LAST week we shared some winter warming soup recipes from the South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association. Here are some breads to go with them, or to eat on their own. Because bread is life. The methods are long but the results are worth the effort.
MUSHROOM BREADSTICKS WITH MUSHROOM TZATZIKI
Makes 18 breadsticks
Ingredients
- 250g baby portabellini / baby button mushrooms, sliced
- 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 10g salt
- 10g instant dry yeast
- 400ml warm water
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 100g pitted green olives, drained and roughly chopped
- 50g Parmesan cheese, grated
Mushroom tzatziki:
- 150g baby portabellini / baby button mushrooms, sliced
- 250ml Greek-style full cream yoghurt
- 1 Mediterranean cucumber, finely grated and squeezed
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan.
- Sauté the mushrooms on high heat until they have released all their liquid and are golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
- Place flour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Add the salt and mix it through.
- Add the yeast and half the warm water.
- Start mixing on a low speed.
- As the dough comes together, slowly pour in the remaining water.
- Turn the mixer up to medium speed.
- Mix for about 7 minutes until stretchy and smooth.
- Add the olive oil and mix in thoroughly.
- Finally add the sautéed mushrooms and olives.
- Mix until well-distributed.
- Scrape the dough into an oiled bowl.
- Cover and place in a warm spot to proof for about an hour.
- The dough should triple in size.
- Preheat the oven to 220˚C.
- Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
- Heavily dust a clean work surface with flour.
- Tip the dough out. Gently shape and pull it into a puffy rectangle.
- Do not knock out the air.
- Cut the dough into two pieces to work more easily with the dough.
- Keep moving it around and stretching it gently so it does not stick.
- Dusting with flour as you work, cut the two rectangles into chunky strips.
- You want to end up with 18 even dough strips in total.
- Gently move them onto the baking trays.
- Brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake the breadsticks for 15-20 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- While the breadsticks are baking, whip up the tzatziki.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan.
- Sauté the mushrooms until golden brown. Season well.
- Combine the rest of the tzatziki ingredients together in a bowl and mix well.
- Season to taste.
- Fold in most of the mushrooms and scatter some on top.
MUSHROOM & PANEER STUFFED NAAN
Makes 8 large naan breads
Ingredients
Naan dough:
- 60ml warm water
- 1 Tbsp honey or sugar
- ¾ tsp active dry yeast
- 180ml full cream milk, warmed
- 260g full cream plain Greek-style yoghurt
- 600g flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarb of soda
- ½ tsp salt
Filling:
- 250g button or portabellini mushrooms, sliced
- 225g mozzarella cheese, grated
- 225g paneer, grated
- ½ cup coriander, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup chives, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- 4 Tbsp butter, melted
Garlic butter:
- 4 Tbsp butter, melted and still warm
- 2 tsp garlic, finely grated
- 1 Tbsp coriander, chopped
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
To make the dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the warm water, honey, and yeast. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is activated and begins to foam.
- Add the milk, yoghurt, flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda and salt.
- Mix on medium speed until the flour is completely incorporated, about 5 minutes.
- Dust a clean work surface with flour.
- Tip the dough out and knead until it forms a smooth ball.
- Grease a large mixing bowl and place the dough inside and cover with cling film.
- Allow to sit in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
To make the filling:
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.
- Sauté the mushrooms until they have released all their liquid and are golden brown.
- Season lightly and place in a bowl.
- To the bowl add the mozzarella, paneer, herbs, garlic, chilli flakes and mix well.
- When ready to make the naan divide the dough into 8 balls.
- Flatten each ball out into a round.
- Add 3-4 Tbsp of the mushroom and cheese mixture to the centre.
- Fold the dough up and around the cheese, pinching in the centre to seal it.
- Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of stuffed dough into a large oval.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Heat a large cast iron pan over high heat.
- Brush both sides of the naan with melted butter.
- Grease the pan lightly with a paper towel dipped in olive oil.
- Carefully place the hot naan into the pan.
- Cover with a lid and set a one minute timer.
- Flip and cook, uncovered for another 2 minutes on the second side.
- Large deeply golden spots should appear all over both sides.
- Keep the cooked naan breads in a warm oven while you finish the rest.
To serve:
- Combine all the garlic butter ingredients and brush liberally over the warm naan.
- Serve straight away with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
GLUTEN FREE MUSHROOM & ZUCCHINI BREAD
Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients:
- 180g / ± 1 packed cup shredded zucchini (from about 2 large zucchini/marrows)
- 125ml good quality olive oil
- 125ml full cream plain Greek-style yoghurt
- 2 large eggs
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 325g gluten free flour mix
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarb of soda
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, minced
- 250g small portabellini mushrooms, sliced
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 180˚C.
- Lightly brush a 22cm loaf tin with olive oil.
- Line the bottom with a baking paper “sling” so it is easy to lift the loaf out when cool.
- Squeeze the water out of the grated zucchini.
- In a medium bowl combine the zucchini, olive oil, yoghurt, eggs and lemon zest.
- Mix well.
- In another bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda, salt, all the spices and the fresh rosemary.
- Heat a light drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the mushrooms until golden brown. Season lightly.
- Add the mushrooms to the flour mixture.
- Mix to coat the mushrooms in the flour.
- Pour in the wet ingredients and fold everything together until well mixed.
- Scrape batter into prepared tin.
- Bake for ± 1 hour until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean.
- Let cool in the loaf tin for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the tin and cool on a wire rack completely before slicing.
- Serve the mushroom & zucchini bread with a generous swish of herb butter and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
