Mama Green's Cookbook

1/4 c rolled oats
1/4 c quinoa
1/4 c sunflower seeds
1/4 c water
3 cups lukewarm water for yeast
1 Tble yeast
1 1/2 Tble K salt
4 c all purpose flour
1 c rye flour
1 c w w flour

1. soak first 4 ingredients for 1 hour
2. Mix dough (flours, water, yeast, and soaked ingredients) and let rise for 2 hours. Mix only enough to combine. Do not knead or overwork dough. May use your hands to make sure everything combined. Be sure not to add salt and yeast at same time. Salt can kill yeast.
3. cover with plastic wrap and let rise for two hours. Then gently knock down. Batter will be very sticky.
4. Here you have two options. You can either bake now or put in the fridge for another day. Dough can be used anytime in the next two weeks. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it becomes!
5. When ready to bake bring to room temp for about an hour.
6. When ready to bake, put sticky dough on floured
board and separate into two balls. Add flour as necessary to work with and shape dough into round loaf. Stretch edges down and under to add finished look to loaf.
7. At this point, you can either place loaves on pizza peel (after you sprinkle with cornmeal) or do what I do, place loaves on parchment paper. Allow loaves to sit covered for 40 minutes.
8. Preheat oven 450… if you have pizza stone, preheat for an extra half hour. Place stone in center of oven. In addition, place old rimmed cookie sheet on bottom rack for steaming (I do this but wonder if it is really necessary)
9a  option 1 After the rest, sprinkle each loaf with flour and cut several (I put 4) 1/2 ” deep slashes along the top of the loaves.

9b  option 2 After rest,  cut several (I put 4) 1/2 ” deep slashes along the top of the loaves.  Then, brush with an egg and sprinkle with either poppy or sesame seeds– I use both actually and it is delicious.

10. Slide the loaves onto the stone leaving enough room between each to spread a bit. Then (very quickly) pour 1 cup hot water onto baking sheet and quickly close oven door.
11. Bake for 35 minutes until brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.
12. If not using, I slice loaves and freeze. Then you can use as needed. Makes delicious toast.

2 t dry yeast

1/2 t sugar

1/4 cup w/w flour

2 1/2 cups (approx) unbleached all purposed flour

1 t kosher salt

2 T olive oil

1. Make sponge:  put 1 cup lukewarm water in large mixing bowl.  Add yeast and sugar.  Stir to dissolve.  Add the w/w flour and 1/4 cup white.  Whisk.  Put bowl in a warm place uncovered until mixture is frothy and bubbling, about 15 minutes.

2. Add salt, oil and nearly all remaining flour (reserve about 1/2 cup).   With wooden spoon, stir until mixture forms a shaggy mass.  Dust with a little reserved flour, then knead in bowl for about 1 minute, incorporating any stray bits of dry dough.

3. Turn dough onto work surface.  Knead lightly for 2 minutes, until smooth–  add rest of flour now if necessary.  Cover and let rest 10 minutes, then knead again for 2 minutes.  The dough should be soft and a bit moist.  (AT this point, dough may be refrigerated in a large zippered plastic bag for several hours or overnight.  Bring dough back to room temp, knead into a ball and proceed with recipe.)

4. Clean mixing bowl and put dough back in it.  Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then cover with towel.   Put bowl in a warm (not hot) place. Leave until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

5. Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees.  On bottom shelf, place heavy-duty baking sheet (I use my pizza stone).  Punch down dough and divide into 8 pieces.. form each piece into a little ball.  Place dough balls on work surface, cover with damp towel and leave for 10 minutes.

6. Remove 1 ball (keep others covered) and press into flat disk with rolling pin.  Roll to a 8-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour if sticky

7. Carefully lift dough circle and place quickly on baking sheet.  After 2 minutes the dough should be nicely puffed.  Turn over with tongs or spatula and bake 1 minute more.  The pita should be pale, with only a few brown speckles.  Transfer warm pita to napkin lined basket and cover so bread stays soft and warm.  Repeat with the rest of the balls.  After I got the hang of this, I was able to do two at a time.

Goes beautifully with my Tabouli.

1 cup chopped dried figs
½ cup chopped dates
½ cup chopped dried apricots
½ cup raisins
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
¼ tsp ground coriander
5 Tbs apricot jam
4-5 Tbs sweet red Passover wine
2 Tbs lightly toasted sesame seeds

Combine fruits in a bowl and toss with the ginger and coriander. Blend in the jam and wine. Let mixture rest for at least one hour. Sprinkle w/sesame seeds

1/2 pound carrots (about three cut in 1/2 inch pieces)

1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger

1/4 cup chopped shallots

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1 T soy sauce

1 T  Asian sesame oil

1/2 Cup peanut or veg oil

1/4 cup water

Pulse carrots in a food processor until finely ground; they should  be almost pureed.  Add ginger, shallots, vinegar, soy, and sesame oil and pulse, running, add oil in a slow stream.   Transfer dressing to a blender; add water, and blend until smooth– 2-3 minutes.

1/4 cup flaxseed ****

1/8 cup sesame seeds

1/8 cup chia seeds

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/8 cup sunflower seeds

1/8 cup pistachios

(can add other seeds, like caraway, hemp, etc.  All seeds should be unsalted)

1 cup cornmeal

pinch regular salt

2 TBLE olive oil

1 cup boiling water

coarse salt (kosher) to sprinkle on top right before baking

Line cookie sheet (12 x 16– a half sheet) with parchment paper

Mix all seeds, cornmeal and salt in a bowl.  Stir well and sprinkle in oil while stirring.

Pour water into dry ingredients as you would when making oatmeal.  If it seems dry, add a bit of hot tap water.

Pour porridge onto the lined cookie sheet and use a silicone spatula to spread.  If you don’t have one, oil your hands.  Try to spread into even thickness and not have too many gaps.

Then sprinkle lightly with coarse salt before baking.

Bake in 300 degree oven for 80 minutes.

Let cool; then break up into irregular pieces.  Serve with hummus or soft cheese.

*** Ann says this will be even more nutritious if you grind half of flaxseed.  Leave the other half whole.