uzmite okruglu tešku posudu sa poklopcem koja može u pećnicu (od lijevanog željeza, keramike i sl.), te ju stavite da se grije u pećnicu na 220°C. Pećnici će skupa sa posudom trebati oko 30-40 minuta da se skroz ugrije, a za to vrijeme pripremite tijesto.

Iskrenite fermentirano tijesto na dobro pobrašnjenu radnu plohu. Strugalicom za tijesto ga presavinite desetak puta. Stavite papir za pečenje u posudu koja je veličinom i oblikom slična onoj koja vam se grije u pećnici te nježno u nju preselite tijesto. Pokrijte čistom krpom i ostavite da se diže u toploj prostoriji 30-40 minuta, dok se pećnica grije.

Nakon 30-40 minuta izvadite ugrijanu posudu iz pećnie. Sada dolazi zastrašujući dio kada tijesto skupa sa papirom trebate preseliti u vruću posudu. Molim vas nemojte se ozlijediti! Pokrijte posudu njenim poklopcem i stavite kruh peći pokriven 20 minuta. Para koja se skupi u posudi će učiniti to da kruh bude sočan i čudesan. Nakon 20 minuta maknite poklopac i pecite kruh otklopljen još 10 minuta kako bi se napravila lijepa korica. Ako niste sigurni da li je kruh gotov, kucnite ga po donjoj strani. Ako zvuči šuplje, onda je gotov.

Izvadite pečeni kruh iz posude i ostavite ga da se skroz ohladi na rešetci, a prije nego što ćete ga krenuti rezati.

No-Knead Sandwich Bread / Sendvič kruh koji se ne mijesi

Cacao Nutty Oatmeal (vegan) / Zobena kaša sa orasima i kakaom (veganska)

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I have a quick an easy recipe for you guys which you can make in advance and have breakfast ready for the whole week. Since we all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you definitely don’t want to miss out on this one.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 servings / 0.36 EUR per serving / 2.14 EUR for all)

1 ½ cups rolled oats (0.20 EUR)

½ cup ground walnuts (0.40 EUR)

½ cup raisins (0.40 EUR)

3 tbsp ground flax seed (0.10 EUR)

3 tbsp honey (0.40 EUR)

2 tbsp raw cacao powder (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp ground cloves (0.07 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

5 cups water (–)

6 tbsp crushed toasted hazelnuts (0.40 EUR)

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METHOD:

Place all ingredients except toasted hazelnuts in a pot on high heat, while stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low as soon as it reaches boil, keep stirring and cook for about 5 minutes, so the oatmeal cooks through and thickens. It’s going to thicken even more as it cools down, so don’t worry about any remaining liquids.

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Distribute oatmeal between containers, sprinkle each portion with toasted hazelnuts and you have a ready-made breakfast for a week. Yay! This reheats wonderfully and I love to have it with a tiny splash of dairy or nut milk, or with yogurt. Now you have zero excuses for skipping breakfast.

If you wanna make an even bigger batch – no problem! Sometimes I’d do that and freeze all extra individual servings. I’d just take a portion out of the freezer the night before and have it ready to grab in the morning.

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Imam za vas jedan brzi i jednostavan recept koji možete napraviti unaprijed i imati spreman doručak za cijeli tjedan. S obzirom da svi znamo kako je doručak najbitniji obrok u danu, ovo definitivno ne želite propustiti.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 porcija / 2,66 kn po porciji / 15,96 kn za sve)

1 ½ šalica zobenih pahuljica (1,50 kn)

½ šalice mljevenih oraha (3,00 kn)

½ šalice grožđica (3,00 kn)

3 žlice mljevenih sjemenki lana (0,75 kn)

3 žlice meda (3,00 kn)

2 žlice kakao praha (1,00 kn)

1 žličica mljevenih klinčića (0,50 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta od vanilije (0,20 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

5 šalica vode (–)

6 žlica komadića tostiranih lješnjaka (3,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Stavite sve sastojke osim komadića lješnjaka u lonac na jaku vatru. Pustite da zavrije, uz stalno miješanje. Čim kaša zavrije, smanjite vatru na nisku, nastavite miješati i kuhajte oko 5 minuta dok se sve ne zgusne a zobene pahuljice se ne skuhaju. Kaša će se zgusnuti još više kako se bude hladila, pa ne brinite ako vam se čini da ima previše tekućine.

Raspodijelite zobenu kašu među posudicama i posipajte sa komadićima tostiranih lješnjaka. Sada imate spreman doručak za cijeli tjedan, hura! Ova kaša se super podgrijava, a ja ju najviše volim sa mrvicom kravljeg ili mlijeka od orašastih plodova, ili sa malo jogurta. Sada više nemate izgovor za preskakanje doručka.

Ako hoćete napraviti još veću količinu – nema problema! Neki puta i sama tako napravim pa sav višak smrznem u pojedinačnim porcijama. Večer prije si samo izvadim porciju iz škrinje i ujutro imam spreman doručak za zgrabiti sa sobom.

Cacao Nutty Oatmeal (vegan) / Zobena kaša sa orasima i kakaom (veganska)

Purple Cabbage Soup (including a vegan option) / Juha od crvenog kupusa (sa veganskom opcijom)

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I know, I know, another cabbage recipe! But I’m really into cabbage lately. And soups!

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 servings / 0.53 EUR per serving / 3.18 EUR for all)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

2 tbsp sunflower seed oil (0.01 EUR)

½ head of purple cabbage (0.40 EUR)

4 garlic cloves (0.13 EUR)

3 large carrots (0.20 EUR)

1 large parsnip (0.60 EUR)

3 medium sized potatoes (0.20 EUR)

2 bay leaves (0.05 EUR)

6 cups meat or vegetable broth (1.47 EUR)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp salt – only if using unsalted broth (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash, peel and finely chop all the vegetables. In a large pot, saute onion on oil for a few minutes, until translucent. Add in shredded cabbage and cook for a few minutes to soften. Then add in finely chopped garlic, carrots and parsnip chunks, stir and cook briefly. Place the rest of the ingredients to the pot and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and simmer with a lid cracked open for about 20 minutes, until potatoes are thoroughly cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Also a small note on salt: better to avoid adding salt altogether if your broth is salty. You can easily add in some more when the soup is cooked, if necessary.

Serve the soup hot. This dish reheats wonderfully, so you’ll have lunch situations sorted out for a while, should you decide to cook up a bigger batch.

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Znam, znam, još jedan recept sa kupusom! Ali sam totalno ufurana u kupus u zadnje vrijeme. I u juhe!

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 porcija / 3,97 kn po porciji / 23,81 kn za sve)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

2 žlice suncokretovog ulja (0,10 kn)

½ glavice crvenog kupusa (3,00 kn)

4 češnja češnjaka (1,00 kn)

3 velike mrkve (1,50 kn)

1 veliki pastrnjak (4,50 kn)

3 srednja krumpira (1,50 kn)

2 lovorova lista (0,40 kn)

6 šalica mesnog ili povrtnog temeljca (11,00 kn)

½ žličice svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,05 kn)

1 žličica soli – samo ako koristite neslani temeljac (0,01 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite, ogulite i fino narežite svo povrće. U velikom loncu na ulju kratko prodinstajte luk, dok ne postane staklast. Dodajte narezani kupus i kuhajte par minuta da omekša. Onda umiješajte fino nasjeckani češnjak i narezane mrkvu i pastrnjak, pa kratko prokuhajte. Dodajte u lonac sve ostale sastojke, promiješajte i pustite da zavrije. Smanjite vatru pa krčkajte sa odškrinutim poklopcem 20 minuta, dok se krumpir skroz ne skuha. Kušajte i prilagodite začine. Također, mala napomena što se tiče soli: bolje nemojte ništa soliti ako koristite slani temeljac. Lako na kraju kada je juha gotova možete dosoliti.

Poslužite juhu vruću. Ovo se jelo super podgrijava, pa ćete imati riješen ručak za par dana, ako se odlučite skuhati veću količinu.

Purple Cabbage Soup (including a vegan option) / Juha od crvenog kupusa (sa veganskom opcijom)