Vegetable pot pie

Vegetable pot pie is so easy to make and it can be made any day of the week! Choose the vegetables in season and you can make numerous variations of the basic recipe. I love to make a pot pie especially on the days when there are no sufficient vegetables available for the meal. Mix them all and you have a nice hot pot pie!
                     It really is simple to put together. You can make a crust in advance and freeze it for up to about a week. So don't scramble everything at once, just make a vegetable filling,put it in individual pot,cover with pastry and bake for about 25-30 minutes and you are done. A nice green salad on the side is definitely a plus.
                    If you don't have time to make individual pots, make one big pot or even a galette (just  a fancy term for a free form pie). A galette , is a dessert usually made with fruit filling but works just fine with this filling as well!

Galette!

Ingredients:
1 and half cups whole wheat flour
4 tb spoon butter cold,diced into cubes
2 tb thick yoghurt
1 tea spoon baking powder
1/4 tea spoon baking soda
pinch of salt
pepper to taste (optional)
1/4 cup cold water

filling-
1 medium size green bell pepper cut into cubes
2 medium size potatoes cut into cubes
1 onion chopped
1 tb spoon garlic chopped
1/2 medium size carrot cubed
1 small broccoli chopped (roughly the same size as other veggies)
2 tb spoon olive oil
2 tb spoon all purpose flour
3/4 cup milk (whole)
1-2 tb spoon parmigiano reggiano

Method:
To make pastry, add flour,salt,pepper,baking powder,baking soda into food processor and pulse a few times. Add cold butter and pulse until you get crumbly consistency. Add yoghurt and pulse again. Add cold water (1 table spoon at a time) to form a dough. Transfer the dough onto a plate and knead a few times until it comes together. Wrap it in plastic wrap and keep aside.
             For the filling, heat olive oil in a pan. Add garlic and onion and sauté until fragrant. Add carrots,bell pepper,broccoli and potato and cook everything for 3-4 minutes or just until everything starts to soften. Sprinkle all purpose flour on vegetables, stir to coat and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add milk slowly and whisk everything with a whisk until slightly thickened (don't go too far with the thickening else you will end up with paste). Remove from heat ,add parmigiano reggiano cheese and stir to combine. Cool slightly before starting to build pot pie.
           To build a pot pie, put about 1/4 of a vegetable mixture into a small casserole. Divide the pastry in 4 equal size balls. Roll each ball to fit the baking pot,prick it with a fork. Place dough over filling and tuck into the edges of pot. Slit a small hole in the middle of the pot pie to allow steam to escape. Brush the dough with a mixture of 1 tb spoon oil and 1 tb spoon milk to give pie a golden brown colour. Bake in 350 F pre-heated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.
           To make a galette, divide pastry in 2 equal size balls. Roll each ball to form a circle of about 1/8 inch thickness and prick it with a fork. Place half of the filling in the middle of rolled pastry and fold remaining pastry over filling (as shown in the picture). Do not cover the entire filling with pastry, keep an opening to allow steam to escape. Place galette on a baking tray, brush with oil+milk mixture and bake in 350 F oven for 25-30 minutes.

Biscotti

Holiday season brings out the 'baker' in me. A big reason for that is with so many people visiting, I can bake in big batches and don't have to worry about 1/4 cup and tablespoons measurements (which I normally use when baking for 2).
                     Biscotti is unique in the sense that it is a twice baked cookie. An added advantage is that it is vegan! Once I found this recipe, I just had to try it and am glad that I did.

Thank you for photo Evolving Tastes!

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tea spoon baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tea spoon salt

1 tea spoon vanilla extract

1 tea spoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tea spoon ground cloves

2 tb spoon oil

1/4 cup apple sauce

1 cup chopped dried fruits and nuts ( cranberry, crystallized ginger,apricots,pecans and walnuts soaked in 1/3 cup orange juice,pinch of salt and 1 tb spoon sugar for at-least 48 hours)

1 tb spoon each orange and lemon zest (optional but tastes so good!)

Method:

Sieve together flour,baking powder,salt,ground cinnamon,ground cloves and set aside. In a mixing bowl, mix oil and sugar and stir well until combined. Add apple sauce,orange and lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix well. Add dry mixture and knead lightly until a loose dough comes together. Add fruit and nut mixture along with the juice and knead lightly again to thoroughly combine and form a loose dough. (Do not over-work the dough). Rest the dough for 15 minutes. Pre-heat oven on 350F. Divide dough in 2 equal size balls and form a log of about 1 inch thickness (flour your hands before doing this) out of each ball. Place the logs on oiled baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until firm to touch.Oven timings may vary from oven to oven ,so  keep an eye while the logs bake. Once they feel firm, remove from oven and let them cool for 10 minutes. Turn the oven temperature to 300F. Cut each log diagonally into 1/2 inch thick pieces using serrated knife. Arrange these pieces in a single layer (cut side down) and bake for 5-6 minutes. Again remove from oven, flip the pieces and bake again for another 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack and cool to room temperature. This will give a crunchy biscotti , if you want an extra crunch, bake for another 2-3 minutes on each side.

           Store in an air tight container at room temperature. They will last for about a week.

Note: If after adding the fruit and nut mixture along with orange juice dough is dry, add more apple sauce 1 table spoon at a time. In any case, you will not need more than 1/4 cup extra apple sauce.

Chocolate fudge cake

Chocolate is my weak point. I am a huge fan of dark chocolate and especially dark chocolate cake! This delivers on promise. I am not a fan of icing on cake , however this 'fudge' like icing is silky,smooth and not buttery but chocolaty! Perfect for any occasion!

Ingredients:

For cake
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tea sp baking powder
1/2 tea sp baking soda
1/4 tea sp salt
2 oz unsweetened chocolate melted with 1 tb sp butter and 1 tb sp water
1 tea sp instant coffee powder diluted in 1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup yogurt
1/2 tea sp vanilla
1 tb oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup granulated sugar

For icing
1 oz chocolate (unsweetened)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup milk powder
1/4 tea sp vanilla extract
2 tb spoons sugar
1 tb spoon honey


Method:
Sieve together all purpose flour,baking powder,baking soda and salt and keep aside. Whisk together oil,sugar,brown sugar,yogurt and vanilla extract. Add diluted coffee and cooled melted chocolate mixture and whisk everything together. Add half of dry flour mixture and gently fold it in with a spatula. Add remaining mixture and fold again until the flour is just combined. Do not over-mix the batter, else you will end up with a tough cake. Transfer batter into a 6 inch round buttered and floured pan and bake on 350 F for 25-30 minutes. Every oven is different, so you may want to check the cake after 20-22 minutes. Once baked, cool completely before frosting.

           To make frosting, mix together chocolate,milk, and vanilla extract,sugar and melt everything together on a low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and add milk powder. Whisk everything together. Add honey at the end ; it ensures that the frosting will glisten! Cool to room temperature.         Coat the entire cake with fudge frosting using knife or spatula. Cut and serve at room temperature.

Chili

Its getting colder and so my appetite for soup/stews has begun to increase. Chili fits the equation perfectly. It usually is non-vegetarian; however can easily be 'veganised'.
          Chili is basically a mixture of vegetables,beans, meats and spices stewed together for a long time. Longer you simmer chili, better it tastes! I would hardly call this as a recipe as this changes from person to person. Feel free to adjust according to your taste with veggies and beans of your choice!

Ingredients:
2 cups kidney beans (soaked overnight in plenty of water)
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper,seeded and minced
1/2 carrot, cubed into bite size pieces
1 cup diced bell peppers (use different colours if available, go with green if using only 1 colour )
1 tb spoon canola oil
1 tb spoon chopped garlic
1 cup chopped tomatoes (or use 1 14.5 oz can of no salt added diced tomatoes)
2 cups vegetable stock/water
salt and pepper to taste
2 tb spoon chili powder ( I use McCormick, different brands taste different so use according to taste)

Method:
Cook kidney beans in pressure cooker with plenty of water with just 1 whistle (the rest of the cooking will be completed while its simmering with spices and veggies). Heat a pot on medium high heat and add oil. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté until translucent.Add carrots,season with salt,pepper and 1 tb spoon chili powder. Add 1/2 cup stock/water and let the mixture come to boil.Add chopped tomatoes,beans (with their cooking liquid) and remaining 1 and 1/2 cups stock/water and again bring mixture to boil. Switch heat to medium, add remaining 1 tb spoon chili powder (add more or less according to taste) ,cover pot with lid and let it simmer for at-least 20 minutes stirring in between.
            Serve with your choice of topping. Some options would be sour cream,cheddar cheese,chopped avocado,chopped cilantro or guacamole! Serve and eat hot.
     
Note: To cook beans, I usually take 2:1 ratio for water to beans. Basically beans should be completely covered in water to cook!

Rotolo

Jamie Oliver does it again! If you have some spare time on hand and are ready for an experiment, here is the one! This is a must try. It does require little more time to make it but it looks stunning and tastes amazing.
              In his book 'Jamie's Italy', he has given rotolo recipe for butter-nut squash and spinach. However, I read the book in summer when farmers markets were overflowing with tomatoes and basil. So here is the summer version of rotolo adopted from Jamie's Italy.

 

Ingredients:

 For Pasta dough

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup semolina flour

1/4  tea spoon salt

2 tb spoon extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup lukewarm water

For Filling

2 cups cherry tomatoes,halved (marinated in 1tb spoon balsamic vinegar,salt and 1 tea spoon sugar for at least 1 hour)

1 cup pesto (has to be thick)

1/2 cup asiago cheese , cubed into bite size pieces

1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Method:

Start with pasta dough because it needs time to rest. To make the dough, mix together all ingredients except for water and mix well. Add little water at a time to make a stiff dough. You may have to adjust the amount of water required. Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes,wrap in plastic wrap and set aside to rest for half an hour. Divide pasta dough in 2 balls. Roll out each ball (using rolling pin) as thin as possible in a rectangular shape.

      Before building rotolo, make sure you have a clean dish towel and kitchen twine ready.Carefully transfer one of the pasta sheets on a clean dish towel. Make sure to take a bigger dish towel than the pasta sheet. Arrange 2 rows of cherry tomatoes on the long side of pasta sheet closest to you. arrange pieces of asiago cheese next and spread half pesto and sprinkle half of parmigiano-reggiano cheese on pesto,leaving 1 inch margin on all 4 sides (as shown in photo). Brush the sides of pasta sheets with water and start rolling pasta sheet from nearest side to you. Roll the sheet up and away from you. Wrap the pasta sheet log in kitchen towel and seal both ends of the kitchen towel with kitchen twine. You can secure it more by tying twine around the middle of the roll.Make sure to seal it properly otherwise, you will have a big mess in boiling water!

       To cook rotolo, fill a big pot with water coming up-to half of the height of the pot. Bring this to boil, season generously with salt and 1 tb spoon oil.Gently transfer rotolo (wrapped in kitchen towel) into the boiling water and make sure to keep it submerged in water while it is cooking.Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Check if pasta is cooked by squeezing rotolo between your fingers,if it feels like a marshmallow it is done! If not, continue cooking. Once cooked, remove from water and cut all the strings and roll it out of the kitchen towel. Cut in 1/2 inch thick pieces with a serrated knife. Serve hot with the mixture of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar!

Daal Dhokli

Daal - dhokli or chakolya is probably the most comforting food ever. I am not saying that this is 'the' way to make it but this is how I like to make it! Proportion of spices is merely a guideline. Adjust the daal suitable to your taste.The term dhokli refers to strips made form a spicy kanik/atta, almost comparable to fresh pasta. It is 'dhoklis' cooked in daal!

Ingredients
For daal:
1/2 cup toor daal cooked in 1 cup water
1 tb spoon oil/ghee
1/2 tea spoon cumin seeds
1/2 tea spoon mustard seeds
1/2 tea spoon asafoetida
1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder
1/2 tea spoon cayenne pepper
1 tb spoon tamarind paste mixed in 1 tb spoon water
1/2 tb spoon grated jaggery
1 cup water
1-2 tb spoon chopped cilantro

For Dhokli
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tea spoon carom seeds (ajwain)
pinch of salt
1/2 tea spoon each turmeric powder and cayenne pepper
1 tb spoon oil
1/4 cup water

Method:
Make dhokli dough by mixing together all the ingredients. Add little water at a time to make a soft dough. Knead until soft (but not sticky) and set aside.You may require little less or more water.
Cook daal in a pressure cooker with a standard 4 whistle rule. Heat oil/ghee in a deep pan and add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Once they pop, add asafoetida, turmeric powder and cayenne pepper and let that fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant  Add cooked daal,water, tamarind, jaggery and salt and let the daal boil on a medium heat. In the meantime, (to make dhoklis) divide the dhokli dough in 2 balls. Roll out each ball into a circle as thin as possible, divide the circle into 2 and cut into stripes of 1/2 inch width. Add dhoklis into daal and boil everything together for 3-4 minutes or until the dhoklis are cooked.Add chopped cilantro at the end. Serve hot with desi ghee.

Tomatoes overload !

It is almost end of summer here but farmers markets are still buzzing with beautiful coloured tomatoes and basil. I am using these 2 things in as many ways as possible! Usual preparations being caprese salad and pasta. Summer version of Jamie Oliver's Rotolo is my addition this summer (more on that coming up soon)  and so is this pizza. Although, making pizza was an impulsive decision but a really  tasty one.
            Addition of lemon and basil flavoured ricotta cheese acts almost like 'pizza sauce' with goat's cheese on top. A new combination but now my favourite!

Ingredients:
1 8" pizza base ( refer here)
1 tb balsamic vinegar mixed with 1 tb spoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 tb spoon lemon juice
1/2 tea spoon lemon zest
1 tb spoon finely chopped basil
1 cup baby heirloom tomatoes of different colours,halved
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 tb spoon pine nuts (optional)
1 tb chopped basil to sprinkle on top of pizza

Method:
Make the pizza base first (refer here.). Once you have a rolled pizza dough, transfer dough onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush the top of pizza base with the mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Bake the base in a 450 F pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes. The base should almost be cooked at this point.
    To make the 'sauce', mix ricotta cheese with lemon juice,lemon zest,chopped basil and season with salt and pepper and set aside. Remove the base from the oven and spread the ricotta mixture on a hot, almost baked dough. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer and top it up with crumbled goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper again and put tray back in the oven for another 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped basil and pine nuts on top. Serve immediately.

Note- Add 1/2 tea spoon chilli flakes on tomatoes if like!