Bread

I’m shit at shaping…

Tartine method is still what I default to and I found this video by Chad Robertson showing his handling and shaping really useful.

https://www.bonappetit.com/video/watch/handcrafted-how-to-make-3-kinds-of-bread-from-1-sourdough-starter

I’ve read the book and watched some of his videos. The dough I made yesterday was quite good. It was holding its shape

I’m toying with the idea of making bread. Probably sourdough. I have minimal time to spend on it and not huge amounts of space. So I’m wondering A. How easily making sourdough can be. B. If it’ll be significantly cheaper than just buying it.

Not sourdough but the no knead method is minimal fuss and doesn't take up that much space to do:

https://leitesculinaria.com/99521/recipes-jim-laheys-no-knead-bread.html#recipe

yes, it's cheaper.

it's not effort free but once you get into a routine it isn't that time consuming. it works best if you bake regularly.

home made yeast bread is also good and less faff.

You'll have to spend time upfront while you learn and trouble shoot. But after that you can make a routine around your routine and it's mostly effortless and quick.

Best thing is to find a friend that's making and make a loaf with them, you'll learn faster. Can steal their starter too

Nothing better than eating good fresh bread

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I’d recommend a bread machine. Minimal effort ie 5mins per loaf and consistently good results. Easier with yeast but you can do sourdough but it’s more of a hobby. Saves quite a bit of money per loaf assuming the machine has a decent life

It has to be no knead.

Takes 2 mins one evening to mix, 2 mins the following day to shape and 40 mins to cook. Works every time and is so easy there is no excuse not to.

No pictures but I've had quite a good run of making pita pockets. Basic yeast dough with 1/2 cup of wholemeal added. Then make dough balls, let rest, roll out pretty thin discs the width of the pan, let rest and then hot frying pan with the top side down in the pan, flip when bubbles appear, they puff up like pillows and voila, you have a pita pocket.

Super easy, no long bake and great with home made falafels, salad and garlic tahini sauce.

Yeah! Home made pita and falafel is a winner. Quite a while since I've bothered though, think I maxed out my appetite for falafel in summer but it'll come back. Buy the hummus though, I've never managed to nail that and fuck de-hulling chickpeas!

Dehull chickpeas? No need.

Boil a tin of them with a teaspoon of bicarb of soda. If you want a milder garlic flavour add the garlic to the pan too.

The bicarb breaks down the chickpea skin so it purées smoothly. Add tahini, oil, lemon juice and salt. Add other things (cumin coriander sundried tomatoes, roasted peppers etc)!if you wish.

We also make it with adzuki beans, butter beans et al.

Another way to take some of the heat out of the garlic if you chose not to boil it with the pulses is to blend it with the lemon juice before adding the rest of the ingredients.

What @dancing james said. No need to de-hull. I just use canned for hummus, turns out great every time.

We also make it with adzuki beans, butter beans et al.

Just don't call it hummus I've been told

The trick for silky smooth hummus is to blend the chickpeas whilst warm.

Yeah yeah, done all that, it's never as good as from my local Greek deli, or even Tesco tbh. Don't worry, I'm at one with my flaw, the falafel make up for it.

Tempted to try butter bean version though.

Bean paste, fake news hummus, hummus analogue

I think the reasoning was that hummus literally means chickpeas

Is it the texture or the flavour of your own that uou don’t like?

I find using quality organic chickpeas is a big change, a generous amount of good salt (eg fleur du sel) and not using olive oil (or use it sparingly) and instead using argan oil or oilseed help. Strong olive oil just over powers everything else.

both, but mostly texture. This was usually using dried and rehydrated chick peas, maybe canned would get better results

Today's ever reliable no knead loaf

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Looks delicious!

You're selling it to me for sure. Got a recipe/method you could link to?

Yummy

I work with the following recipe and method and it's fail safe...

600g Decent White Bread Flour
7g Instant Yeast
14g Salt
445ml Water

Mix it all up in the evening and cover (I use a big tupaware).

Then following morning I put a cast iron dish in the oven on full wack (270 for me). Whilst that's heating I shape and prove the loaf (I leave it for 50 mins whilst the oven gets the pan super hot). I then put the loaf inside the hot cast iron pan and bake for 40 mins at 240 with the lid on.

It's super easy and aside from a few minutes in the evening and a few minutes shaping the next morning it's no effort. Baking paper can be useful in getting the shaped loaf into the hot pan.

The only essential bits of kit are a proofing basket and a cast iron pan (with lid)