Delicious Mini Pasties with Lentils and Coriander Filling

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NAME AND PRONUNCIATION: paszteciki [pah-sh-teh-cheekey]
DESCRIPTION: lentil-filled pasties
TYPE OF CUISINE: Eastern European

These little treats are my family and friends’ absolute favourite. They are easy to make, they just take a little planning, and remember to make lots, since they disappear very quickly! The yeast dough rises in a fridge overnight, so it is a little different than basis yeast dough. It resembles something in between yeast dough and shortbread, flavourful and yet delicate and crispy. You definitely need to try them!

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At least 20 servings (depending of the size of your pasties) • Preparation time: about 60 minutes (rising overnight)

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TIPS:

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01
Prepare the dough in the evening and let it rise overnight in a fridge.

02
Try different fillings! Everything resembling pâté, either made with meat or legumes, will be fine.

INGREDIENTS:

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Dough:
✽ 350 g all-purpose flour
✽ 250 ml warm milk
✽ 100 g soft butter
✽ 4 egg yolks
✽ 7 g instant yeast
✽ 1 tablespoon sugar
✽ ¾ teaspoon salt

Lentil filling:
✽ dry lentils
✽ 1 bunch fresh coriander
✽ salt
✽ pepper

METHOD:

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01
Sift the flour to a large bowl, add the yeast, milk and sugar. Start mixing.

02
Add salt and yolks. Knead the dough for at least 3 minutes, or until the dough becomes elastic and smooth.

03
Now, gradually add softened butter and continue kneading for about 10 minutes more. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for an hour.

04
After that time, thoroughly knead the dough for good few minutes to get rid of most of the air trapped inside. Then cover with a tea towel again and rest in a fridge for about 12 hours.

05
Prepare the filling just like you would for Pierogi with Green Lentils.

06
After 12 hours, take the dough out of the fridge, dust your work top with some flour and evenly roll out the dough. You will need a large rectangle, about 35 x 45 cm. Cut the longer edge into three long strips of about 15 cm, put a portion of the filling in the middle of each strip and all the way down to the bottom edge, then roll and seal along the long edge. You can slightly pinch it together to avoid the filling coming out during baking. Cut the rolls into small pieces, about 5 cm wide.

07
On a parchment paper, gently place all the pasties you can fit. Put them upright, rather than on their side, you need to brown them from the top. Let them proof one more time for about half an hour, then brush them with egg wash (I like making it with a dash of milk) and bake in 180ºC for about 30 minutes, until they are beautifully golden and slightly crispy.

Enjoy!

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Easy Sourdough Bread

Name and pronunciation: chleb na zakwasie [h-leh-p • nah • zack-fah-sheh]
Description: sourdough bread
Type of cuisine: Eastern European

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There are many different recipes for a sourdough, some more difficult than others. This is a perfect one to start your wild yeast adventure. Sourdough bread always takes a while, but this method does not take a lot of effort, just time, which is a great advantage.

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Approximately 1.5 kg loaf (or two smalls ones) • Preparation time: about 30 minutes • Resting time: 3 x 12 hours • Baking time: 45 minutes

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Tips:

01
I find it easier to bake two smaller loaves than one large one.

02
To bake, use any cake form, but bread crust needs moisture and high temperature, so I get best results using cast iron pots.

03
Always line your forms with parchment paper.

04
If your oven does not have a steam function, place a bowl of hot water next to the forms.

05
Use bread flour of any kind you like. I usually mix white and whole-wheat flours 50/50, but you can also add some rye flour for a nice, strong flavour.

06
It is a good idea to slice and freeze all excess bread. It defrosts in minutes and remains as fresh as on the first day.

07
To make the top crust thicker and crispier, I spray the top with water several times during the last stage of rising. Be generous and make sure you spray your bread with water and generously cover with flour just before baking as well.

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Schedule:

01
Morning: prepare your starter for activation and leave it until evening.

02
Evening: make the sponge and leave it overnight.

03
Morning: knead the bread dough, move it to forms, cover and leave it to rise for the whole day.

04
Evening: bake the bread and cool it. Two days before the bread runs out, prepare new starter to activate for new loaves.

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Activating starter

Ingredients:

✽ 100 g cold starter
✽ 100 g flour
✽ 100 ml water

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Method:

01 
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a non-metallic container and leave out in warmth for about 12 hours. Make sure it has space to rise. I always use a 500 ml glass.

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Making sponge

Ingredients:

✽ activated starter from previous stage
✽ 500 g bread flour
✽ 500 ml water

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Method:

01
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave for about 12 hours in a warm spot.

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Kneading dough

Ingredients:

✽ sponge from previous stage
✽ 500 g bread flour
✽ 25 g salt
✽ seeds, grains and nuts (optional)

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Method:

01
Mix all ingredients and knead by pressing and stretching for at least 10 minutes. The dough needs to feel elastic and springy to be ready.

03
Split in two and roll the loafs in flour. You can mix the flour with sesame seeds, poppy seeds or oats for added crust flavour.

04
Place the loaves in forms lined with parchment paper. If you want to score your loaves, do it now. Make sure the cuts are quite deep, because the dough will still rise significantly and shallow scoring will disappear.

05
Cover with tea towels and leave for about 12 hours in a warm spot.

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Baking bread

Method:

01
Pre-heat your oven to maximum temperature for about 10-15 minutes. Boil water and fill in a small bowl. Place it in the oven.

02
Bake your loaves for 10 minutes in the maximum heat, then lower it to 200ºC. Bake for another 35-40 minutes.

03
Cool down the loaves before cutting them. If you do not have time to put away the loaves away after they have cooled down, simply wrap them loosely in tea towels and leave them on a kitchen counter until the morning.

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Enjoy!