Author: Crunch Crunch Away

Homemade pita bread / Domaći pita kruh

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I’m always amazed at how much difference in quality there is between homemade and store bought breads. So if you are eying the recipe length and wondering “Is this really worth my time?”, my answer to you is YES! Always a yes.

It might seem like there are a million steps by the length of the recipe, but actually, it’s all pretty straightforward. Plus, there are instructions for both stovetop and oven baked pitas, so choose whichever you like more. Stovetops would always be my preferred choice, as you get those delicious charred parts. But the advantage of oven baked is that you get to make more pitas at the same time and don’t need to hover over them.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 pita breads / 0.06 EUR per pita / 0.48 EUR for all)

1 cup warm water (–)

1 tsp active dry yeast (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

2 1/3 – 3 cups plain white flour, divided (0.20 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

3 tbsp olive oil + more for greasing the bowl (0.13 EUR)

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Oven baked pita

METHOD:

First prepare the yeast by whisking together water, yeast, sugar and 1 tsp flour in a large bowl. Set aside for 10-15 minutes until it’s bubbly. If the yeast doesn’t bubble it means that either your yeast was old or the water was too hot and killed it, in which case you need to discard the mix and start all over again, or your dough won’t puff. Sorry, it’s just the way it is.

Once the yeast is bubbly, put in 2 1/3 cups of flour, salt and olive oil and give everything a good stir. Once the dough starts coming together, dump it all onto a lightly floured counter and knead for about 10-15 minutes, until the dough becomes silky and forms a nice ball, sprinkling with more flour if necessary.

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VS. stovetop pita

Clean the large mixing bowl you were using, add a bit more of olive oil in it and turn the dough ball around until it’s greased on all sides. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and set aside for 1-2 hours for rising, until the dough doubles in size. You want the dough to rise someplace warm where there are no drafts.

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When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 220°C if baking pita in the oven. Turn the risen dough over on a counter and softly deflate. Gently knead into a ball and divide into 8 equal parts. Whatever you’ll be using up right away, roll into thin disks and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for 4-5 minutes, until pitas are puffy. Everything else you can keep in your fridge, tightly wrapped in a plastic wrap up to one week. I’ve found that pita’s actually taste better when you use the dough after it’s been sitting in a fridge, so it’s worth having a batch of dough around.

If you’re making pitas stovetop, preheat skillet over a high flame and bake pitas for 1-2 minutes on each side. To keep the pitas warm until ready to eat, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel. They are best eaten right away, while still warm.

Uvijek se fasciniram time kolika je razlika u kvaliteti između domaćeg kruha i onog kupovnog. Tako da, ako gledate dužinu ovog recepta i pitate se „Da li je ovo stvarno vrijedno mojeg vremena?“, moj odgovor je DA! Uvijek da.

Možda vam se čini da po dužini recepta da ovdje ima milijon koraka, ali zapravo je sve poprilično jasno. Osim toga, tu su upute za pita kruh koji možete peći i na štednjaku i u pećnici, pa odaberite opciju koja vam se više sviđa. Pečenje na štednjaku bi uvijek bilo moj prvi izbor, jer onda dobijete finu zapečenu koricu. Ali prednost pečenja u pećnici je da istovremeno možete peći više kruhića, i to bez da cijelo vrijeme stražarite nad njima.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 pita kruhića / 0,44 kn po piti / 3,52 kn za sve)

1 šalica tople vode (–)

1 žličica suhog kvasca (1,00 kn)

1 žličica šećera (0,01 kn)

2 1/3 – 3 šalice glatkog brašna, podijeljene (1,50 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

3 žlice maslinovog ulja + još malo za namastiti posudu (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Prvo pripremite kvasac tako da u velikoj zdjeli izmiješate vodu, kvasac, šećer i 1 žlicu brašna. Stavite na stranu na 10-15 minuta dok ne postane pjenasto. Ako kvasac ne postane pjenast, znači da je ili star ili da vam je voda bila prevruća pa ste pobili kvasac, pa to morate baciti i početi ispočetka jer vam se inače tijesto neće dignuti. Sori, to je jednostavno tako.

Kada je kvasac postao pjenast, dodajte unutra 2 1/3 šalice brašna, sol i maslinovo ulje i dobro sve promiješajte. Kako se tijesto bude formiralo, tako sve istresite na lagano pobrašnjenu radnu plohu i mijesite 10-15 minuta, sve dok tijesto ne bude glatko i ne oblikujete ga u loptu, a po potrebi dodajte u tijesto malo po malo brašna.

Očistite posudu koju ste koristili, kapnite malo ulja u nju, pa okrećite po posudi kuglu tijesta kako bi se namastila sa svih strana. Pokrijte posudu čistom krpom i ostavite tijesto da se diže 1-2 sata, dok se ne udvostruči. Najbolje je ostaviti tijesto da se diže na toplom mjestu bez propuha.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje, zagrijte pećnicu na 220°C ako pečete pite u pećnici. Dignuto tijesto izokrenite na radnu plogu i nježno ispuhnite. Lagano umijesite kuglu i podijelite na 8 jednakih dijelova. Ono što planirate odmah koristiti razvaljajte u tanke diskove i rasporedite po protvanu za pečenje obloženom masnim papirom i pecite u pećnici 4-5 minuta, dok pite ne budu lijepo pufaste. Sav višak tijesta možete čuvati u hladnjaku dobro zamotan u plastičnu foliju do tjedan dana. Osobno mislim da su kruhići još finiji kada tijesto odstoji neko vrijeme u hladnjaku, pa se isplati imati turu tijesta pri ruci.

Ako radite pite na štednjaku, dobro zagrijte tavu na jakoj vatri i pecite pite 1-2 minute na svakoj strani. Da vam kruhići budu topli, držite ih umotane u čistu kuhinjsku krpu. Najbolje ih je poslužiti odmah, dok su još topli.

Homemade pita bread / Domaći pita kruh

Spicy Bean Burgers (vegetarian) / Pikantni burgeri od graha (vegetarijanski)

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Low on cash, but want to make something filling and delicious? Fear not, these burgers are just the thing.

I came up with this recipe in order to use up all of the bits and bobs I had lying around the house. For different bits and bobs you have on your hand, feel free to subtract or add things. Just remember, you’ll need to add plenty of dry ingredients to the mashed beans and chopped vegetables to hold those burgers together. Here I opted for soy flakes, so I could ditch breadcrumbs or flour and make the burgers even more protein packed.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 8 burger patties / 0.27 EUR per patty / 2.14 EUR for all)

1 ½ cup precooked cannellini beans (0.40 EUR)

1 small onion, finely diced (0.07 EUR)

3 garlic cloves, minced (0.10 EUR)

½ small bell pepper, finely diced (0.13 EUR)

1 cup dried soy flakes (0.53 EUR)

1 large egg (0.20 EUR)

2 tbsp finely grated hard cheese, like Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, etc. (0.13 EUR)

Bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp ground flax seed (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

2 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce (0.27 EUR)

1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika (0.03 EUR)

½ tsp smoked paprika (0.03 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

Strain the beans from any liquid and pat dry with a kitchen towel, then mash them up using a potato masher. Add all of the ingredients to the bean paste and stir really well to combine. Let sit for about half an hour, so all the flavors can mix.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 200°C. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and using a large spoon (or large ice cream scoop, if you have one), divide the mixture on baking sheet. Gently press the down with your hands and thus form into patties. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until crispy and deep golden-brown.

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Niste baš pri novcima, a htjeli biste napraviti nešto zasitno i ukusno? Ne bojte se, ovi burgeri su baš prava stvar.

Ovaj sam recept smislila da potrošim sve ostatke koji su mi se povlačili po kući. Slobodno oduzmite ili dodajte stvari da biste upotrijebili sve ostake hrane koje vi imate doma. Samo imajte na umu da trebate u burgere dodati dovoljno suhih sastojaka u pastu od graha i nasjeckano povrće kako bi se sve držalo na okupu. Ja sam se odlučila za sojine ljuspice da mogu izbaciti krušne mrvice i kako bi burgeri bili još napucaniji sa proteinima.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 8 burgera / 1,99 kn po burgeru / 15,97 kn za sve)

1 ½ šalice već skuhanog bijelog graha (3,00 kn)

1 mali luk, sitno nasjeckan (0,50 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka, sitno nasjeckana (0,75 kn)

½ male paprike babure, sitno nasjeckane (1,00 kn)

1 šalica sojinih ljuspica (4,00 kn)

1 jaje (1,50 kn)

2 žlice fino naribanog tvrdog sira, kao parmezan, Grana Padano i sl. (1,00 kn)

Pregršt svježeg peršina, sitno nasjeckanog (0,50 kn)

2 žlice mljevenih sjemenki lana (0,50 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

2 žlice tajlandskog slatkog chili umaka (2,00 kn)

1 žličica slatke crvene paprike (0,25 kn)

½ žličice dimljene crvene paprike (0,25 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

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

PRIPREMA:

Ocijedite grah od tekućine i malo ga posušite kuhinjskim ručnikom, pa ga onda izgnječite sa gnječilicom za krumpir. Dodajte sve sastojke u pastu od graha i dobro sve promiješajte. Pustite smjesu da odstoji oko pola sata kako bi se svi okusi proželi.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje, zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Obložite protvan za pečenje masnim papirom, pa velikom žlicom (ili velikom žlicom za sladoled, ako ju imate) grabite smjesu na protvan. Rukama nježno pritisnite smjesu da biste formirali burgere. Pecite oko 25-30 minuta, dok burgeri ne budu hrskavi i ne dobiju lijepu zlatno-smeđu boju.

Spicy Bean Burgers (vegetarian) / Pikantni burgeri od graha (vegetarijanski)

Vegan Soy Bolognese / Veganski sojonjez

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This dish has become my weeknight staple, as it’s incredibly quick and zero fuss. I usually whip up a humongous batch and then have lunch situations at work settled during the next few days. On top of this, the ingredient list is super short and it’s basically stuff that I always have lying around.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 0.45 EUR per serving / 1.78 EUR for all)

1 large onion, diced (0.10 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil (0.09 EUR)

3 garlic cloves, minced(0.09 EUR)

1 can diced tomatoes (0.53 EUR)

1 cup dry soya flakes (0.53 EUR)

1 cup water (–)

1 tbsp dried basil (0.27 EUR)

2 tbps dried parsley (0.13 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (0.03 EUR)

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METHOD:

Saute onion on olive oil on high heat for a few minutes, until slightly translucent. Add in minced garlic and stir for a few seconds. Add in tomatoes, soya flakes, water, basil, parsley, salt and pepper, give everything a good stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook with cracked lid for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add a splash more of water.

Serve over freshly cooked pasta and with a huge green salad.

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Ovo je jelo postalo moj prehrambeni temelj preko tjedna, pošto je turbo brzo gotovo i nema nikakvog prtljanja. Obično skuham ogromnu količinu pa si s time riješim ručkove na poslu za idućih par dana. Osim toga, popis sastojaka je jako kratak i to su sve stvari koje ionako uvijek imam doma.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 3,33 kn po porciji / 13,32 kn za sve)

1 veliki luk, sitno nasjeckan (0,75 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja (0,66 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka, sitno nasjeckana (0,70 kn)

1 konzerva nasjeckanih rajčica (4,00 kn)

1 šalica sojinih ljuskica (4,00 kn)

1 šalica vode (–)

1 žlica sušenog bosiljka (2,00 kn)

2 žlice sušenog peršina (1,00 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,20 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Na jakoj vatri dinstajte luk na ulju nekoliko minuta, dok ne postane staklast. Dodajte nasjeckani češnjak i promiješajte par sekundi. Dodajte rajčicu, soju, vodu, bosiljak, peršin, sol i papar, dobro sve promiješajte i pričekajte da zavrije. Onda smanjite vatru i kuhajte sa odškrinutim poklopcem 15-20 minuta uz povremeno miješanje. Po potrebi možete dodati još malo vode.

Poslužite uz svježe kuhanu tjesteninu i sa velikom zelenom salatom.

Vegan Soy Bolognese / Veganski sojonjez

Eggplant Curry (vegan) / Curry sa patlidžanom (veganski)

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Eggplant is such an underestimated vegetable in our household. You can make a thousand interesting things with an eggplant, yet I never remember to do it. But I’ve had this vision of eggplant curry in my mind for a few days and am so glad I went with it.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 servings / 0.71 EUR per serving / 2.84 EUR for all)

2 small eggplants (0.67 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

2 tbsp corn starch (0.07 EUR)

5 tbsp olive oil, divided (0.22 EUR)

1 large onion, diced (0.10 EUR)

3 garlic cloves, minced (0.10 EUR)

½ tsp ground coriander (0.07 EUR)

½ tsp ground cumin (0.07 EUR)

½ tsp ground turmeric (0.07 EUR)

½ tsp ground cinnamon (0.07 EUR)

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (0.03 EUR)

1 ½ cup coconut milk (1.10 EUR)

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped (0.13 EUR)

Dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice, for serving (0.13 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash and dice the eggplant, toss with a teaspoon of salt and let it rest for about 15 minutes, so the salt can extract the bitterness out. After 15 minutes give the eggplant a quick rinse and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Toss to coat with corn starch and set aside.

Place a skillet or a wok on high heat for a few minutes. To a hot skillet, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and half of the eggplant and stir-fry for a few minutes until the eggplant gets nice and crispy. Remove the eggplant from the pan and repeat with the second batch.

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Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the onion to the skillet and cook for a few minutes, until slightly translucent. Now add in garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and cayenne, give all a good stir and allow the spices to heat up for about 30 seconds. Add in the coconut milk and return in the eggplant to cook for a few minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, taste and adjust seasoning and stir in chopped parsley.

Serve over a bed of rice with a squeeze of lemon juice.

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Patlidžan je u našem domu skroz podcijenjeno povrće. Sa njime se može napraviti tisuću zanimljivih stvari, ali se ja nekako nikada ne sjetim kuhati sa njim. No, već sam zadnjih nekoliko dana imala u glavi viziju curryja sa patlidžanom i skroz mi je drago da sam joj se priklonila.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 porcije / 5,35 kn po porciji / 21,41 kn za sve)

2 mala patlidžana (5,00 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

2 žlice kukuruznog škroba (0,50 kn)

5 žlica maslinovog ulja, podijeljenih (1,65 kn)

1 veliki luk, nasjeckan na kockice (0,75 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka, sitno nasjeckana (0,75 kn)

½ žličice mljevenog korijandera (0,50 kn)

½ žličice mljevenog kumina (0,50 kn)

½ žličice mljevene kurkume (0,50 kn)

½ žličice mljevenog cimeta (0,50 kn)

¼ žličice kajenskog papra (0,50 kn)

1 ½ šalica kokosovog mlijeka (8,25 kn)

Pregršt svježeg peršina, nasjeckanog (1,00 kn)

Malo svježe iscijeđenog soka od limuna, za posluživanje (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite i narežite patlidžan na kocke, pomiješajte sa žličicom soli i ostavite da miruje 15-tak minuta kako bi sol izvukla gorčinu. Nakon 15 minuta isperite, pa kuhinjskom krpom posušite patlidžan. Pomiješajte sa kukuruznim škrobom i stavite na stranu.

Stavite tavu ili wok na jaku vatru na nekoliko minuta. U vruću tavu dodajte 2 žlice maslinovog ulja i pola patlidžana, pa kuhajte miješajući nekoliko minuta, dok patlidžan ne dobije hruskavu koricu. Izvadite patlidžan iz tave pa ponovite sa drugom turom.

U tavu dodajte preostalu žlicu ulja i nasjeckani luk koji kuhajte par minuta, da postane staklast. Onda dodajte češnjak, korijander, kumin, kurkumu, cimet i kajenski papar, sve dobro promiješajte i pustite da se začini ugriju jedno 30-tak sekundi. Dodajte kokosovo mlijeko i vratite patlidžan u tavu. Kuhajte par minuta, dok se umak ne zgusne. Maknite s vatre, kušajte i prilagodite začine te umiješajte sjeckani peršin.

Poslužite preko riže i pokapano sokom od limuna.

Eggplant Curry (vegan) / Curry sa patlidžanom (veganski)

Mediterranean Pizza / Mediteranska pizza

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I was in a mood for a little something extra and conveniently had some leftover pizza dough in the fridge. With a bit of arugula and prosciutto, pizza reached a whole new level.

Please don’t be afraid to make your own pizza dough. It’s actually super quick and easy and beats every store bought imaginable.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 pizza / 3.10 EUR)

For the dough:

1 tsp active dry yeast (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

½ cup warm water (–)

1 – 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, divided (0.07 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

2 tbsp olive oil, divided (0.09 EUR)

For the pizza:

1/3 cup tomato sauce (0.13 EUR)

1 ball of mozzarella cheese (1.00 EUR)

10-12 olives (0.27 EUR)

3 garlic cloves, minced (0.10 EUR)

Drizzle of olive oil (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp dried oregano (0.07 EUR)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

4 thin prosciutto slices (0.93 EUR)

Handful of fresh arugula (0.27 EUR)

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METHOD:

To make the dough, in a bowl, whisk together yeast, sugar, water and 1 teaspoon of flour and leave to rest for about 15 minutes, until it becomes frothy. Be sure that the water isn’t too hot, or else it will kill the yeast. If the mixture doesn’t become frothy, discard and start again using a fresh batch of yeast.

To a frothy yeast mixture add in 1 cup of flour, salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix everything with a spoon to form loose dough. Turn out on clean countertop and give a short knead. The dough needs to be soft, but shouldn’t stick to your fingers, so incorporate more flour bit by bit, as necessary.

Shape dough into a ball, clean your bowl, pour in remaining olive oil and turn the dough around so it’s oily on all sides. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest for 20-30 minutes, until double in size.

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When ready to bake, preheat oven to 220°C. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Gently deflate the dough and roll out on a floured surface into a disk, then transfer to a prepared baking sheet. To assemble pizza, spread tomato sauce evenly on dough, scatter mozzarella pieces, olives and minced garlic, drizzle with olive oil and finally sprinkle with oregano and black pepper. Bake pizza for 15-20 minutes on uppermost rack, right under the heater, until blistered.

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Cut baked pizza in desired pieces and arrange prosciutto and arugula on top. Serve immediately.

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Baš sam bila raspoložena za nešto malo ekstra, a u frižideru sam imala još malo tijesta za pizzu. Sa malo rukole i pršuta pizza se odma popela na novi nivo.

Molim vas, nemojte se bojati sami napraviti tijesto za pizzu. To je zapravo super brzo i lagano, a finije je od svakog kupovnog tijesta.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 pizzu / 23,13 kn)

Za tijesto:

1 žličica suhog kvasca (1,00 kn)

1 žličica šećera (0,01 kn)

½ šalice tople vode (–)

1 – 1 ½ šalica glatkog brašna, podijeljena (0,50 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

2 žlice maslinovog ulja, podijeljene (0,66 kn)

Za pizzu:

1/3 šalice pasirane rajčice (1,00 kn)

1 loptica mozzarelle (7,50 kn)

10-12 maslina (2,00 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

Par kapi maslinovog ulja (0,10 kn)

1 žličica sušenog origana (0,50 kn)

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

4 tanke šnite pršuta (7,00 kn)

Pregršt svježe rukole (2,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Da bi ste napravili tijesto u zdijeli pomiješajte kvasac, šećer, vodu i žličicu brašna, pa pustite da odmara 15 minuta, dok ne postane pjenasto. Pazite da voda nije prevruća, jer ćete tako ubiti kvasac. Ako smjesa ne postane pjenasta, bacite i počnite ispočetka sa svježim kvascem.

U pjenastu smjesu kvasca dodajte šalicu brašna, sol i žlicu maslinovog ulja, pa sve miješajte žlicom dok se ne formira labavo tijesto. Istresite na čistu radnu plohu i kratko mijesite. Tijesto treba biti mekano, ali se ne smije lijepiti za ruke, pa malo po malo po potrebi dodajte još brašna.

Oblikujte tijesto u loptu, očistite zdjelu, dodajte u nju ostatak ulja i onda okrećite unutra tijesto da se namasti sa svih strana. Pokrijte zdjelu čistom kuhinjskom krpom i pustite da tijesto odmara 20-30 minuta, dok se ne udvostruči.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje, zagrijte pećnicu na 220°C. Obložite protvan papirom za pečenje i stavite na stranu. Nježno ispuhnite tijesto i razvaljajte na pobrašnjenoj površini u disk, pa premjestite na pripremljeni protvan. Da bi složili pizzu, raširite pasiranu rajčicu po tijestu, pa gore posipajte komadiće mozzarelle, masline i sitno sjeckani češnjak, pokapajte maslinovim uljem i na kraju posipajte origanom i paprom. Pecite pizzu 15-20 minuta na najvišem dijelu pećnice, odma ispod grijača, dok lijepo ne nabubri.

Narežite pizzu na komade i po njoj raspodijelite pršut i rukolu. Poslužite odmah.

Mediterranean Pizza / Mediteranska pizza

Beef Steak Salad / Salata sa junećim šniclom

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The local marketplace is slowly filling up again with colourful seasonal produce. Everything looks so yummy and crunchy and all of a sudden I’m feeling more motivated to eat salads. I like to hunk it up with a good dose of protein, so the salad is enough to keep me full until dinner.

Feel free to tweak up the ingredients to your liking and to what you have on hand. I just happened to have a chunk of cheese lying around, so in the salad it went.

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INGREDIENTS:

For the beef:

1 beef steak

2 tbsp olive oil

Good pinch of salt

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

Handful of lettuce

Handful of arugula

3 spring onions

1 large tomato

Slice of smoked cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

Juice from ½ a lemon

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

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METHOD:

Place skillet on high heat for a few minutes. Cut the steak into thin strips and toss to coat together with olive oil, salt and pepper. Once the skillet is hot, put in the steak and cook for a few minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile wash and chop all the vegetables and cube or tear the cheese into chunks. Toss everything together with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and spread the freshly cook steak on top. Serve immediately. IMGP4838

Plac se polako ponovo počeo puniti sa šarenim sezonskim proizvodima. Kako sve izgleda fino i hrskavo, tako sam i ja nekako više motivirana za jesti salate. Volim ih pojačati sa dobrom dozom proteina tako da me salata za ručak drži sitom do večere.

Slobodno modificirajte ovaj recept prema svojem ukusu i prema onome što imate pri ruci. Tako sam ja u frižideru imala komadić dimljenog sira, pa je i on završio u salati.

SASTOJCI:

Za junetinu:

1 juneći odrezak

2 žlice maslinovog ulja

Dobar prstohvat soli

Dobar prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra

Za salatu:

Pregršt zelene salate

Pregršt rukole

3 mlada luka

1 veliki paradajz

Komad dimljenog sira

2 žlice maslinovog ulja

Sok od ½ limuna

Prstohvat soli

Prstohvat svježe mljevenog crnog papra

PRIPREMA:

Stavite tavu na jaku vatru na par minuta. Odrezak narežite na tanke trakice pa pomiješajte sa maslinovim uljem, soli i paprom. Kada je tava vruća, dodajte u nju odrezak i pecite koju minutu uz povremeno miješanje.

U međuvremenu operite i narežite svo povrće i narežite na kockice ili natrgajte dimljeni sir. Sve izmiješajte sa maslinovim uljem, sokom od limuna, soli i paprom, a po vrhu raširite svježe pečeni odrezak. Poslužite odmah.

 

Beef Steak Salad / Salata sa junećim šniclom

Muscovado Sugar Browned Butter Tiny Blueberry Skillet Cake / Kolačić iz tave od muscovado šećera, smeđeg maslaca i borovnica

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Last week was my birthday and my parents got me a small cast iron skillet. I LOVE IT! I’m gonna bake everything in it! I don’t even know how I’ve managed so far without one. Even fried eggs taste amazing from cast iron skillet.

My skillet is only 20 cm in diameter, so for bigger skillets feel free to double the ingredients. Just be sure to also adjust the baking times accordingly.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 small cake / 1.89 EUR)

1 tsp oil (0.01 EUR)

3 tbsp butter (0.30 EUR)

1 egg (0.20 EUR)

½ cup Greek yogurt (0.47 EUR)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (0.03 EUR)

2 tbsp muscovado sugar (0.07 EUR)

1 cup all-purpose flour (0.07 EUR)

½ tsp baking powder (0.01 EUR)

¼ tsp baking soda (0.01 EUR)

Pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

½ cup frozen blueberries (0.67 EUR)

1 tsp regular or brown sugar (0.01 EUR)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Coat cast iron skillet with teaspoon of oil and set aside. In a small saucepan cook butter on medium heat until browned and smelling nutty. This might take up to few minutes.

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In a bowl, whisk together egg, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract and muscovado sugar and then whisk in browned butter. Add in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir until just combined. Transfer the batter into prepared skilled, scatter blueberries on top and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar.

Bake cake for 20-25 minutes, until deep golden brown on top. Allow cake to cool in the skillet for a few minutes before digging in.

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Prošli tjedan mi je bio rođendan i roditelji su mi poklonili malu tavicu od lijevanog željeza. OBOŽAVAM JE! Od sada u njoj pečem sve! Uopće ne znam kako sam do sada živjela bez takve tave. Čak i jaja na oko imaju fantastičan okus kada su pečena u njoj.

Moja je tavica velika samo 20 cm u promjeru, pa za veće tave slobodno udvostručite sastojke. Samo pazite da onda također prilagodite i vrijeme pečenja.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 mali kolač / 13,54 kn)

1 žličica ulja (0,01 kn)

3 žlice maslaca (2,25 kn)

1 jaje (1,50 kn)

½ šalice grčkog jogurta (3,50 kn)

1 žličica ekstrakta od vanilije (0,20 kn)

2 žlice muscovado šećera (0,50 kn)

1 šalica glatkog brašna (0,50 kn)

½ žličice praška za pecivo (0,05 kn)

¼ žličice sode bikarbone (0,01 kn)

Prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

½ šalice smrznutih borovnica (5,00 kn)

1 žličica običnog ili smeđeg šećera (0,01 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Namastite tavu sa žličicom ulja i stavite na stranu. U malom lončiću kuhajte maslac na srednjoj temperaturi dok ne postane smećkast i ne dobije orašasti miris. To može potrajati do nekoliko minuta.

U posudi razmutite jaja sa grčkim jogurtom, vanilijom i muscovado šećerom, pa onda unutra umiješajte smeđi maslac. Dodajte brašno, prašak za pecivo, sodu bikarbonu i sol, pa miješajte onoliko koliko treba da se sastojci sjedine. Preselite smjesu u pripremljenu tavu, po vrhu raštrkajte borovnice i posipajte žličicom šećera.

Pecite kolač 20-25 minuta, dok ne dobije duboku tamno smeđu boju. Pustite ga da se par minuta hladi u tavi prije nego što navalite.

Muscovado Sugar Browned Butter Tiny Blueberry Skillet Cake / Kolačić iz tave od muscovado šećera, smeđeg maslaca i borovnica

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Vegetable Stir-Fry (vegetarian) / Povrće iz woka u tajlandskom slatkom chili umaku (vegetarijansko)

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , 2 Comments

I just bought a gigantic bottle of Thai sweet chili sauce for supper cheap and decided to utilize the thing right away by throwing together a quick stir-fry. This dish is totally customizable, so work with what you have at hand and what’s in season for best and cheapest results.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 servings / 1.16 EUR per serving / 2.32 EUR for all)

3 tbsp sunflower seed oil, divided (0.04 EUR)

2 large carrots (0.27 EUR)

3 garlic cloves (0.10 EUR)

8 portobello mushrooms (0.67 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

2 eggs (0.40 EUR)

2 spring onions (0.27 EUR)

2 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce (0.27 EUR)

2 tbsp soy sauce (0.13 EUR)

1 tsp toasted sesame oil (0.07 EUR)

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METHOD:

Wash and thinly slice all the vegetables and mince garlic. Place wok on high heat for a couple of minutes, until thoroughly heated through. Then add two tablespoons of sunflower oil with carrots to wok and stir-fry for a few minutes. Gradually add in garlic, mushrooms and onion, stir-frying for a minute or two in between.

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In a small bowl, whisk together eggs. Push all of the vegetables to one side of the wok, add remaining sunflower oil and pour in eggs to the empty space. Allow the eggs to cook for about a minute without disturbing them and then gently push around and fold with your spatula to cook through. Add in spring onion and stir everything, breaking the egg into smaller pieces. Finally stir in Thai sweet chili sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil and serve immediately over a bed of rice or noodles.

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Jeftino sam nabavila flašetinu tajlandskog slatkog chili umaka, pa sam ga odmah odlučila iskoristiti u brzom jelu iz woka. Ovo jelo je totalno prilagodljivo, pa ubacite unutra što vam je pri ruci i povrće koje je u sezoni za najbolji i najjeftiniji rezultat.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 2 porcije / 8,65 kn po porciji / 17,30 kn za sve)

3 žlice suncokretovog ulja, podijeljene (0,30 kn)

2 velike mrkve (2,00 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

8 zlatnih šampinjona (5,00 kn)

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

2 jaja (3,00 kn)

2 mlada luka (2,00 kn)

2 žlice tajlandskog slatkog chili umaka (2,00 kn)

2 žlice soja sosa (1,00 kn)

1 žličica tostiranog sezamovog ulja (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Operite i tanko narežite svo povrće i sitno nasjeckajte češnjak. Stavite wok na jaku vatru na par minuta da se dobro ugrije. Onda dodajte u wok 2 žlice suncokretovog ulja sa mrkvom i miješajte par minuta. Postepeno dodajte u wok češnjak, gljive i luk, miješajući minutu-dvije kako što dodajete.

U maloj zdjelici razmutite jaja. Pogurajte svo povrće na jednu stranu woka, pa u prazan prostor dodajte preostalu žlicu ulja i ulijte jaja. Pustite jaja da se kuhaju minutu bez da ih dirate, a onda ih nježno gurajte i presavijajte špatulom da se skuhaju do kraja. Dodajte mladi luk i dobro sve promiješajte i razlomite jaja na manje komadiće. Na kraju umiješajte tajlandski chili umak, soja sos i sezamovo ulje i odmah poslužite sa rižom ili nudlsima.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce Vegetable Stir-Fry (vegetarian) / Povrće iz woka u tajlandskom slatkom chili umaku (vegetarijansko)

Strawberry Vanilla Jam / Pekmez od jagode i vanilije

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I’m really excited that strawberries are again in season. A couple of weeks ago I’ve picked up some from our local farmer’s market and decided to make a small batch of jam. I’m not that confident yet when it comes to home canning, so I’ve used a pack of gelling sugar to ensure my jam doesn’t go bad. Also, the gelling sugar allows that you cut down on total sugar amount, which I think is great because I prefer things on less sweet side.

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INGREDIENTS:

(Yields around 3 jars of jam)

1250 g strawberries

1 vanilla pod

500 g sugar, divided

1 packet of 2:1 gelling sugar (I used dr. Oetker)

METHOD:

First prepare your jars and lids by washing them well in hot soapy water. Wash and hull strawberries, then cut in halves and quarters, depending on their size. Halve vanilla pod lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and dump the pod and the seeds in a pot together with strawberries. Sprinkle strawberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and a packet of gelling sugar.

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Place everything on high heat while stirring frequently. When the jam reaches boil, mash strawberries up or use an immersion blender on them to reach the desired consistency. Add the remaining sugar and cook for three minutes while stirring constantly. Skim off any foam, fish out vanilla pod and ladle the jam among prepared jars. Wipe the rims clean and seal. The jam might seem very liquid at this point, but don’t worry. It will thicken a lot as it cools down.

If you want to be extra careful, you can place the jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes, or place them in the oven set on 150°C for 20 minutes. Allow the jars to cool completely before storing the jam in a cool and dark place.

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Jako sam sretna što su jagode opet u sezoni. Pred par tjedana sam od onih koje sam kupila na lokalnoj tržnici odlučila napraviti malu turu pekmeza. Još uvijek mi je klimavo samopouzdanje kada je u pitanju konzerviranje u kućnoj radinosti, pa sam pekmez radila sa džemfixom da budem sigurna kako se ništa neće pokvariti. Super stvar je da radi džemfixa možete smanjiti količinu šećera, što mi odgovara jer ne volim pretjerano slatke stvari.

SASTOJCI:

(Za oko 3 teglice pekmeza)

1250 g jagoda

1 mahuna vanilije

500 g šećera, podijeljenih

1 paketić 2:1 džemfixa (ja sam koristila dr. Oetker)

PRIPREMA:

Prvo pripremite svoje teglice i poklopce tako da ih dobro operete sa deterdžentom i vrućom vodom. Operite jagode, maknite im peteljke i raspolovite ih ili raščetvorite, ovisno o veličini. Raspolovite mahunu vanilije po dužini, postružite van sjemenke i ubacite mahunu i sjemenke skupa sa jagodama u lonac. Posipajte jagode sa 2 žlice šećera i džemfixom.

Stavite jagode na jaku vatru i kuhajte uz učestalo miješanje. Kada pekmez zavrije, zgnječite jagode ili ih usitnite štapnim mikserom do željene konzistencije. Dodajte preostali šećer i kuhajte 3 minute, stalno miješajući. Skinite pjenu, izvadite i bacite mahunu vaniliju, pa podijelite pekmez među pripremljenim staklenkama. Obrišite rubove staklenki i dobro zatvorite. Možda vam se čini da je pekmez jako rijedak, ali ne brinite. Kako se bude hladio, tako će se skroz zgusnuti.

Ako želite biti ekstra oprezni, možete staviti staklenke u vodenu kupelj na 10 minuta ili u pećnicu zagrijanu na 150°C na 20 minuta. Pustite da se staklenke do kraja ohlade prije nego što ćete ih odložiti na čuvanje na tamnom i hladnom mjestu.

Strawberry Vanilla Jam / Pekmez od jagode i vanilije

Corn Flour Scones (vegan, gluten-free, low histamine) / Pogačice od kukuruznog brašna (veganske, bezglutenske, nisko histaminske)

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You want warm scones for that special weekend breakfast? No problem! These you can literally whip up in five minutes, bake and then enjoy piping hot, straight out of the oven. You need just four things to make them – corn flour, boiling water, salt and a bit of fat. I’ve used coconut oil, but feel free to substitute with any cooking oil or even butter.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 9 small scones / 0.05 EUR per scone / 0.41 EUR for all)

2 cups corn flour (0.20 EUR)

½ tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tbsp coconut oil (0.20 EUR)

1 ¼ cup boiling water (–)

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METHOD:

Preheat oven to 250°C. Place a silicone mat on a baking sheet and set aside. Alternatively, line baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease. In a bowl whisk together flour and salt. Make a small well, place inside tablespoon of coconut oil and then pour in boiling water which will melt the coconut oil. Using a fork, give all a quick and vigorous stir.

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At this point the water should have cooled off enough to handle, so you can finish off making the dough with your hands. It should be pretty soft, but not sticky. Divide the dough into scones and spread on prepared baking sheet. I used a huge ass ice cream scoop for this and then pressed the balls flat with my hand.

Bake for 25 minutes, until golden and crispy. Enjoy hot, straight out of the oven, for maximum yum.

Jedu vam se vruće pogačice za taj posebni vikend doručak? Nema problema! Ove možete smutiti u doslovce pet minuta, ispeći i onda navaliti na njih dok su vruće, ravno iz pećnice. Trebaju vam samo četiri stvari da ih napravite – kukuruzno brašno, kipuća voda, sol i malo masnoće. Ja sam upotrijebila kokosovo ulje, ali slobodno ga zamijenite bilo kojim drugim uljem za kuhanje ili čak maslacem.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 9 malih pogačica / 0,33 kn po pogačici / 3,01 kn za sve)

2 šalice kukuruznog brašna (1,50 kn)

½ žličice soli (0,01 kn)

1 žlica kokosovog ulja (1,50 kn)

1 ¼ šalice kipuće vode (–)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 250°C. Stavite silikonski podložak na pleh za pečenje ili obložite pleh aluminijskom folijom i mrvicu namastite. U zdjeli pomiješajte brašno i sol. Napravite malo udubljenje u koje ćete staviti žlicu kokosovog ulja pa preko svega prelijte kipuću vodu. Viljuškom sve brzo i snažno pomiješajte.

Sada se voda već dovoljno ohladila, pa rukama dovršite tijesto. Ono bi trebalo biti dosta mekano, ali se ne bi smjelo lijepiti. Podijelite tijesto u pogačice i raširite po pripremljenom protvanu. Ja sam tijeso grabila ogromnom žlicom za sladoled i onda rukom lagano spljoštila loptice.

Pecite 25 minuta, dok pogačice ne budu zlatne i hruskave. Za maksimalnu sreću navalite na njih dok su vruće, odma iz pećnice.

Corn Flour Scones (vegan, gluten-free, low histamine) / Pogačice od kukuruznog brašna (veganske, bezglutenske, nisko histaminske)