I thought you couldn't better a homemade pizza - but it turns out you can. The first time I made a sourdough base for my pizza I realised that the deliciousness of homemade pizza had just gone up a notch. I haven't made a yeasted base since.
They were very, very good. So good in fact, that I failed to remember to get a photo of them cooked, so there are only these ones of them ready for the oven.
The chickens are laying brilliantly at the moment, so a quiche was in order for one dinner recently. Paired with a lime quinoa and lentil salad and a green salad it was delicious.
The crust is made from freshly ground whole spelt flour, using the recipe from My Petite Kitchen, which is hands-down the best recipe for spelt pastry I have ever found.
You didn't think you'd escape this month's kitchen tour without seeing a loaf or two of sourdough, did you? Ever present in my kitchen, but I still get excited over every single loaf without fail. I don't think it'll ever get old.
I played around with a new proving schedule I'm developing with the loaf in the first photo, and was pleased with the results. The bread almost respected the slashing pattern I chose for it, making only a tiny alteration of it's own at one end. We're all allowed a bit of creative license though, aren't we, bread included?
The crust was nicely chewy too and the tanginess quite mild.
The loaves in the second photo I used my overnight proving method on, and tried out a new slashing pattern.
Details of the bread: 100% freshly milled whole spelt flour, made using my master recipe.
And lastly, a dish of baked ricotta, made to be enjoyed with the sourdough loaves above. I simply blended some freshly made ricotta with some grated parmesan and cheddar, garlic chives and two eggs. The ricotta was made with our home grown milk and the eggs came from our hens.
So, what's happening in your kitchen this month?
Let me know below!
I'm linking up with the Good Things blog once more.
Do make sure you hop over and visit some of the other kitchens.
Ah, nothing nicer than sweet Hungarian paprika! Lovely work on those loaves. Thank you for the linky love.
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz! I add paprika pretty much wherever I can :-)
DeleteYour food is so beautiful and perfect to look at!
ReplyDeleteThank-you so much Katrina!
DeleteYou all do sourdough spelt so well! I never get much rise. Your pizza looks fabulous, Sarah! :) PS. Can I just say how much I admire your knitting as well? It's always so perfect and the little toys are completely adorable!
ReplyDeleteSpelt sourdough needs a few different techniques to get it to work, I've found :-)
DeleteThank-you so much for your kind comment on my knitting! x
Not only pizza with sourdough, bread, muffins, cakes, most baking. Once you re hooked, you are hooked!
ReplyDeleteIt's so versatile, isn't it? I love making pancakes with sourdough, and have just started exploring making cakes with it :-)
DeleteBeautiful photos Sarah. I much prefer pizzas made at home with our own produce now. I too get excited about every sourdough loaf I make. Waking in the morning, and then realising that there are bowls of risen sourdough on the kitchen table ready to be formed and baked, is my idea of a perfect start to any day.
ReplyDeleteThank-you Sally! It is a lovely way to start the day, isn't it? I absolutely love it :-)
DeleteOoh, everything looks perfect and delicious! ;-)
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a good week,
Susan x
Thank-you so much Susan! I hope you're having a good week too x
DeleteI do love a sourdough pizza too Sarah...no yeast for me :) Your loaves are slashed so perfectly! Just today I have ordered some Astra razor blades to try and improve my slashing, even the sharpest knives are destroying my white loaves. Although I have had dinner, I could eat a slice of your quiche right now x
ReplyDeleteThank-you Jane! I'll be interested to hear how you go with your new blades. I was on King Arthur Flour last night and saw a few things I wouldn't mind for my sourdough, this baguette baker http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/baguette-baker and I also thought this lame looked lovely, although my serrated knifes are still working well for me http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/black-walnut-lame
DeleteI've yet to make my pizza bases with sourdough. Perhaps it's time. I make a yeasted base and roll it super thin, then we grill the pizzas for a super crispy crust that we love. Time to try sourdough though. Your loaves are beautiful as always and I'm drooling over the baked ricotta. I shouldn't be looking at these photos before lunch.
ReplyDeleteOh yes you should definitely give sourdough pizza a try! It's soooo good. Thank-you for your kind words x
DeleteI love the idea of baking fresh ricotta with some eggs and parmesan. That dish looks really inviting.
ReplyDeleteThank-you! It really is delicious :-)
Deleteeverything looks wonderfully delicious here. yum to the ricotta cake and the lovely breads and pizzas. it must be so nice having so much of your food come from your garden.
ReplyDeleteThank-you Sherry!
DeleteLove the look of your bread!
ReplyDeleteThank-you! x
DeleteSarah, your pizza and quiche look amazing! I'm going to try a spelt sourdough base one day. I just love spelt flour. And of course, your bread is the superstar of your post! Lovely seeing you for IMK xx
ReplyDeletehttps://missfoodfairy.com/2016/11/04/in-my-kitchen-november-2016/
Thank-you so much! x
DeleteYour loaves look fabulous! Well done!
ReplyDeleteThank-you! x
DeleteYour food is lovely! I wish I could cook like that. We are eating a lot of homemade food, too, especially vegetarian curry. We also enjoyed having nice big breakfast at home yesterday - it is so nice to find a couple of moments to just sit down together and eat in the morning.
ReplyDeleteThank-you! x
DeleteSarah, I loved your pizza nostalgia and your new innovations, too. No worries over the lack of a "finished" photo -- your pre-baked pizza pics were enticing -- so's everything in your kitchen. It's chock full of love (and flavor) and it shows!
ReplyDeleteForgot to mention your garlic chives... didn't know the "alternate name" was Society Chives... thanks for your link! My lil' garlic chive plant is feeling more posh. :)
DeleteThank-you so much Kim! Garlic Chives are such a useful little plant, aren't they?
DeleteHi Sarah, I loved your post, it was very inspirational for me. I also love pizza, indeed it's my favorite food. Also the bread, the way you cooked it made it look gorgeous. You've just encouraged me to go to my kitchen and start cooking pizza :) Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Jenny! I'm so happy you enjoyed it - happy baking x
DeleteWhat beautiful looking pizza! You are a genius with sourdough! Thanks for the peek!
ReplyDeleteWhy thank-you! x
DeleteLovely things in your kitchen, the pizza looked fantastic...spelt, does that mean it is gluten free? I love pizza but it doesn't love me back, maybe the spelt would do the trick.
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz!
DeleteSpelt isn't gluten free, but I have heard lots of people who have sensitivities (not allergies, though) to wheat are better on Spelt, and even more so when it's made into sourdough.