Turkish Pizza ~ Pide

I bookmarked pide, the Turkish pizza bread when Pavani posted it during last month marathon and wanted to try it sooner before it got buried in my bookmarked folder. I decided to try it yesterday as my daughter was at home and she couldn't fathom the fact that her favorite pizza was getting a makeover in terms of shape. She thought it was plain weird though she forgot about it when it was time to taste it.  
I came across pide in all sizes and shapes over the web but a long canoe shaped one seems to be the popular one. The texture of the pide crust was soft, more like a bread. As in pizza, the toppings can change according to one's preference and I noticed that vegetables were added while baking and an egg went about 5 minutes before 
the final stages.
 
The toppings can be arranged leaving about 1/2 inch around the edges and then pides can be shaped. Pavani had suggested that shaping the pides after spreading the toppings would be easier and I tried following that method but I goofed up while shaping them. My daughter was going crazy chanting that she was hungry and I did not bother to look how it was shaped. I did not realize that I was supposed to just pinch the edges and somehow ended up overlapping the edges slightly over the toppings, resulting them to open up slightly instead of staying put, while baking. If the edges are pinched together not bringing the toppings in contact with it, the shape would retain. It doesn't mean that my pide ended up with another shape other than oval one or the toppings spill over. I would make the pides less wider next time and keep the rims thinner. My daughter didn't like the thick rim even though it had a soft, bread kind of texture and just left them out. I would also recommend making 3 instead of 2 pides for these measurements.

 Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1&1/3 cup wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 & 1/4 tsp. rapid rise yeast
2 tbsp. yogurt
2 tbsp. oil
3/4 to 1 cup water (I had to use about 1 cup + 3 tbsp. water.)
2 tbsp. milk (for brushing)
1 tbsp. seeds (Optional. Caraway, Sesame, Nigella or Mustard can be used. ) 
Toppings of your choice

Method:
* Combine all the ingredients except the milk and seeds, in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Start with about 3/4 cup water and add extra water as needed to form a soft, pliable dough. (Add water in small increments and I had to add almost 1 & 1/4 cup water.)
* Knead the dough for about 6 minutes on a stand mixer or about
10 - 12 minutes by hand.
 
* Transfer the dough to a large, lightly greased bowl, cover and leave aside in a warm place for about 1 to 1½ hours or until it doubles in volume. (During winter, I preheat the oven at the lowest setting and turn off the oven. I leave the dough in the warm oven.)
* Gently deflate the dough and then knead the dough slightly. Divide the dough into 2 balls and shape them into oval shapes. Pinch the edges to form a rim, almost bringing it to a canoe shaped one.
 
 
* Cover the loaves and set aside for another 20 minutes to rise a  little more. (I totally forgot to notice this step and somehow ended up rising them only for about 10 minutes.) 
* Preheat the oven to 450 deg F and place the pizza stone or a couple of greased baking sheets in the oven.
* Brush the loaves with milk and sprinkle with seeds if using. (I skipped this step.)
 
* Fill the inside with the choice of toppings and slide each pizza onto the hot baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. (I applied pizza sauce and topped them with low fat mozzarella cheese. My daughter wanted just olives and the husband wanted hot peppers and that's what they got.)
* Serve them hot.


Check the blogging marathon page to see what my fellow marathoners are cooking for BM#52.

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Garbanzo Bean - Veggie Pasta

My younger one turned a teenager this weekend. And officially, I am now a mother of two teenagers, who happen to be the opposite ends of a spectrum in every aspect. The older one cannot throw a tantrum for his dear life while the younger one doesn't know how to stop from throwing one. She gets upset at the drop of a hat and so the situations demand a lot of tactful & patient parenting, cajoling and threatening from my side where she is concerned. And even though she is not little anymore, lunch box is still one mini struggle since the stuff she doesn't prefer comes home untouched under the guise of "being not hungry". I therefore involve her while planning lunches and we decide it beforehand what she gets to carry in her lunch box.
If given a choice, my daughter would survive on a salad and pasta diet. She loves pasta so much that she carries it to school at least 2 - 3 times in any given week. I therefore could not avoid from posting a pasta recipe for the lunchbox themed blogging marathon today. I wanted to try something on Mediterranean lines but it got changed into something else as my daughter was hovering around as it was a holiday here. I went according to her whim and choice of ingredients since it was her lunch and got a thumbs up from my kids. 

Ingredients: (2 servings)
1 cup pasta shells of your choice (I used sweetcorn, carrot and squash blend of twisted elbow macaroni.)
1/2 cup cooked / canned garbanzo beans
1 small tomato, chopped
1 small grated carrot
1/4 cup black olives
1/2 cup white cheddar cheese or any other cheese of your preference
2 -3 tbsp milk (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste 
1- 2 tbsp minced parsley / cilantro

Method:
* Cook pasta al dente according to the directions on the package and drain.
* Transfer the pasta to the pan and add all the ingredients except the parsley / cilantro. Just heat until the cheese has melted and blended into the mixture.
* Turn off the stove, transfer the pasta into a serving platter and garnish with parsley/cilantro.

This rice dish goes to 
1. Blogging marathon #40
2. Srivalli's Kids' delight event, hosted by Jayanthi this month with the theme - Lunch box.

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Veggie Pizza

I was contemplating to go with a dessert pizza for the final post until I realized that kids were least interested in the option and I would end up eating the whole pie by myself. And so I pulled back from the sweet version and stuck to one of the favorite pizzas at home - a vegetable based one. This hearty, filling pizza uses a whole wheat based crust but you can go with any crust of your choice. Also you can go with your choice of quick cooking vegetables for the toppings.

I was preferring a crispy crust and so first baked the crust for about 7 minutes and spread the sauce and toppings later and baked again for 17 minutes.

Ingredients:
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup luke warm water
1 & 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp olive oil  / canola oil / vegetable oil + extra for greasing
6 - 8 Tbsp pizza sauce
8 oz / 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Vegetables for topping - I used seeded & sliced capsicum, thinly sliced red onion, olives, diced zucchini, diced and sliced tomato

Method:
1. Preparation of pizza dough:
* Combine water, yeast, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir just until everything is dissolved. Cover and set aside the mixture for about 5 minutes at room temperature. The mixture would usually bubble and foamy by the time.
* Stir in both flours and the oil. Work dough back and forth with the heels of your hands on a floured work space. Knead until smooth and elastic for about 8-10 minutes. If the dough is dry while kneading, add extra water in 1 Tbsp increments. 
* Grease a bowl and place the dough in the prepared bowl. Turn the dough so that all sides are coated with oil. Cover and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

2. Assembling and Baking:
* Preheat the oven to 450 deg F.
* Grease a large baking sheet or a pizza tray.
* Punch down the dough and knead briefly. Place the dough on the baking sheet and dimple the dough with fingertips until its a flattened circle. Then pull and press it until it forms about 14 inch circle or 12 by 7 inch wide rectangle, of about 1/8 inch thickness. (I used half the dough here.)

* Spread the sauce evenly over the crust, leaving a 1/2 inch border at it's edge. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the sauce and top with vegetables. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes if desired.

* Bake until the cheese has melted and just started to brown, about 17 minutes. 
* Remove and transfer the pizza onto a wire rack to slightly cool before slicing it.

This is my Day 3 post under "Pizza" theme and check this page for other marathoners who are doing BM #35.

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Tomato - Basil Salad

I chose the "soups and salads" theme for the first round of Blogging Marathon #9. And if anyone has missed my posts during this marathon, here is a list of what I blogged so far.

Broccoli - Cheese Soup
Black-eyed Peas Soup
Corn Soup
Cracked Wheat Salad
Custard Fruit Salad
Black bean - Carrot Soup

Truth be told, I am not a great fan of soups and salads but the rest of my family is. My kids have acquired their dad's gene of love for soups/salads and so I end up making them frequently. For the final day, I was actually planning to prepare a simple tomato - basil salad but a few other ingredients went in during preparation, as per the recommendation of my family.
I am just giving a list of ingredients that I used and one can freely go ahead and add what ever they prefer.  Just add everything to a salad bowl, toss and serve.

Ingredients for one serving:
1 Tomato - Chopped into 8 to 12 chunks depending upon the size
Basil leaves (10 - 12)
Pitted Black olives (I added a handful.)
Bread Croutons (I added a handful.)
Cheese (I added diced, homemade paneer. )
Pickled dills and banana pepper rings
Light Italian dressing (or go with olive oil+lemon juice+vinegar+ salt)
Salt if needed

This goes to
1. "Global Food Festival" by Kalyani
2. "Soups & Salads Mela" by Srivalli.

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Simple, Sunday Meals - Salad and Soup

A simple, healthy meal put together under 30 minutes on a lazy, cloudy weekend.

A Colorful & Healthy Veggie Salad:



M happens to be the official salad maker at home. He & the little one get to choose the ingredients though the latter would be going gaga over olives. This time they together put this simple, healthy and colorful salad. Shredded lettuce, peeled & sliced carrot bits,  tomato slices, seedless cucumber slices, olives, dill pickle, banana pepper rings and bread croutons went to it with a basic dressing of white vinegar, apple cider vinegar and salt.

Navybean - Veggie Soup

And I get to be the soup maker. I don't follow any rules while preparing soups and just go with my instincts and the ingredients I have on hand. Soups are very forgiving and hard to mess up. Play with whatever you have in the kitchen and you would end up with nourishing and soothing stuff in your bowl.
Today, we had this yummy soup to go with that salad.

 

Ingredients for 3 servings:
Navy beans - 1/4 cup, cooked to fall apart stage
Tomato, onion, carrot - 1 each
Chopped spinach - a handful
Tomato Sauce - about 1/4 cup / 5 oz
Vegetable stock / Water / vegetable bouillon
Garlic powder or garlic
Salt & pepper to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Italian seasoning (optional / any substitute)

Guidelines for soup preparation:
Chop fine - onion, tomato and peeled carrot.
Heat oil in a pan and add onion (& garlic if using). Fry for a couple of minutes till it softens and then add tomato, carrot and spinach. Add sufficient vegetable stock/water and cook till the vegetables are done. (I added a bouillon cube when the water was boiling.) Then add the cooked beans along with the water and simmer for 5 minutes more.
To the veggie - bean mixture, went in the tomato sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder & Italian seasoning. Add a little water if the soup needs to be thinner.
Check the taste and adjust the seasoning ingredients.
Simmer for about 10 minutes more.
Turn off the stove and serve piping hot.

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