TWO RECIPES AND GREEK MOTHER'S DAY

HOME MADE BREAD

 

Recipe for six loaves, I keep one and freeze the rest:

 

150 ml (¼ pint) milk

2 tbsp sugar

7 g instant dry yeast

2 cups of plain flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp olive oil plus more

150 ml (5 fluid oz) Greek yogurt

1 egg

 

Add the baking powder, yeast, sugar and salt to the flour and mix well together. Warm the milk, beat in the yogurt and egg and whisk in the olive oil.  Add to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all are well amalgamated.  Place the dough on a floured work surface and knead until it becomes soft and silky.  Tip it into a large bowl, apply drops of olive oil on the surface with your hands.  Cover the bowl with cling film and a small blanket and put in a warm place until doubled in bulk. 1 to 1 ½ hours.

 

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and shape the dough into loaves and place them on a tin brushed with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes until the loaves are puffed and crisp.  Remove from the oven and serve warm, sliced, spread with butter and a cheese of your  choice  “ bon appetit!”

 

 

          VEGETABLES WITH BECHAMEL SAUCE

 

 

For the bechamel sauce:

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp plain flour

1 bay leaf

2 cups of milk

1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ tsp sugar

Chopped parsley, oregano and chives

1 cup grated mild cheese

 

BAKED VEGETABLES:

½ cup mushrooms, sliced and blanched

½ cup carrots, diced and blanched

½ cup broccoli, thinly sliced and blanched

½ cup green peas, blanched

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

120 gr mild tasting grated cheese.

 

For the sauce:

Sauté the flour and bay leaf in butter until it slightly changes colour. Lower the heat and gradually add the milk, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Keep on stirring until the sauce thickens. Add nutmeg, pepper, salt and sugar.  finally add the cheese and stir until it melts and set aside for later and discard the bay leaf.

 

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) and sauté the vegetables in olive oil and season with salt, pepper and the herbs (parsley, oregano and chives) for 3-4 minutes.  Add the bechamel sauce and mix well together and bake for 15-20 minutes until the top is golden brown.  Serve the baked vegetables with Bechamel sauce with garlic bread.    

 

 

   

Today is Greek Mother’s day, ladies have a happy day with all the family!