Category: Bread

Buttermilk Blueberry Sones recipes at my table

Buttermilk Blueberry Scones

Buttermilk Blueberry Scones

Buttermilk Blueberry Scones are a nice summer breakfast or anytime treat.  Introduced to scones for the first time in England, I instantly fell in love with these little breads.  I thought it was great the way they could be packed with any fruit.  Blueberries are in abundance and before these go to waste, they will adorn these scones. For a little light reading on scones visit: http://www.thequeenofscones.com/the-history-of-the-scone/

I like this butter dough because it is easy to handle and doesn’t split when you roll it out.  There is no patching, LOL.  I also like this recipe because it is a tiny bread infused with fruit.  You can use peaches, fresh cranberries, pears and apples.  I also make a savoury scone using this recipe, but that is another post.

Today it is all about making something fruity for a breakfast treat.  I have to confess, that I do eat these with my 4 PM glass of wine.  Something about dough, fruit and wine that goes well together.

The blueberries are fresh and i have a little over 2 cups today.

My food processor is my best friend.  The butter makes beautiful little pea size shapes.

Pulsing the dough recipes at my table

Add the buttermilk and pulse on high.  When the dough moves away from the blades it is time to turn it onto the counter.

the dough comes away from the sides recipes at my table

The dough goes onto a piece of floured parchment paper.

dough recipes at my table

A 15 X 15 rectangle ready for the blueberries. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

flatten dough out recipes at my table

Once the blueberries are on the dough roll it up.

rolling up the scones recipes at my table

All rolled-up.

all rolled up recipes at my table

Cut on the diagonal.

cut on the diagonal recipes at my table

Ready for the oven.

ready for the oven recipes at my table

Out of the oven.

out of the oven recipes at my table

Buttermilk Blueberry Sones recipes at my table
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Buttermilk Blueberry Scones

Buttermilk Blueberry Scones are a little breads from heaven.  

Course Breakfast
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The scones

  • 3 cups flour I always use unbleached or pastry
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 1 %
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cups blueberry
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar

Yogurt cream

  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 tbsp orange marmalade
  • 1/4 tsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

The Scones

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

    Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a food processor. Blend on low for a few seconds.

    Cube the butter and add it to the food processor a little at a time. Pulse after each addition.  Mixture should form pea sized crumbs.

    Next add 1 1/4 cups buttermilk and set food processor to high until dough comes away from blade.

    Turn dough onto a large piece of parchment that is floured.

    Flatten dough out with hands.  

    Sprinkle with flour.

    Put a piece of clear plastic wrap over dough and use a rolling pin to make a 15 X 15 rectangle.

    Place blueberries on rectangle.

    Roll the rectangle into a long cylinder. 

    Cut the dough into rectangles along a diagonal.  I got 15 pieces.

    Brush with remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk and dust with coconut sugar.

    Bake for 18 minutes.

    Remove from oven and let cool.

    I like them plain, but you can serve with my yogurt cream. 


The Yogurt Cream

  1. Mix everything in a bowl and serve on the side with the scones.  

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recipes at my table

Italian Quick Bread

Italian Quick Bread

Italian Quick Bread makes a nice side to any dish.  Served hot or cold, it is easy to make and disappears quickly. I like the taste of warm bread coming out of the oven .  Remember that this is a quick bread and the texture is more like corn bread.

Quick breads don’t require yeast, and this one incorporates buttermilk, baking soda and baking powder to help it rise. They provide instant gratification for those of us who like to bake and don’t have time for yeast to work.   They have little gluten structure and make sure that you don’t over mix.

I developed this recipe by taking a simple corn bread recipe that was scribbled in a recipe book that belonged to my mother-in-law and I experimented with adding different ingredients.  This recipes is also nice with sun dried tomatoes, bell pepper and onions.  I caramelize the onions and peppers before adding them to the batter.  Also cool them.

A good read https://www.craftybaking.com/learn/baked-goods/quick-breads

For a lot of good quick bread recipes go to https://www.epicurious.com/recipes-menus/easy-quick-bread-recipes-gallery/list

 

I gather my dry ingredients and I use Italian Polenta (corn meal) in this.  Give everything a good whisk.

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The wet ingredients go in next and I mix everything.

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To flavour this bread, I choose Manzanilla olives and dice them.

recipes at my table

 The olives and both cheeses get mixed in at the end.

recipes at my table

Into the loaf pan it goes; I used a little canola oil to grease the pan.

recipes at my table

You know by now, that I always peek into the oven.

recipes at my table

It comes out and I butter some for a quick snack.

recipes at my table

recipes at my table
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Italian Quick bread

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup polenta
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning with red chilli pepper flakes
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozarella
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup sliced pimento olives

Instructions

  1. Follow the process and bake at 375 F for 25 to 30 minutes.

Recipe Notes

You can substitute 1/2 a cup of caramalized onions and 1/2 a cup of any bell pepper.  Sautee them together in some olive oil and let cook before adding to the batter.

I have also made this bread with shredded provolone cheese.  

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Cheese and Chive Biscuits: recipes at my table

Cheese and Chive Biscuits

Cheese and Chive Biscuits

Cheese and Chive Biscuits are an easy way to have the taste of homemade bread in small bites.  It is a gloomy rainy day and I am lazy, but want some homemade bread;and so, I settle for a quick bread. The next best thing: biscuits.  Growing up with my Nonna, Monday was the beginning of the week and the day to make bread.

Warm homemade biscuits are the next best thing to homemade bread. Leftover biscuits are great to use for egg sandwiches, lunches or afternoon tea. I like to split these ones and add a little sauce and cheese to make instant pizzas.

Of course the best biscuits are the Southern Buttermilk Biscuits that you often eat in the USA.  Here is good video and quick link for you to try them https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDkMez6Yf1Q

I love the colour of the cheese and chives sitting on top of the of the dough.

The whole wheat dough looks pretty as the biscuits are cut.

Before bakeries

As immigrants, we only went to the bakery for special occasions.  We had Rossi’s Bakery  and Blue Bird Bakery in Little Italy, but we only went there for special occasion. On birthdays we made the cake, but the cream filled butter horns, long johns and the cream puffs came from the bakery.  My nonno Salvatore spoiled us in every way; it was his way of giving to us what he couldn’t give to his children in Italy.  He often took us to the bakery and treated us to a donut, long before all the donut places.

 This is Biscuit Oven Heaven!!

recipes at my table: stacking the biscuits
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Cheese and Chive Biscuits

When you want some homemade bread without the fuss: settle for these.

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings 5
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour today I used whole wheat
  • 4 tps baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup cold margarine
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
  • 1 tbsp dried or fresh chives

Instructions

  1. In a blender pulse the flour, baking powder,salt and soda.

    Next put in the cold margarine a cube and a time and pulse after each cube.

    Beat the egg into the milk and now pour the mixture slowly and pulse.

    When the dough comes together through onto a floured surface.

    Put the cheese and chives on dough and knead for 1 minute.

    Flatten to 1/2 inch and cut into 12 biscuits.  

    Bake at 425 F for 12 minutes.




Recipe Notes

This recipe makes 12 large biscuits. I always calculate 2 per person.  

I have also added 1 tsp garlic powder and I like to sprinkle some spices on top.  In these pictures I used some Italian spices.  I love red chilli peppers on these.  

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A good bottle of wine with this treat. recipes at my table

Schiacciata with Figs

Schiacciata with Figs

Schiacciata with Figs is the perfect dish to compliment my Amarone della Valpolicella wine tonight. If we eat in on a Friday night, then we have a really good bottle of wine: the wine’s flavours of brown sugar, figs and molasses go well with the flavours of this bread.  I want a sweet dish that I can eat as an appetizer or a main.  In Sicily the schiacciata is any sheet of bread dough that encompasses a variety of food be it sweet or savoury.  It is street food; it is a peasant dish that surrounds the flavours of the land.

More information on Amarone wine: http://winefolly.com/review/amarone-wine-turns-raisins-into-gold/

Beyond the Sicilian Recipe

The best known schiacciata comes from Tuscany and I eat it there when visiting.  Today I want to fuse the flavours of Sicily and Tuscany. I am using figs with onions and grapes to flavour this flat bread. I think it will make a wonderful Friday night dish to sit around with a bold glass of wine and watch a movie.

For the bread dough I use my mom’s no-fail dough that doesn’t require the extensive rising process.  Mom uses it for a variety of things and it is actually her Italian bread stick dough.  Don’t tell her, but I even use it to make my Tempting Italian Pizza buns : http://esatmytable.com/buns-stuffed-with-rapini-sausage-and-onions/

It’s a beautiful thing to see the figs, grapes and onions up close.  figs, grapes and onions up close

Just out of the oven, this sweet and savoury bread.

Just out of the oven, this sweet and savoury bread

It was a lovely Friday night:I served the schiacciata with a light green salad.  The salad had mixed greens, Bosc pears, avocado, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

A good bottle of wine with this treat. recipes at my table
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Schiacciata with Figs and Grapes

A savoury and sweet dish for any table. 

Course Appetizer, Dessert, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Dough

  • https://recipesatmytable.com/buns-stuffed-with-rapini-sausage-and-onions/

The Gathering for the Schiacciata

  • 100 gr of soft dried figs I used an organic brand
  • 200 gr black seedless grapes leave half whole, cut others lenghtwise
  • 3 small red onion
  • 1/2 tbsp dried fennel
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

The Assembly

  1. Prepare the dough as per recipe and cover with a towel.  Let it sit for 15 minutes. 

    Heat oven to 400 F.

    Put the onions in a bowl and toss with olive oil and Italian seasoning. Salt and pepper.

    Divide your bread dough in half.

    Stretch out to form a rectangle.

    Place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  

    Add the sliced grapes, half the figs and half the onions.

    Sprinkle with half the coconut sugar, half the fennel seeds and add freshly ground black pepper.

    Stretch out the second piece of dough and place over the first.

    Place the whole grapes, figs and remainder of the onions.

    Sprinkle with the remaining coconut sugar and fennel seeds.  Add freshly ground place pepper.

    Drizzle with some more olive oil.

    Cook for 30 minutes.

    Slice into squares and enjoy.




Recipe Notes

For added texture you can grind the pepper coarsely. 

Coconut sugar is easily found in grocery stores, but if you don't have it brown sugar will do; I like different depths of flavour.  

Your schiacciata can be sweet, savoury or both. Experiment. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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