recipes

Tips for a Perfect Homemade Pizza/ Savjeti za savršenu domaću pizzu

Crunch Crunch Away, 1 Comment

Hey, guys! I’ve been on a serious pizza bender lately, so I’ve decided to share with you a few tips and tricks, in order to make that perfect pizza every single time. I don’t have any fancy pizza baking gadgets at home, just a regular oven and cheapo lightweight pie tins. Also, a basic no-knead pizza dough recipe is coming up next, so keep an eye on this blog to be all set for future pizza adventures.

TIPS FOR A PERFECT HOMEMADE PIZZA:

  1. Grease it up

Don’t skimp on oil when assembling the pizza dough and fitting it into a baking tray. Good amount of oil makes for a super soft dough on the inside, but crunchy and crispy on the outside.

imgp5919

  1. Stretch over roll

Another important factor when it comes to pizza dough is not to use the rolling pin. Rolling pin pushes the dough down, making it compact and dense. You want the dough to get as poofy as possible and the best way to achieve this is by stretching it with your hands into a desired shape.

For this same reason, be gentle when adding tomato sauce and toppings to the pizza. Don’t press things into the dough, but rather scatter them on top. Gently brush the tomato sauce over dough or lightly spread it with the back of a spoon.

imgp5921

  1. Nuke it

I’ve always had the best results when baking pizza quickly and on the highest temperature. That’s also one of the reasons why baking paper won’t work here, as most baking papers tolerate temperatures up to 220°C. You don’t want a fire staring in your oven, as that’s what might happen with a baking paper.

Also, keep in mind not to overcrowd your oven. If preparing more than one pizza, bake them separately, one at a time. And, as with other baked goods, don’t fidget with the oven door unless it’s only to replace the pizza for the final quick dash of shredded cheese. But more on the topic of cheese later on.

imgp5922

  1. Use light weight tins and baking trays

For the same above purpose of baking pizza quickly, you want to use dishes that are thin, lightweight and will therefore heat up in a breeze. Forget heavy cookware as it just won’t cut it here. It will take too long to heat up and your pizzas will get soggy and cooked underneath, instead of crisped up, which is what we’re going for.

I have a pair of cheapo Ikea lightweight pie tins and those work fantastically for pizza baking. They pretty much suck for making pies, though, as they’re too shallow.

imgp5924

  1. Less is more

Don’t throw a bucket of toppings on top. You only need a few tablespoons of tomato sauce and a bit of ham or veggies you’ve decided to add. All of those things are super watery and you don’t want them to release all that liquid into the crust and make it soggy.

I sprinkle oregano and a dash of salt and pepper over the layer of tomato sauce, so all of those flavors have plenty of time to cook down and mingle. The tomato sauce I use is plain boxed stuff of cheap 100% tomato sauce. No fancy pizza sauces needed here.

imgp5929

  1. Cheese comes last

I found that cheese would always end up burnt and hard when added to the pizza with the rest of the ingredients. It also worked as a lid once melted, trapping all the moisture from tomato sauce, ham, veggies and dough underneath and causing the dough to cook, instead of crisp. But, if you add the cheese at the very end, once the dough is already done and crispy and the other toppings had a chance to slightly char up, then you have a winner. I usually scatter chopped olives right after adding cheese, because I find them equally tasty if only heated up. Plus, I like the look of little olive coins all over pizza.

You only need an additional two or three minutes of oven time to melt the cheese and that’s it. The cheese step can also be completely omitted for vegan or cheese-less pizzas.

Furthermore, you can forget the less is more rule when it comes to cheese. Just go wild and add all the cheese you like. 🙂

imgp5931

Pozdrav svima! U zadnje sam vrijeme skroz poludila za pizzom pa sam odlučila sa vama podijeliti par savjeta i trikova kako da svaki puta napravite savršenu pizzu. Doma nemam nikakva fensi pomagala za pečenje pizze, samo običnu pećnicu i jeftine lagane protvane za pite. Osim toga, planiram ubrzo objaviti i osnovni recept za tijesto za pizzu koje se ne mijesi, pa bacite oko na ovaj blog da budete spremni za buduće pizza pothvate.

SAVJETI ZA SAVRŠENU DOMAĆU PIZZU:

  1. Masnoća

Nemojte štediti na ulju kada radite i razvlačite tijesto i stavljate ga u protvan. Dovoljna količina ulja potrebna je da tijesto bude mekano iznutra, a hrskavo izvana.

  1. Rastezanje umjesto valjanja

Još jedan bitan faktor kada radite tijesto za pizzu je da ne koristite valjak za tijesto. Sa valjkom pritišćete tijesto prema dolje i time ga činite kompaktnim i gustim. Ono što želite je da tijesto bude pufasto, a najbolji način da to postignete je da tijesto rastegnete rukama u željeni oblik.

Iz istog razloga budite nježni kada dodajete paradajz sos i ostale sastojke na pizzu. Nemojte utiskivati stvari u tijesto nego ih raštrkajte po njemu. Paradajz sos premažite kistom po tijestu ili lagano raširite stražnjom stranom žlice.

  1. Bombardirajte

Uvijek sam imala najbolje rezultate kada bi pizzu pekla kratko i na najvišoj temperaturi. To je također jedan od razloga zašto ovdje ne možete koristiti papir za pečenje, jer ih većina trpi temeperaturu do 220°C. Ne želite da vam se u pećnici zapali požar, a to bi se moglo desiti sa papirom za pečenje.

Također, imajte na umu da ne prenatrpate pećnicu. Ako radite više od jedne pizze, pecite ih odvojeno, jednu po jednu. Osim toga, kao i sa svim ostalim jelima od tijesta, ne prčkajte po vratima od pećnice, osim ako to nije zato da izvadite pizzu i dodate brzo na nju ribani sir za kraj. Ali više o temi sira kasnije.

  1. Koristite lagane protvane

Radi istog cillja brzog pečenja pizze, uzmite protvane koji su tanki i lagani, te će se radi toga brzo zagrijati. Zaboratite teško posuđe za pećnicu jer ovdje neće dobro funkcionirati. Trebati će mu predugo da se zagrije, a za to će se vrijeme pizza odozdola skuhati i postati gnjecava, umjesto da se zahrska, što nam je kranji cilj.

Ja imam par jeftinih Ikea protvana za pite i super su za pečenje pizze. S druge strane, za raditi pite su katastrofa, jer su preplitki.

  1. Manje je više

Nemojte po pizzi pobacati tonu sastojaka. Treba vam samo par žlica paradajz sosa i malo šunke ili povrća koje ste odlučili dodati. Sve te stvari su pune vode, a ne želite da se višak tekućina otpusti u tijesto i napravi ga gnjecavim.

Ja po sloju paradajz sosa posipam origano i malo soli i papra, kako bi se svi ti okusi prominglali i imali vremena da se zapeku. Paradajz sos koji koristim je obični 100% paradajz sos iz tetrapaka. Nekakvi gotovi fensi pizza umaci nisu uopće potrebni.

  1. Sir dolazi na kraju

Moje je iskustvo da bi sir uvijek zagorio i postao tvrd ako bi ga stavila na pizzu sa svim ostalim sastojcima. Osim toga, nakon što bi se rastopio pretvorio bi se u svojevrsan poklopac koji bi ispod zarobio svu tekućinu iz paradajz sosa, šunke i povrća, a što bi na kraju uzrokovalo da se tijesto skuha, a ne zahrska. Ali ako sir dodate na samom kraju, kada je tijesto već gotovo i hrskavo te su i svi ostali sastojci imali vremena da se malo zapeku, onda imate pobjedničku pizzu. Ja obično pobacam i narezane masline odma nakon što dodam sir, jer su mi jednako fine ako se samo malo ugriju. A i sviđa mi se kako izgledaju novčići od maslina raštrkani po pizzi.

Nakon što dodate sir pizzu vratite u pećnicu samo na dodatne dvije ili tri minute i to je to. Korak sa sirom možete i skroz izostaviti ako radite vegansku ili pizzu bez sira.

Također, zaboravite na pravilo „manje je više“ kada je u pitanju sir. Dajte si oduška i nabacajte sav sir koji želite. 🙂

Tips for a Perfect Homemade Pizza/ Savjeti za savršenu domaću pizzu

Green No-Knead Bread / Zeleni kruh koji se ne mijesi

Crunch Crunch Away, , , Leave a comment

Here I am with yet another bread recipe. Sorry, not sorry at all. I’ve decided to experiment a bit with various flours and had more pumpkin seed flour around leftover from these buns. So, what else am I to do than make a no-knead bread?

imgp5772-2

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 medium loaf / 1.05 EUR)

2 cups whole grain flour (0.20 EUR)

1 cup pumpkin seed flour (0.53 EUR)

¼ tsp active dry yeast (0.03 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

1 tbsp sugar (0.01 EUR)

2 tbsp sunflower seeds (0.07 EUR)

3 tbsp pumpkin seeds (0.20 EUR)

1 and ¾ cups warm water (–)

imgp5775-2

METHOD:

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, yeast, salt, sugar, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Pour warm water over the mixture and stir with a spoon until mostly uniform. Cover the bowl with cling foil and allow it to sit in a warm room for 3-4 hours to ferment. The dough will become bubbly and increase in size.

imgp5777-2

Once the dough ferments, place heavy oven-safe pot with its lid (I used cast iron) in the oven and set it all to preheat to 220°C, as you’re going to bake the bread in the pot. You’ll need about 30-40 minutes to get it all nice and toasty, so prepare the dough in the meantime. Turn the dough over on a well-floured work surface and fold it over about ten times with a bench scraper. Take a bowl similar in shape and size to the pot you’ll use for baking, line with parchment and carefully transfer the dough inside for final proofing. Cover with clean kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30-40 minutes, while the oven preheats.

Once ready to bake, carefully transfer the dough together with parchment into a preheated heavy pot, cover and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and finish baking uncovered for another 10 minutes, so a nice crust can form. Transfer the bread on a rack to cool off completely before slicing into it.

imgp5781-2

Evo mene opet sa receptom za kruh koji se ne mijesi. Žao mi je, nije mi žao. Odlučila sam malo eksperimentirati sa raznim brašnima, a taman mi je ostalo još nešto brašna od bučinih sjemenki od ovih peciva. I što mi je onda drugo činiti nego peći kruh?

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 srednju štrucu / 7,81 kn)

2 šalice integralnog brašna (1,50 kn)

1 šalica brašna od bučinih sjemenki (4,00 kn)

¼ žličice suhog kvasca (0,25 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

1 žlica šećera (0,05 kn)

2 žlice suncokretovih sjemenki (0,50 kn)

3 žlice bučinih sjemenki (1,50 kn)

1 i ¾ šalica tople vode (–)

PRIPREMA:

U velikoj zdjeli pomiješajte brašna, kvasac, sol, šećer, suncokretove i bučine sjemenke. Prelijte preko svega toplu vodu i promiješajte da bude jednolično. Pokrijte zdjelu prijanjajućom folijom i pustite da fermentira 3-4 sata u toploj prostoriji. Tijesto će postati puno mjehurića i napuhati se.

Kada je tijesto isfermentiralo, stavite teški lonac sa poklopcem koji smije u pećnicu (ja sam uzela od lijevanog željeza), da se sve skupa zagrije na 220°C, pošto ćete u loncu peći kruh. Da se sve to dobro ugrije će vam trebati oko 30-40 minuta, pa u međuvremenu pripremite tijesto. Iskrenite tijesto na dobro pobrašnjenu radnu plohu pa ga desetak puta preklopite strugalicom za tijesto. Uzmite zdjelu koja je slične veličine i oblika onom loncu u kojem ćete peći kruh, obložite ju papirom za pečenje i u nju nježno preselite tijesto. Pokrijte sve čistom krpom i pustite da se tijesto još diže 30-40 minuta, dok se pećnica zagrijava.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje, pažljivo preselite tijesto skupa sa papirom za pečenje u zagrijani lonac i pecite poklopljeno 30 minuta. Nakon 30 minuta otklopite i pecite tako još 10 minuta da se uhvati lijepa korica. Preselite kruh na rešetku i pustite da se skroz ohladi prije nego ga krenete rezati.

Green No-Knead Bread / Zeleni kruh koji se ne mijesi

Turkey and Mushroom Phyllo Rolls / Burek sa puretinom i gljivama

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , Leave a comment

I know, I know, we’ve just finished with the holidays and are probably all ready for a detox and yet here I am, bringing such a rich dish on the table. In my defense, I’ve made this prior to Christmas and everything else I’ve ingested afterwards. I just couldn’t get around to write up a post about it. Well, since I am on vacation as of three days ago, the post is finally being compiled.

Please be warned that this recipe yields an enormous amount and could easily feed 8-10 people, especially if served with a nice big salad. However, this dish both freezes and reheats great, so don’t be afraid to stock up. Oh, and don’t be intimidated by this super long block of text. You’ll see that this dish is actually quite simple to make and, while it might take up some time, it’s most absolutely worth it.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 12 rolls / 0.93 EUR per roll / 11.17 EUR for all)

To assemble the rolls:

12 sheets of phyllo pastry (1.33 EUR)

500 grams of turkey breast (4.67 EUR)

1 tsp salt, divided (0.01 EUR)

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided (0.01 EUR)

3 tbsp sunflower seed oil, divided (0.02 EUR)

2 large onions (0.20 EUR)

3 garlic cloves (0.10 EUR)

3 tbsp butter (0.40 EUR)

500 grams of Portobello mushrooms (2.00 EUR)

Handful of Shiitake mushrooms (1.33 EUR)

2 cups of chicken stock (0.48 EUR)

Handful of fresh parsley (0.13 EUR)

2 tbsp corn starch (0.07 EUR)

2 tbsp warm water (–)

To pour over rolls:

1/3 cup chicken stock (0.08 EUR)

2 tbsp butter (0.27 EUR)

Additional:

Butter for greasing the baking dish (0.07 EUR)

imgp5788

METHOD:

Start off by cutting turkey breast into small cubes, then toss them with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper and allow to sit for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile you can dice the onion, mince garlic, cut mushrooms into thin strips and finely chop up parsley, so you have everything ready for later on.

Place a larger pot on high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil to it and stir-fry half of the turkey. Using a slotted spoon remove the meat from the pot and set aside, add another tablespoon of oil and fry the rest of the meat. Remove all meat and keep aside.

Add remaining oil to the pot and sauté onion until softened and slightly translucent. Add in minced garlic, stir and cook for a minute or two. Now add in butter, mushrooms and remaining salt and pepper and stir everything well. Cook for about 10 minutes, so the mushrooms can soften down. Pour stock over, add in parsley and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, dissolve corn starch in warm water and stir into the filling so it thickens. Return the fried turkey back to the pot, stir everything well, then taste and adjust seasoning.

imgp5792

Allow the filling to cool down a bit. Meanwhile grease your baking dish or dishes with a bit of butter and set aside. I assembled my rolls in two baking dishes, baking one right away and freezing one for later, so do this the way it works for you.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 180°C. Spread phyllo sheets on clean flat surface. Assemble the rolls by adding about 3 tablespoons of filling to each phyllo sheet and roll them up, then nest the rolls neatly in to the prepared baking dish. If you’re planning to freeze the rolls, cover the prepared baking dish with assembled rolls with cling foil, then stash in the freezer. There is no need to thaw the rolls before baking, just add about 5 minutes to the total baking time. Otherwise, place the rolls in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, until golden and crispy.

imgp5797

If you enjoy the rolls super crispy, you can eat them up right away because they are ready. I prefer mine softened, so I add an additional step. Please note that the amount of stock and butter for drizzling over rolls are for the total amount of 12 rolls which are in the recipe. If you froze a portion, adjust the amount accordingly so you don’t end up with a soggy mess.

Once the rolls are baked, bring the remaining 1/3 cup of stock to a boil with 2 tbsp of butter. Drizzle this mixture over baked rolls, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Be super careful when handling the baking dish because it’s gonna be hot. Also, be equally careful when removing the foil so the steam doesn’t get to you. Cut the rolls up in smaller pieces and serve them warm. For reheating, just nuke them up in a microwave for half a minute or reheat in the oven in a covered oven-safe dish.

Znam, znam, tek smo završili sa blagdanima i svi smo skupa vjerojatno spremni za jedan detox, a eto mene sa jednim ovako bogatim jelom. U svoju obranu mogu reći da sam ovo radila prije Božića i prije nego što sam potamanila sve što je uslijedilo. Ali jednostavno nisam nikako uspijevala sjesti i napisati recept. E pa pošto sam od prije tri dana na godišnjem odmoru, ovaj post je napokon napisan.

Molim vas da imate na umu da je ovo recept za enormnu porciju i lako može nahraniti 8-10 ljudi, posebno ako bureke poslužite sa nekom lijepom velikom salatom. No ovo se jelo također i super smrzava i podgrijava, pa se nemojte bojati napraviti zalihu. E da, i nedajte da vas ovaj super dugi blok teksta obeshrabri. Ovakav burek je jako jednostavan za napraviti, a iako možda zahtijeva malo više vremena, stvarno se isplati jer je prefin.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 12 bureka / 6,98 kn po bureku / 83,73 kn za sve)

Za nadjev za bureke:

12 komada kora za savijače (10,00 kn)

500 g purećih prsa (35,00 kn)

1 žličica soli, podijeljena (0,01 kn)

1 žličica svježe mljevenog crnog papra (0,10 kn)

3 žlice suncokretovog ulja, podijeljene (0,15 kn)

2 velika luka (1,50 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

3 žlice maslaca (3,00 kn)

500 g šampinjona (15,00 kn)

Pregršt gljiva shii taka (10,00 kn)

2 šalice pilećeg temeljca (3,62 kn)

Pregršt svježeg peršina (1,00 kn)

2 žlice kukuruznog škroba (0,50 kn)

2 žlice tople vode (–)

Za zaljev:

1/3 šalice pilećeg temeljca (0,60 kn)

2 žlice maslaca (2,00 kn)

Dodatno:

Maslac za namastiti posudu za pečenje (0,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Za početak narežite puretinu na sitne kockice, pomiješajte sa po ½ žličice soli i ½ žličice papra, pa ostavite da miruju 20-tak minuta. U međuvremenu možete narezati luk, češnjak, gljive i peršin da vam sve bude kasnije spremno.

Stavite veći lonac na jaku vatru, pa na žlici ulja ispecite pola puretine. Maknite meso kada je gotovo, dodajte novu žlicu ulja i ispecite ostatak mesa. Svo meso izvadite iz lonca i držite sa strane.

Dodajte ostatak ulja i na njemu izdinstajte luk da omekša i postane staklast. Ubacite češnjak, promiješajte i kuhajte minutu-dvije. Sada dodajte maslac, gljive i ostatak soli i papra, pa sve dobro promiješajte. Kuhajte desetak minuta, dok gljive ne omekšaju. Prelijte temeljac, dodajte sjeckani peršin i pustite da zavrije. Razmutite kukuruzni škrob u vodi i umiješajte u kipući nadjev da ga zgusnete. Vratite u lonac pečenu puretinu, sve dobro promiješajte, kušaje i prilagodite začine.

Pustite da se nadjev malo ohladi. U međuvremenu namastite posudu ili posude za pečenje i stavite na stranu. Ja sam bureke raspodijelila u dva protvana, s time da sam jedan pekla odmah, a drugi smrznula za kasnije, pa organizirajte situaciju kako vama najbolje odgovara.

Kada ste spremni za pečenje, zagrijte pećnicu na 180°C. Raširite kore na čistoj ravnoj površini. Na svaku koru stavite oko 3 žlice nadjeva, zarolajte i slažite u pripremljeni protvan. Ako planirate smrzavati bureke, samo pokrijte protvan sa složenim burekima sa prozirnom folijom i stavite u frizer. Nemorate ništa odmrzavati prije pečenja, samo pecite još dodatnih 5 minuta. U protivnom, stavite bureke u pećnicu i pecite 30 minuta, dok ne postanu zlatno-žuti i hruskavi.

Ako volite hrskave bureke, možete ih odmah sada jesti jer su spremni. Ja volim da su mekaniji, pa dodajem i zaljev. Imajte na umu da je količina zaljeva ovdje u receptu za svih 12 bureka, pa ako ste nešto smrzavali prilagodite količinu da ne završite sa gnjecavim užasom.

Kada su bureki pečeni stavite da ostatak od 1/3 šalice temeljca sa 2 žlice maslaca zavrije. Pokapajte ovaj zaljev po pečenim burecima, pokrijte protvan aluminijskom folijom i vratite u pećnicu na 10 još minuta. Budite jako oprezni kada baratate protvanom jer će sve biti vruće, kao i kada ćete micati foliju sa njega, da vas para ne zahvati. Bureke narežite na manje komade i poslužite tople. Za podgrijavanje, bombardirajte ih u mikrovalnoj pola minute ili podgrijte u pećnici u poklopljenoj posudi.

Turkey and Mushroom Phyllo Rolls / Burek sa puretinom i gljivama

Roasted Root Veggies (vegan, low histamine) / Pečeno korjenasto povrće (vegansko, niskohistaminsko)

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , Leave a comment

If you stopped by my blog during the past week you’re already aware that I’ve posted two pesto recipes. Now I bring you a quick and healthy dish, which isn’t really a recipe at all, for simple roasted root veggies that go fantastic with aforementioned pesto.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 6 servings / 0.63 EUR per serving / 3.79 EUR for all)

1 kilo of mixed orange, yellow and purple carrots (2.00 EUR)

3 parsley roots (0.50 EUR)

1-2 large parsnips (1.00 EUR)

2 tbsp coconut oil (0.27 EUR)

1 tsp salt (0.01 EUR)

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

imgp5823

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Wash, peel and halve or quarter all the veggies. Toss with coconut oil, salt and pepper and spread on a baking sheet. Roast from 45 minutes up to one hour, until veggies are softened and slightly caramelized. Stir once halfway through roasting to ensure even doneness. Serve dolloped with pesto or any other sauce of your choice.

Ako ste u zadnjih tjedan dana navraćali do mojeg bloga, znate da sam objavila dva recepta za pesto. Sada vam donosim jednostavno i zdravo jelo, koje zapravo niti nije recept, za lagano pečeno povrće koje super ide uz gore spomenuti pesto.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 6 porcija / 4,72 kn po porciji / 28,31 kn za sve)

1 kg miješanih narančastih, žutih i ljubičastih mrkvi (15,00 kn)

3 korijena peršina (3,75 kn)

1-2 velika pastrnjaka (7,50 kn)

2 žlice kokosovog ulja (2,00 kn)

1 žličica soli (0,01 kn)

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

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Operite, ogulite i raščetvorite ili prepolovite svo povrće. Pomiješajte sa kokosovim uljem, soli i paprom, te raširite po protvanu za pečenje. Pecite od 45 minuta do jednog sata, dok povrće ne omekša i lagano se ne karamelizira. Promiješajte jednom na pola pečenja kako bi osigurali da je sve jednako gotovo. Poslužite sa pestom ili nekim drugim umakom po vašem izboru.

Roasted Root Veggies (vegan, low histamine) / Pečeno korjenasto povrće (vegansko, niskohistaminsko)

Basil and Cashew Pesto / Pesto od bosiljka i indijskih oraščića

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Happy New Year everybody! I wish all the best to you in 2017 and that this year brings you abundance of health, happiness and prosperity. I’m starting off with another simple pesto recipe so we can ease into real life again now that all the obligatory partying and eating are behind us. Don’t get me wrong, I love the holiday season, but at this point I’m ready for some structure in my life again.

imgp5813

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 2 cups / 1.13 EUR per cup / 2.26 EUR for all)

Big handful of fresh basil (0.00 EUR / We grew it ourselves for free!)

1/3 cup of cashews (1.00 EUR)

1/3 cup olive oil (0.47 EUR)

1/3 cup grated hard cheese (0.67 EUR)

3 cloves of garlic (0.10 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

METHOD:

Blitz all of the ingredients in a food processor to desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning. Your pesto is ready to serve over pasta, salads, roasted veggies and meats. It freezes great and refrigerates for up to a week.

imgp5815

imgp5816

imgp5817

Sretna Nova Godina svima! Želim vam sve naj naj u 2017. i da vam ova godina donese obilje zdravlja, sreće i uspjeha. Započeti ću stvari sa još jednim jednostavnim receptom za pesto da se laganini vratimo u normalan život sada kada su svo to obligatorno tulumarenje i jedenje iza nas. Nemojte me krivo shvatiti, stvarno volim vrijeme blagdana, ali sam u ovom trenutku već spremna i za malo strukture u životu.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 2 šalice / 8,41 kn po šalici / 16,81 kn za sve)

Veliki pregršt svježeg bosiljka (0,00 kn / Mi smo sami svoj uzgojili besplatno!)

1/3 šalice indijskih oraščića (7,50 kn)

1/3 šalice maslinovog ulja (3,50 kn)

1/3 šalice fino naribanog tvrdog sira (5,00 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

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

PRIPREMA:

Sve sastojke ispulsirajte u multipraktiku do željene konzistencije. Kušajte i prilagodite začine. Vaš je pesto spreman za posluživanje preko tjestenine, salata, pečenog povrća ili mesa. Super se smrzava, a u hladnjaku može držati do tjedan dana.

Basil and Cashew Pesto / Pesto od bosiljka i indijskih oraščića

Basil and Pumpkin Seed Pesto (vegan, paleo, low histamine) / Pesto od bosiljka i bučinih sjemenki (veganski, paleo, niskohistaminski)

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , , , , 7 Comments

Dear friends, I wish you all a bit belated very merry Christmas and that you thoroughly enjoy the rest of the holidays and festivities. I’m still recuperating a bit from the cleaning and cooking frenzy. As much as I try to keep everything low-key, it’s still difficult to resist the general tendency of going over the top. With the overflow of foodstuff, I haven’t cooked anything substantial since Christmas Eve.

imgp5807

I’m sure I’m not the only one still gnawing on leftovers, so here’s a super quick and easy pesto recipe to brighten things up and dollop over your pasta, salads, roasted veggies or pretty much anything else you can think of. We had three really big indoor basil plants that were ripe and ready for harvest so pesto seemed like the best choice. If you’re going to do a bigger batch of pesto, and there really isn’t any reason why you shouldn’t, freeze whatever you have leftover for later.

imgp5810

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 1 cup / 0.52 EUR)

Big handful of fresh basil (0.00 EUR / We grew it ourselves for free!)

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (0.13 EUR)

3 cloves garlic (0.10 EUR)

2 tbsp coconut oil (0.27 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

METHOD:

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse to desired consistency. Taste to adjust seasoning. Voila, your pesto is ready!

imgp5811

imgp5812

Dragi prijatelji, svima vam sa malim zakašnjenjem želim jako sretan Božić i da puno guštate u ostatku blagdana i slavlja. Ja još uvijek dolazim k sebi od manije čišćenja i kuhanja. Koliko god se trudila da sve bude niskog intenziteta, i dalje mi je teško skroz se oduprijeti općoj tendenciji pretjerivanja. Sa svom tom količinom hrane, nisam skuhala ništa konkretno još od Badnjaka.

Sigurna sam da nisam jedina koja još žvače ostatke, tako da evo vam samo jedan brzinski i lagani recep za pesto sa kojim ćete podignuti i osvježiti tjesteninu, salate, pečeno povrće i bilo što drugo što vam padne na pamet. Mi smo doma u teglicama imali tri ogromna bosiljka koja su već neko vrijeme čekala da ih pobrstimo, pa se pesto činio kao najbolji izbor. Ako ćete raditi veću količinu pesta, a nema razloga da to ne napravite, sav višak možete slobodno smrznuti za kasnije.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 1 šalicu / 3,81 kn)

Veliki pregršt svježeg bosiljka (0,00 kn / Mi smo sami svoj uzgojili besplatno!)

2 žlice bučinih sjemenki (1,00 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

2 žlice kokosovog ulja (2,00 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

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

PRIPREMA:

Stavite sve sastojke u multipraktik i pulsirajte do željene gustoće. Kušajte i prilagodite začine. To je to, vaš je pesto spreman!

Basil and Pumpkin Seed Pesto (vegan, paleo, low histamine) / Pesto od bosiljka i bučinih sjemenki (veganski, paleo, niskohistaminski)

Creamy Cauliflower Parsnip Soup (vegan, paleo, low histamine) / Krem juha od cvjetače i pastrnjaka (veganska, paleo,niskohistaminska)

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

With an abundance of rich holiday foods and sweets floating around, I decided to sneak in a healthy dish and give us a little break in between munching on cookies. This soup is super creamy in texture, but very light and loaded with veggies. It’s also a breeze to make and that’s a huge plus, especially now when we are all running around to get as much done as humanly possible in preparations for the upcoming festivities. I decided to take advantage on running the oven for other things so all the veggies for the soup got roasted. But feel free to make the soup stovetop if that’s more convenient for you.

imgp5809

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 4 generous servings / 0.62 EUR per serving / 2.49 EUR for all)

2 large parsnips (1.00 EUR)

1 large parsley root (0.20 EUR)

2 tbsp coconut oil (0.27 EUR)

Good pinch of salt (0.01 EUR)

Good pinch of freshly ground black pepper (0.01 EUR)

1 large onion (0.10 EUR)

3 cloves of garlic (0.10 EUR)

1 small head of cauliflower (0.67 EUR)

4 cups water (–)

2 tbsp of chopped freshly parsley leaves (0.13 EUR)

imgp5818

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Wash, peel and roughly chop parsnips and parsley root. Toss them together with coconut oil, salt and pepper and spread out on a baking tray. Quarter onion and halve garlic cloves, both with their skins intact, then nest them with parsnips and parsley. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

imgp5819

Meanwhile, wash and cut cauliflower florets. After 30 minutes of baking, stir veggies in the tray and arrange cauliflower florets on top, then return to the oven to roast for additional 30 minutes. Once done, allow veggies to cool a bit then peel and discard onion and garlic skins. Pulse all veggies with water in a food processor until smooth. Bring soup to a boil, taste to adjust seasoning and serve sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley leaves.

imgp5820

S obzirom na trenutno izobilje bogate blagdanske hrane i svih dostupnih kolača, odlučila sam podmetnuti jedno zdravo jelo u pauzi između žvakanja keksa. Ova je juhica kremasta u teksturi, ali jako lagana i nakrcana povrćem. Ujedno ju je jednostavno za napraviti, što je ogroman plus, posebno u ovom užurbanom periodu kada svi imamo hrpetinu obaveza za obaviti dok se pripremamo za nadolazeća slavlja. Ja sam odlučila iskoristiti činjenicu da mi je pećnica bila u pogonu radi drugih stvari te je stoga svo povrće za juhu pečeno. Ali, ako vam je to nezgodno, slobodno sve skuhajte u loncu na štednjaku.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 4 izdašne porcije / 4,64 kn po porciji / 18,56 kn za sve)

2 velika pastrnjaka (7,50 kn)

1 veliki korijen peršina (1,50 kn)

2 žlice kokosovog ulja (2,00 kn)

Dobar prstohvat soli (0,01 kn)

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

1 veliki luk (0,75 kn)

3 češnja češnjaka (0,75 kn)

1 mala glavice cvjetače (5,00 kn)

4 šalice vode (–)

2 žlice svježeg sjeckanog peršinovog lista (1,00 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Zagrijte pećnicu na 200°C. Operite, ogulite i grubo narežite pastrnjak i korijen peršina. Pomiješajte sa kokosovim uljem, soli i paprom te raširite po protvanu. Raščetvorite luk i raspolovite češnjak, sve skupa sa ljuskama, te ih ugnijezdite među pastrnjak i peršin. Stavite u pećnicu i pecite 30 minuta.

U međuvremenu operite i odrežite cvjetiće karfiola. Nakon 30 minuta pečenja, promiješajte povrće iz protvana i po vrhu poslažite cvjetaču i onda sve skupa vratite u pećnicu na još 30 minuta. Kada je sve gotovo, pustite da se povrće malo ohladi prije nego što skinete i bacite ljuske sa luka i češnjaka. Povrće skupa sa vodom ispasirajte u multipraktiku da bude glatko. Pustite da juha provrije, kušajte i prilagodite začine, te poslužite posipano sa malo svježeg sjeckanog peršina.

Creamy Cauliflower Parsnip Soup (vegan, paleo, low histamine) / Krem juha od cvjetače i pastrnjaka (veganska, paleo,niskohistaminska)

Jam Sandwich Cookies / Keksići sa pekmezom

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , Leave a comment

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.

imgp5864

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)

imgp5800

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.

imgp5851

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.

imgp5865

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

Crunch Crunch Away, , Leave a comment

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)

IMGP4461

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.

IMGP4465

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.

IMGP4460

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

Crunch Crunch Away, , , , , , , 2 Comments

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.

imgp5756

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)

imgp5760

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.

imgp5765

imgp5767

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