Bread with the secret agent

Good day! Did I tell you that I love watching where do you come from on our live traffic map? Yes, I really do! I also enjoy tha fact that Gosia's mother yeast cake is our absolute most popular recipe!

This time I just want to keep you updated on what is going on. So, 2009 new years' commitments' results will be counted soon. Or not. I am still considering what I should focus this year on. I have so many ideas that it looks quite unfeasible to fulfil all of them. For sure I need to lose weight and limit the sweets. It is sad but necessary before the situation goes to far. There is also no more excuses for exercises. Today I did my first workout and I feel something strange in my knee on completing three hundred skips. But I guess this is a good way to release the daily stress. Of course changing the diet is necessary. Uh, tough question for a cookie monster and a meat lover. For now I am drinking up all the milk and cleaning my cupboards of the remains of different products. I have no idea what to do with a gift vodka since I don't drink. With all the jellies it will be the same situation as with miso - we'll be eating jellies and jelly cakes every week... Than this year's spring should arrive and everything will be much more easier than now!

Well, as to strictly culinary development I seriously consider two projects: BREAD A WEEK or challenging my Australian and New Zealand Complete Book of Cookery. I haven't decide yet. Well, I could say that I am going to write a book but then again I get an absorbing job and won't be able to manage it. Or maybe... For now I polish up the paper on the Tuvaluan cuisine which was presented only in broad outline due to lack of time during the latest conference of ANZORA. Cannot complain on the lack of goals.

Finally, small news from the kitchen: I have developed an interesting recipe for a yeast cake.

PINK BREAD

Starter:
400 ml warm water
100 g wheat flour
20 g baker's yeast
80 g red secret ingredient (guess what!!!)

Mix well all the ingredients, rubbing them if needed to a smooth liquid, cover with a wet cloth, set aside in a warm place, wait till it doubles the size. Very important: must be frothy.

Add one by one:
1 slightly beaten egg
30 g vegetable oil (around 6 Tbsps)
2 Tbsps sugar
1 flat tsp salt
540 g wheat flour added gradually, partially used while kneading

1. Form a flat cake with your palms and place in the baking form (of whatever shape, minimum 20 cm in diameter for a round one or 20x30 cm for a rectangle).
2. Cover with a wet cloth and place in a warm place until it doubles the size and become light and delicate under touch.
3. Bake in preaheated oven in 180 Celsius degrees for 35-40 minutes.

It gets the darker coluour due to the secret agent, rises beautifully, great with butter even on the third day. Nice smell because of the secret agent. One bread was eaten immediately, second was offered. No photos this time except the previous straciatella cake, we will talk about that one later. Ci vediamo!