#9 Do More Of What Makes You Happy

Hey hey - how are we all?

I’m TIRED - how can a weekend away leave you with jet lag almost a week later?? I did, however, have a wonderful time (I was at the British Formula 1 GP if you are new to this newsletter) so I’ll accept the ‘jet lag’. I have also felt a bit flat this week, I get like it whenever I go away - even for a night - instead of coming back from an experience energised & empowered by it, I almost always find myself wishing I could live it all over again, or every day (the ‘post holiday blues’ kind of feeling). In reality, it’s usually completely unreasonable to live these idyllic, stress-free lives every day and obviously the novelty would quickly wear off when it became the norm, but sometimes it does make me question whether we should all be able to achieve a better balance… one where ‘every day life’ is nearly as pleasurable as the exciting activities.

Despite the slight comedown, it’s been a reasonable week... one that has been significantly enhanced by:

• Watching recorded footage of the weekend’s race - I may well have experienced the race first hand but I then have to watch back everything to relive the experience all over again!

• Getting back to baking & cooking - even a few days away from it made me eager to eat some fresh nourishing meals and throw some dough around in the kitchen (recipes to follow).

• Watching the climax of Wimbledon… and simultaneously deliberating over the action with my friend Sally who is as sport obsessed as I am!

• A haircut - ok, the haircut was horrific, I HATE BEING REMOTELY PAMPERED and get very fidgety - but I can now see and am no longer squinting through a fringe visor, useful!

• The prospect of some warmth and sunshine next week!

A lot to be grateful for really… and plenty to discuss in further detail, so let’s get started!

A GREAT WEEKEND

I know a lot of you won’t be here for this content but you’re getting a snippet anyway I’m afraid. 

Firstly, if you’re not already an F1 fan, welllll you should be, obviously I’m joking, we don’t all have to love the same stuff but it really is an incredible sport that showcases some excellent sportsmen (& women), phenomenal teamwork & camaraderie (F1 is often referred to as the travelling circus) and … some extremely clever individuals continually pushing the boundaries of technology & innovation whilst striving for greater inclusivity and sustainability. 

Some cool facts that you may or may not be aware of: 

• Mercedes F1 were integral to the development of a breathing aid that helped with the treatment of covid patients during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• F1 aims to be Net zero carbon by 2030, they have also paved the way for more sustainable road cars - particularly in relation to engines & fuel. 

• Mercedes, and Lewis Hamilton, have developed & funded specific foundations/enterprises that seek to encourage & empower those from less privileged backgrounds as well as generating more opportunities for women in the sport… if I had the chance again (or if anyone reading this who is involved in F1 is prepared to have me now) this would be a dream career for me- not quite sure what role but I’ll make the cakes (or any other food) if that’s a job? 

Aside from this- the British GP at Silverstone is a bloomin’ fabulous sporting event, it welcomes hundreds of thousands of fans who (broadly speaking) share a love for the sport- it’s the most friendly and uplifting atmosphere, the noise is deafening, and you can feel the excitement around you. 

It’s just great, please put it on your bucket list, and maybe watch a bit of ‘Drive to Survive’ on Netflix first if you haven’t previously watched any F1, so you can get a taste for what it’s all about. 

Other benefits personally from this weekend:

• The 4G was shocking all weekend which meant I couldn’t use my phone- I’m not gonna lie, it was bliss and a note to self (and everyone else) to rely less on our phones! 

• Camping… it’s kinda back breaking and you feel pretty dirty at times but I slept like a log in the great outdoors, and BOY do I appreciate my bed now I’m back- Sunday evenings starfish situation was epic. Also, porridge and proper coffee never tasted so good. 

• Being surrounded by countryside, nature and green space (admittedly with a lot of other people but still…) there is something unbelievably wholesome and grounding about being in the countryside - particularly in the summer when the evenings stay light forEVER, the birds are super chirpy and the air is just FRESH!

• I knew this before but my mum really is my bestie. We love a good bicker when we are at home but whilst we were away we laughed A LOT. The real high points were:

  • Mum tripping over a tents guy rope (not our tent I should add!)… literally SPLAT- thankfully she was fine, I laughed regardless (after I had scooped her up of course). 

  • Me walking into someone else’s tent at 6:30 one morning- thankfully the tent was empty, and in my defence all the tents looked the same!!!

  • Sharing the excitement and adrenaline we experienced watching a truly epic race… then talking about it non-stop afterwards.

My lesson from this weekend away is this:

Do more things that excite you… with people you love, who feel that same excitement with you - you won’t regret it and life is too short to not do great things!

HOLE-Y WHOLESOME BREAD WITH BITS IN…
… and the best ways with ricotta.

Catchy name don’t you think? I’m a massive fan of adding ‘bits’ to doughs - seeds, nuts (ALWAYS roasted), fruit, spices, herb - the possibilities are endless and the flavour potential is wild. I also love bread with a thin shattering crust and a hole-y moist crumb (usually higher in hydration) - this style of bread really reminds me of my trips to Italy and the most epic sandwich situations.

This week I had some Ricotta that needed using up, on Monday evening I made one of my favourite lemon-y ricotta and spinach pasta dishes - based on THIS recipe, it’s pure comfort. With the remaining ricotta, there was only one option - toasted oily bread, smeared with ricotta & topped with warm, sweet & salty stuff - I’m talking balsamic tomatoes and fresh honey glazed figs… absolute magic! Obv I needed to concoct a ‘perfect’ roll to suitably compliment the creamy ricotta etc… I baked these walnut rolls a few weeks back but in typical Steph fashion, didn’t write down the recipe, so I somewhat started from scratch and this was the outcome. The dough is relatively high hydration and therefore quite a challenge to handle if you work it by hand… nevertheless, it’s totally possible with a little patience and perseverance (I opted for hand kneading it, but you can use a mixer.)

Ingredients

180g Strong White Bread flour
120g Strong Wholemeal bread flour
6g instant dried active yeast
5g Salt
10g Runny honey
25ml fresh orange juice
200ml lukewarm water
50g Roasted walnuts roughly chopped - I chop my pieces relatively small.

Method

Measure the white bread flour into a medium sized bowl, sift the wholemeal flour into the same bowl - the bran element should remain in the sieve - reserve this in a separate bowl and set aside for a moment. To the two flours, add the yeast to one side of the bowl and the salt to the other, next add the honey, orange juice and 190ml of the water. Bring together to form a shaggy dough - it will be super sticky and wet, use a spatula if you wish. Cover and leave to autolyse for 30 minutes. Meanwhile add the remaining 10ml of water to the bowl containing the bran, mix to fully coat, then add the walnuts and mix again. Leave to soak.

Once autolysed, knead the dough for around 10 minutes or until elastic and smoother. Leave to rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Once rested, add the nuts and bran, work into the dough - it can take a bit of effort - then continue to knead for a further 5 minutes or so, rest it for another 10 minutes before checking for full gluten development, if it’s not quite there, knead for another couple of minutes. Once ready, transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave to prove for around 90 minutes (until doubled in size) in a warm environment.

Once proofed, lightly flour the work surface and carefully remove the dough from the bowl. Use a floured dough scraper to divide into 6 even portions - again, it’s super sticky so can be a bit of a handful, use flour to assist you but be as sparing with it as possible. Once portioned, flip each dough portion over so that the lightly floured side is now on top, use a floured hand to gently roll into tight balls and transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment. Cover and leave to prove for a further 60 minutes or until doubled in size. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 240C/220C fan and add a roasting tin to the bottom of the oven. Once the rolls have risen, transfer to the oven whilst simultaneously pouring a cup full of water into the roasting tin at the bottom of the oven and immediately shutting the oven door. Bake for 15 minutes or until dark brown and sounding hollow when tapped on the base. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Choccy Banana & pecan Cookies (VGN)

This recipe comes with a warning - Mum said they tasted #healthy - I disagree, and you lovely lot were keen to try them when I posted a photo on Instagram, so I’ll let you be the judge. They were based on an Ottolenghi recipe that frankly didn’t need tampering with… butttt I had no butter… or eggs when I got back from the weekend (I know shock horror) - and I was desperate for something sweet to bake on Monday so I freestyled with coconut oil and a flax egg… it was definitely different - less fudgy and a bit more wholesome but still a little something special in my opinion!

Makes 8 cookies

Ingredients

35g Coconut oil solid not melted
35g Light brown sugar
1.25 tsp Milled flaxseed - mixed with 1 tbsp water and left to soak for 10 minutes
15g ripe Banana
40g Plain Wholemeal flour
1 tbsp Cocoa powder
Pinch Salt
1/8 tsp ground Cinnamon
40g Chopped Dark Chocolate
40g Chopped Pecans roasted for even more flavour

Method

With an electric hand whisk, beat the coconut oil and sugar together in a medium sized bowl until slightly fluffy. Add the flaxseed/water mixture and the banana and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined, then fold through the chocolate and pecans. refrigerate for a couple of hours or until firm.

When the dough is firm, preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan and line a baking tray with parchment. Portion the dough into 8 x approximately 25g balls using your hands - if it gets too sticky just wash your hands and continue. Place on the baking tray spaced well apart and flatten to around 1cm thick. Bake in the oven for 10 mins. Leave to cool for a minute or two on the tray, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely… or just pop them on a plate and dive right in - I think they are best still warm… maybe with a blob of vanilla ice cream if we’re being specific.

Fennel & Nigella seed Taralli(ni)

If you have never heard of these little ring-doughnut shaped biscuits, then it’s about time you became acquainted. I’m pretty sure I have tried them in the past - in fact I recall them being served in a bread basket served with a meal I had in Lake Garda, but I clearly paid no attention to exactly what I was eating and spent more time shovelling them in my mouth! I recently came across them again via Martha De Lacey - sourdough Queen and all-round food guru - she posted some amazing content from her recent trip to Puglia (check it out in her Instagram highlights) and having raved about these little biscuits, I felt compelled to both seek them out (found some in TK Maxx - I love this shop sells such an eclectic array of things) and then had a go at making my own (Martha has also developed a sourdough recipe which I believe you can find via her cookery school ‘The Muff Kitchen’).

Tarralli (or Tarallini - their slightly smaller counterpart) are simply THE MOST moorish oil rich breadstick-style savoury biscuit you will consume - perfect paired with anything dippy - hummus obvs - or as an alternative to crisps (traditionally they are dunked in wine I believe, not sure I’m feeling this because I don’t like the soggy vibe but I’d happily munch on these whilst enjoying a glass of white wine… preferably in Italy).

Whilst developing this recipe, I found there were a fair few variations out there; some recipes called for yeast, whilst others didn't, some had eggs in, some were rested after the first knead and then left to dry out for up to 5 hours after boiling, some weren’t rested or dried out and others did one thing but not another, some had flavourings, others remained plain and don’t get me started on sweet variations which seem wildly different in their preparation. *Bit of an aside here but one thing that REALLY frustrates me about recipes is when they don’t tell us the specifics of WHY something is being done… if we just had the ‘why’ then we would be able to understand the relative importance of a specific step, am I RIGHT?

Needless to say MULTIPLE batches were produced (no jokes, I also couldn’t get to sleep one night because I was mulling over various questions I had over how to achieve the ultimate crunch, richness etc etc). I’m not going to lie, I don’t think I’m any the wiser in terms of some of the ‘why’s’ with this recipe (specifically: why this biscuit dough is kneaded- pretty sure that goes against most biscuit rules; the reasoning behind the initial resting phase - presumably helps the dough relax a bit and therefore makes it easier to shape; and why the dough is left to ‘dry out’ post boil/ the duration of this drying phase if necessary at all - nevertheless, I do believe I have found a ‘sweet spot’ - although I’m pretty sure Taralli purists may disagree.)

In the interest of speed, I opted for the yeast-less variety here - I also noted that the packet I had purchased contained no yeast so assumed this was acceptable - at some point I will have a go at some yeasty babies too. I decided to incorporate a little extra flavour in the form of fennel and nigella seeds which I think really elevates things. The dough is fairly stiff but the relatively high proportion of olive oil makes it very pleasurable to knead (mindful baking at its best). Once kneaded, I employ the resting phase - I find it does help with shaping - then having shaped the dough, I boil, drain and leave to dry out for around 45 minutes- 1hour - basically I got impatient here and this length of time seemed sufficient to yield a great result - I then bake them until dried out and crisp - simples!

After that lengthy introduction, all you really need to know is this: if you like a savoury snack, you will like these, so give them a go!!

Ingredients

140g 00 flour (you could use plain flour here instead)
1/2 tsp salt
30g Extra virgin Olive oil (approx. 2 tbsp + 1 tsp… I think - but weigh it for better accuracy)
50ml Dry white wine
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
1/2 tsp Nigella seeds

Method

Combine the flour & salt. Add the olive oil and wine and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and springs back when you gently poke it, add the seeds and knead into the dough until evenly distributed. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.

Once rested portion into 10g balls - this recipe yields around 22 taralli - then roll each ball into a rope approximately 12cm long, join the ends of the rope together to form a small ring - press gently to seal.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil, once boiling, add the Taralli in batches - around 7/8 at a time (depending on how big your pan is - and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they float to the surface. As soon as they are floating, remove from the pan and leave to drain on a cooling rack before repeating with the remaining dough. Once all of the dough has been boiled, leave them all on the wire rack to cool/dry out for around 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan and line a baking tray with parchment. After the period of cooling/drying out, transfer the rings of dough to the lined baking tray and bake in the oven for 40 minutes turning halfway through. Once baked, remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to crisp up and dry out further. Enjoy with a glass of wine or plunged into creamy hummus and pretend you’re in Puglia!

Some other little Dimes

• Tahini noodles - you may have gathered that I’m currently hooked on ‘Mob’ recipes. I saw this recipe and thought it looked a bit special - naturally I faffed with it a bit, I added some edamame beans and some mushrooms - fried in sesame oil and soy sauce - and it was really good - it’s defo worth a try!

• Chocolate & peanut butter granola clusters - this was my fairly lame contribution to World chocolate day - but to be perfectly honest, it absolutely hit the chocolate spot… PLUS I struggle to keep up with what day of the week it is, let alone what ‘special’ day I should be acknowledging so this is as good as it gets! Regardless, you need to try these - PLEASE!! *If you made David’s granola (like I told you to in last weeks newsletter), use that, otherwise use whatever you have around. I also love this recipe as a use for the dregs of granola you ALWAYS end up left with at the bottom off a packet or jar - tell me I’m not the only one who picks out all of the big clusters and nuts? - oops!
  Simply combine: 50g granola, 30g of peanut butter & 35g melted chocolate (of your choice) mix it up and spoon out little portions onto a baking sheet lined with parchment - I made 6 clusters from this mixture. Pop into the fridge to set for about 45 minutes or until they’re firm. Enjoy straight from the fridge. (These come with an ‘addictive’ warning, you can’t just eat one… or two!

• Cereal and SUPER COLD milk - I had this each evening while we were away and blooming heck is it comfort, I’m never quite sure why cereal and milk is so appealing, but it just is right?

As ever, I hope you are all doing ok and have had a good week… now roll on sunshine… please!

Take care and lots of love!

Steph x