PITA BREAD

Dont attempt to make these unless

your oven can reach the required
temperature. Bake another bread
instead. The reason is that the
dough needs to explode in the heat,
causing the bread to puff like a
balloon. Without a great heat, this
just wont happen.
Makes 8 breads
For the ferment
12 tsp (34g) compressed fresh yeast
12 cup (125g) water at 86F (30C)
34 cup (100g) unbleached high-gluten
bread flour
For the dough
scant 78 cup (195g) water at
72F (22C)
123 cups (200g) cake flour
2 cups (250g) unbleached
high-gluten bread flour
3 tbsp (40g) sugar
1 tsp (7g) fine sea salt

To make the ferment, whisk the

yeast with the water in a small

bowl. Add the flour and stir until
smooth. Cover and leave in a warm
place (77F/25C) for 112 hours.

For the dough, mix the water

with the ferment. Put all the

remaining ingredients in a large
bowl and add the ferment mixture.
Mix to a soft, sticky dough. Cover
and leave for 10 minutes.

Knead the dough (p460), then

leave it for 1 hour, giving it one

more knead during that time.

Preheat the oven to at least

425F (220C). Place a clean

baking sheet (or a baking stone)
in the oven to heat. Meanwhile,
on a lightly floured surface, divide
the dough into eight equal pieces
(about 312oz/100g each). Round
each piece into a ball and leave,
covered, for 15 minutes.

Roll out each ball into a round

roughly 14in (5mm) thick. Let

rest for 2 minutes.

Using a sheet of cardboard as

a makeshift scoop, scoop up

each pita and drop it onto the hot
sheet (or stone). Bake, one or two
at a time, until risen and barely
colored, about 5 minutes. Remove
with tongs and cool, covered.

CRUMPETS
Makes 1015
1 cup (125g) unbleached high-gluten bread flour
1 tbsp (15g) sugar
1 tsp (7g) compressed fresh yeast, crumbled
12 tsp (3g) fine sea salt
312 tbsp warm water at 90F (32C)
7 tbsp (100g) lukewarm milk
34 tsp (5g) baking soda, dissolved in
1 tsp boiling water

Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, water,

and milk in a bowl and beat together with a
spoon to make a very smooth batter. Leave in
a warm place until the batter has begun to
bubble, about 45 minutes.

Very lightly grease a large, heavy-based

frying pan or griddle. If you have 34in
(810cm) metal crumpet rings, grease these, too,
and place them on the pan to heat. When both
the pan and rings are smoking hot, reduce the
heat and place a heat-diffuser under the pan (or
turn the heat down very low). Leave for a
minute to cool down slightly.

Pour the batter into a measuring jug and

stir in the dissolved baking soda, stirring
well to make sure that it is evenly combined.
Pour a little of the batter into each of the rings
to a depth of 12in (1cm). If not using rings, pour
the batter directly onto the hot pan to make
disks 34in (810cm) in diameter.

Let the crumpets cook until the surface is

full of holes and the batter almost set, about
3 minutes. Flip the crumpets over and cook on
the other side until lightly colored. (This is when
you can tell if the heat is rightthe base of the
crumpets should be dark brown but not burned;
if burned then reduce the heat.)

The crumpets may pop out of the rings on

their own. If they dont, run a sharp knife
around the inside of the rings to loosen them.
Place the cooked crumpets on a wire rack to
cool, then oil the rings once more and put back
on the pan to heat. When the rings are hot,
make another batch of crumpets.

Poached pheasant breast with morel mushrooms

Cover the contents of the pan with a circle
of parchment paper (a cartouche)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 shallots, chopped
3 cups finely chopped button mushrooms
4 pheasant breast halves, on the bone
12 cup chicken stock
8 large, dried morel mushrooms, soaked, then
brought to a boil, or fresh morels, sliced
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
1 tsp lemon juice
hot pepper sauce to taste

Heat the olive oil in a small pan, add the

shallots and button mushrooms, and cover
the pan. Let cook for about 15 minutes.
Lay the pheasant breasts in a shallow pan
and barely cover with the stock. Place a
circle of parchment paper on top. (This
will let you see what is happening and
The process of simmering suits the dry nature of pheasantit must cook very gently, or it
will shrink and toughen. The sauce is made in much the same way as hollandaise sauce,
with egg yolks whisked over hot water and clarified butter added to thicken it. The mixture
of cooked chopped shallots and mushroomsa staple of the classic kitchen repertoire
is known as duxelles stuffing. Dried morels are a pantry ingredient year round.
also prevents buildup of steam.) Poach at a
gentle simmer for 15 minutes, then add the
morels. Continue poaching until the breasts
are just cooked, about 10 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, clarify the butter (p26) and
keep it warm.

Put 3 tbsp of the poaching liquid into a

stainless steel bowl, add the egg yolks, and
set over a pan of hot water. Whisk until
thickened. Lift the bowl off the pan and
slowly whisk in the warm clarified butter.
Season with the lemon juice, pepper sauce,
salt, and pepper.
Bone and skin the pheasant breasts. Place
1 tbsp mushroom stuffing on each plate and
top with a pheasant breast, then spoon the
sauce over and add the morel mushrooms.

POTATO DUMPLING
WRAPPERS
Makes 30 wrappers
9 egg whites
scant 12 cup potato flour
2 tsp fish sauce
23 cup water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
small handful of chives, blanched, for tying

Heat a 6in (15cm) nonstick frying pan over

medium heat. For each wrapper, brush the

pan with a little oil, then pour in enough batter
just to coat the bottom. Cook until set, 4560
seconds. Do not turn over. Remove with a
spatula to a flat surface and cover with a cloth.

To shape each dumpling, put 1 heaped tbsp

stuffing onto the center of a wrapper, gather

up the sides over the top, and press together.
Tie closed with a chive. Set the dumplings on a
steamer rack lined with parchment paper and
steam over boiling water for 810 minutes. (This
batter will make more wrappers than you need
for the recipe, right; keep unused batter in the
refrigerator for later use.)

Spinach Pancakes
These beautiful
green pancakes
can be used as
tortilla-like
wraps or rolled
with fi llings for
savory crepes.
These are also
used in place of
pasta to make
my Spinach
and Mushroom
Lasagna

(pg. 230).
M A K E S A B O U T 9 ( 6 - I N C H ) P A N CAKES

4 large eggs
1 (10-ounce) package frozen, organic spinach,
thawed and drained
2 cloves garlic, chopped
O cup low-fat milk or almond milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons almond meal fl our
teaspoon sea salt
Cooking spray
1. Combine eggs, spinach, garlic, milk, oil, flour, and salt in
a blender or food processor and blend until well combined.
2. Coat a 6- to 8-inch nonstick pan with nonstick cooking spray
and heat over medium heat. Pour a small amount of batter in
the pan and spread to coat bottom. Cook pancake until the
batter bubbles evenly and the bottom is browned, and then
flip to cook the other side until browned. Remove to a platter
and repeat until all batter is used. Serve immediately or freeze
individually for later use.
30