Lalalala lovely Bank Holiday we've been having. So relaxing. Such great telly.
Actually, I've had a nice day - I went for a long walk this morning, with hills and ponds and not too many people. It's odd around here in early summer with no sense that tennis is imminent, but here's St Mary's Wimbledon which you probably won't see much of this year (with a very weird stag lodge beside it; I usually write these off as yet another pavilion from the Spencer estate, but I'm now into double figures for those; what can they be?) and a nice pond on Wimbledon Common, with flag irises all over. Beautiful day, beautiful clear air, and not too many folk around in the bits I was walking.
It's a solid two hour walk, although it's not six miles, as the first part is firmly uphill (or, the way I did it, the middle is too - am learning bits of Wimbledon Hill that are unfamiliar to me). I did it early enough to avoid the real warmth of the day, but I was still tired enough when I got home to flop extensively. Lunch was yesterday's roast tomatoes, on toast, plus some crisps and coke because Bank Holiday licence.
But this afternoon I had a Something New moment, from my lovely newish book Taverna: fennel flatbreads. I'm really not a baker. So much so that I've thought throughout lockdown that I had strong white bread flour in the cupboard and it turns out the St- W- bag was Stoneground Wholemeal. But I did actually have some leftover SWBF, which was enough for this. Plus a spare bit, which I tipped into the mix merrily, forgetting I'd need to flour the surface, which tells you how often I do this.
Anyway: easy dough (250g strong bread flour, 75ml olive oil, salt, tbsp vinegar, up to 200ml water to bring it together). Knead for 5 minutes till it's springy, leave for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, and for once it's a genuinely feasible thing while you wait, take half a bulb of fennel and slice thinly. Mix with 50g baby spinach, salt and pepper, scrunch together and leave in a colander while the dough rests.
You will add a chopped packet of dill just before using this, but apparently that doesn't need draining. Put it out now, though. Just in case of covid-brainfade. (I have misplaced a packet of beans I bought two weeks ago. In a two room flat. What in hell's name did I doooooo?)
Wait. Watch some Measure for Measure in Russian (it comes off tonight, be quick - Cheek By Jowl is always a joy). Realise alllllll the press conferences today mean there's no Paddington on (woe). Tee up the RSC Much Ado for later instead (it's on iPlayer; I saw it live in its London run without Michelle Terry, and enjoyed it a lot, in another life). I can't read much at the moment, but I can still theatre. Which is *ideal* for where we are, culturally speaking, for the next year.
Then! To flatbreading. Cut the dough into 8 parts, squish each into a flattish circle in your palm, and put a spoonful of the veg mix in the middle. Squish the dough together around it - it will stick pretty quickly. Then flatten each ball into a flatbread - roll out to about half a cm depth.
Suddenly, this will start to look like something feasible.
Then just fry them, 2-3mins a side on medium heat, till golden brown and crispy. With a bigger frying pan and/or a door on the kitchen, this would have been a doddle, but I ended up messing up my middle batch trying to stop the oil smoking - do them reasonably hot or they just soak up the oil. Luckily they will keep and warm up, so I'll do those in the oven when I need them and try to remedy with a bit of crunch.
They are very tasty - the veg is fresh within the cooked bread. With tomato and yoghurt salad (it's bins night, there was spare yoghurt), and asparagus.
So, not an unqualified success with the smoke alarm faff, but generally pretty worthwhile. And dead easy even for an unbaker.
Actually, I've had a nice day - I went for a long walk this morning, with hills and ponds and not too many people. It's odd around here in early summer with no sense that tennis is imminent, but here's St Mary's Wimbledon which you probably won't see much of this year (with a very weird stag lodge beside it; I usually write these off as yet another pavilion from the Spencer estate, but I'm now into double figures for those; what can they be?) and a nice pond on Wimbledon Common, with flag irises all over. Beautiful day, beautiful clear air, and not too many folk around in the bits I was walking.
It's a solid two hour walk, although it's not six miles, as the first part is firmly uphill (or, the way I did it, the middle is too - am learning bits of Wimbledon Hill that are unfamiliar to me). I did it early enough to avoid the real warmth of the day, but I was still tired enough when I got home to flop extensively. Lunch was yesterday's roast tomatoes, on toast, plus some crisps and coke because Bank Holiday licence.
But this afternoon I had a Something New moment, from my lovely newish book Taverna: fennel flatbreads. I'm really not a baker. So much so that I've thought throughout lockdown that I had strong white bread flour in the cupboard and it turns out the St- W- bag was Stoneground Wholemeal. But I did actually have some leftover SWBF, which was enough for this. Plus a spare bit, which I tipped into the mix merrily, forgetting I'd need to flour the surface, which tells you how often I do this.
Anyway: easy dough (250g strong bread flour, 75ml olive oil, salt, tbsp vinegar, up to 200ml water to bring it together). Knead for 5 minutes till it's springy, leave for 45 minutes.
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| Boinggggg |
Meanwhile, and for once it's a genuinely feasible thing while you wait, take half a bulb of fennel and slice thinly. Mix with 50g baby spinach, salt and pepper, scrunch together and leave in a colander while the dough rests.
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| See my lovely Beeswax Wrap? They could do with some custom and are eminently lockdown friendly. Also, new designs with BEES. |
Wait. Watch some Measure for Measure in Russian (it comes off tonight, be quick - Cheek By Jowl is always a joy). Realise alllllll the press conferences today mean there's no Paddington on (woe). Tee up the RSC Much Ado for later instead (it's on iPlayer; I saw it live in its London run without Michelle Terry, and enjoyed it a lot, in another life). I can't read much at the moment, but I can still theatre. Which is *ideal* for where we are, culturally speaking, for the next year.
Then! To flatbreading. Cut the dough into 8 parts, squish each into a flattish circle in your palm, and put a spoonful of the veg mix in the middle. Squish the dough together around it - it will stick pretty quickly. Then flatten each ball into a flatbread - roll out to about half a cm depth.
Then just fry them, 2-3mins a side on medium heat, till golden brown and crispy. With a bigger frying pan and/or a door on the kitchen, this would have been a doddle, but I ended up messing up my middle batch trying to stop the oil smoking - do them reasonably hot or they just soak up the oil. Luckily they will keep and warm up, so I'll do those in the oven when I need them and try to remedy with a bit of crunch.
So, not an unqualified success with the smoke alarm faff, but generally pretty worthwhile. And dead easy even for an unbaker.
Did you enjoy your walk? I’m appreciating more simple walks after lockdown, I linger over watching sky and trees so blossoming, and take my time.
ReplyDeleteYour walk sounds lovely, and so wonderful that you're discovering bits of your neighbourhood that are unfamilar.
ReplyDeleteFlatbread looks yummy and relatively easy to make too!
I made these today and they were very good with a tomato and avocado salad. I'm planning on trying leftovers tomorrow with bacon and eggs for brunch!!
ReplyDelete