Fish shaped stuffed bread

I had seen these amazing fish shaped stuffed bread on facebook community Chef at Large. So I wanted to try them ever since. As my bread recipes were failing miserably due to lack of patience and good yeast, I was not keen on wasting good stuffing on failed bread :P

I believe I can bake an acceptable bread now, so I gave it a shot. I am just going to refer recipe for standard basic bread, and so not going to write it down again. But going to post recipe for stuffing and how to achieve desired shape.

What is required:
1. Basic white bread dough => http://vinitsjoyofcooking.blogspot.in/2015/07/basic-white-bread.html
2. Stuffing

Stuffing:

Ingredients:
1 chicken sausage finely chopped
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
1 small tomato
1 tsp garam masala
salt and black pepper for taste
1 tsp oil/butter
1 tsp all purpose flour

Method:
- Saute onions till they become brown.
- Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, garam masala and saute well
- Add chicken sausage and make sure chicken is cooked through
- At this point add all purpose flour and make sure all mixture has gone dry
- turn of flame and let this be cooled down to room temperature.
- Make sure stuffing is dry, else it will make bread dough saggy and ruin everything


Preparing fish shapes:

- Divide bread dough in equal shaped balls and roll them out on nicely dusted surface
- Now cut flatten dough in angular stripes as shown in pic

- Put mixture in the center, I applied little tomato sauce, but then I realized its making dough saggy,

so avoided it later. 

- Start folding  stripes in alternate fashion as shown in pic

- Now your fish is ready, transfer it carefully on dusted baking tray
- Let it rest and rise again for hour.

 - Lightly brush with milk/egg white, put sesame seeds/herbs on top
- Bake in 180 degree celsius pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or top becomes brown

-  Take out from oven and let it cool on rack.
- Garnish and serve while its warm

Basic white bread

Here is recipe for basic white bread

Ingredients:
2 cup flour (216 gms)
1 cup milk (2 tbsp milk powder + warm milk)
1.5 Tsp dry yeast (bluebird brand)
1 Tsp white sugar
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp vegetable oil
1 Egg yolk (For brushing) (optional)

- Mix warm milk, yeast, sugar and set aside till it matures. (about 15-20 minutes, it should be frothy/bubbly)
- Sieve together flour & salt
- Add yeast mixture from step 1 to flour and mix well to form a sticky dough.
- Knead well for about 10-15 minutes, till dough becomes nicely stretchy and bounces back on light presses.
(use lightly floured surface, don't put too much flour though)
- Coat well with oil and keep aside for 2 hrs or till doubles in size (1st rising).
- Punch down after 1st rising and knead for 2-3 minutes.
- Prepare tin to bake bread and shape dough as per tin and set aside for 2nd rising (about 1 hr)
- Brush top of bread with egg white/milk
- Bake this bread in 180 degree Celsius pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes.


Enjoy :)

Focaccia

Focaccia is an Italian flat bread, many times confused with Pizza, but its not. Confusion arises as it is highly customizable toppings same as pizza. However this is bread is really like crispy from outside and spongy from inside, with lots of goodness from olive oil.

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:
2 cup flour (216 gms)
1 cup warm water
1.5 Tsp dry yeast (bluebird brand)
1 Tsp white sugar
1 Tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Olive oil (any vegetable oil shall do)

Toppings:
de-seeded tomatoes, green bell peppers, onion, herbs

Method:
- Mix well warm water, yeast, sugar and set aside till it matures.
- Sieve together flour, salt, mix yeast mixture and 2 tbsp olive and knead into sticky dough
- Knead well for about 10-15 minutes, till dough becomes nicely stretchy and bounces back on light presses.
- Coat well with olive oil and keep aside for 2 hrs or till doubles in size (1st rising).
- Don't punch and knead vigorously. Just start spreading dough in rectangle shape.
- Poke dough generously with fingertips and spread little olive oil with brush
- Add toppings, herbs and set aside for hour for second rising
- Sprinkle some salt on top
- Bake in 200 degree Celcius pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or till bread top becomes brownish.
- Once bake is finished apply little more oil with brush on top and let it cool on rack.
- Serve when bit warm.

Tip:
Coat your toppings+herbs in some oil for better taste.