Sfiha - Arabic mini pizzas ( kosher, gluten-free)

* * * 

Sfiha, Arabic mini pizza is a perfect choice for meze table... or picnic. You can even make these on BBQ! 

* * * 

Hebron, located on West Bank, is sweating in the sweltering August heat. It's far too hot to be outside: temperatures are well and truly above 40ºc . The air stands still and the dry, hot wind, occasionally making an appearance to lazily blow sand around offers absoutely no relief.

The kitchen in the home of the Palestinian family that's adopted me offers a welcome shade. The mother of the family is clapping her hands excitedly: her own daughters can't stand cooking so she's grateful to finally have landed a daughter who shares her passion. 

There's someone she loves more than me, though: Nigella Lawson. Proudly she displays a technique for chopping up spring onions she picked up from Nigella Lawson herself; using a pair of scissors from Nigella Lawson-collection. 

Huddled around the kitchen table we drink tea and exchange recipes and stories behind them. Laughter echoes in the room and the cigarette smoke slowly slithers its way towards the ceiling. 

Mama Tarawa has invited me over, her only wish being that I teach her to "cook like Nigella". She on the other hand can't contain her confusion upon learning that her new prodigée, born and bred halfway across the world at the Arctic Circle, has never made sfihas. 

"You don't know how to make sfihas"? she repeats, incredulously. "What do you eat back there, then?"

Yeah, well. If I had anything to do with it, that'd be sfiha. 

Sfiha, Arabic mini pizza, is part of pizza family's Levantine branch. As fas as the consistency and flavour go, it's closely related to its Turkish cousins; lahmacun and pide.

Over in the Palestinian territories I've encountered two versions of sfiha: in the other one the the base is topped with a yogurt-based meat mixture but this, I think, is infinitely the superior one. 

Traditionally the meat used for these is lamb, but in case you're having difficulties getting your hands on some, you can just use beef.

In addition to Middle East these treats have found a passionalte following inn Brazil of all the places, too. 

And now, habibi, it's your kitchen's turn!

Makes 15

Sfiha - Arabic mini pizzas:

The base:

7 ½ dl all-purpose-flour (gluten-free if needed)

1 tbsp of dry yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

5 ½ tbsp oil

2‒2 ½ dl warm water

Topping:

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

500 g ground lamb (or beef)

1 red chilli, finely chopped

2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

2 tomatos, finely chopped

2 tbsp quatre epices- spice blend or bokharat-mix

1 tsp salt

2 handfuls of finely chopped parsley

1 dl pine nuts, lightly toasted

a couple of tbsp oil for frying

To serve:

lemon wedges

For the base combine the dry ingredients. Then add 4 tbsp of oil and and finally water, continuously mixing until you're left with a smooth, elastic dough that won't stick. Slather rest of the oil on top of the dough, place in a clean bowl, cover and leave in a warm, draft-free place to rise.

In the meanwhile prep the topping. Heat oil in a pan. Sauté garlic and onion over medium heat until onion is soft and translucent. Then add meat, bring the heat up and continue cooking until the meat is properly browned. Add the spices and continue cooking for a couple of more minutes. 

Add the pomegranate molasses and tomatos into the mix. Lower the heat and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes. 

Fold in parsley and pine nuts. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. 

Pre-heat the oven to 225ºc. Leave the tray in the oven and, once the dough has doubled in size, prepare the bases.

Divide the dough in 15 portions and roll into circles of about 15 cm in diameter. Transfer on parchmens (4-5 on each) and leave to rise, covered with a tea towel, for half an hour. 

Top the bases with the topping, leaving about 1 cm edge uncovered. Press the topping onto the base either using your hands or the back of a spoon. 

Transfer the parchments onto the hot tray and bake, until the sfihas are golden brown - depending on the oven 8-10 minutes. 

Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.

Equally delicious served hot or at room temperature, which makes these perfect make-ahead delicacies for picnics or get-togethers with friends!

Any of you familiar with sfihas, Arabic mini pizzas? Or have you already fallen in love with lahmacun or pide?

___________________

ANYONE FOR SECONDS?

                 

SHARING IS CARING! 

Lahmacun - Turkish pizza (kosher, gluten-free)

* * * 

Lahmacun is Turkish pizza and transports taste buds instantly to Istanbul. Ahhhh!

* * * 

Let's say it out loud: Turkey is quite a shit country. No, no point arguing: it is. 

Just think about it: no-one other than Erdogan could possibly think that persecution of the Kurds, rampant violence towards women and honour killings somehow make up for the obvious deficiencies in the society such as lack of viable democracy and absence of human rights. Though, genocide-deniers such as him rarely make the merriest of the bunch. 

Incredible Istanbul, however, has for long been one of my favourite cities in the world. 

But the warmest memories I have of my Tour of Turkey some years back are, without a doubt, food-related (hardly surprising, eh?). One of my biggest favourites were lahmacuns, bought from a stall for a mere euro on one of the narrow alleyways surrounding The Grand Bazaar

No wonder I fell for it- it is, after all, member of the pizza family; the corner stone of my diet.

The dish combines meat (lahm) and dough (ajin) and is, depending on the region, also known as either Turkish or Armenian pizza. And unlike Turkish policies, this one is an easy one to fall in love with. 

Since discovering it, I've never missed a chance to get re-acquainted. If a trip to Turkey doesn't tempt you, you'll find good ones in London as well.

Both the base and the topping layer are thin - the crust does not need to be puffy as in a pizza and the toppings should not overflow either. 

Instead of lamb you could also use minced beef and, if in a hurry, you could substitute the base with soft wheat tortillas or flat breads, too. 

You could also bake the dough into mini-sized lahmacuns - perfect for parties and picnics. In that case the recipe yields 24-28 lahmacuns. 

Traditionally lahmacun is served with lemon wedges, fresh herbs and simple tomato and cucumber salad (such as my Israeli salad!).

Makes six

Lahmacun - Turkish pizza:

Base:

3 3/4 tsp dry yeast

2 1/4 tsp sugar

2 1/4 dl warm water

2 1/4 tbsp oil

5-6 dl flour (00- grade if possible, gluten-free if needed)

3/4 tsp salt

Topping:

400 g ground lamb (or beef) 
1 (large)onion
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large (beefsteak) tomato or 2 smaller ones
1 large green pepper
1 1/2 dl finely chopped parsley
3/4 dl finely chopped mint
2 tbsp tomato concentrate
3/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper

also: red chilli flakes

to serve: remaining herbs, lemon wedges

Combine dry yeast, water and sugar and leave aside, covered for 5 minutes while the yeast activates. 

Then add oil, flour (and along with the last dl of flour) salt. Knead into a smooth dough. Brush with a little oil, cover with cling film and leave to double in size in a warm place for an hour. In the meanwhile prep the topping.

Pre-heat the oven to 250ºc  at this point, too, (in a fan assisted oven 230 should do). If you have a pizza stone, leave in in the oven. If not, then do the same with the tray.

Finely chop/ frate the onion. You can do this in a food processor, too, but in that case drain most of the liquid.

Cut the tomato in half, remove the hard core and chop very finely. Do the same with pepper, too. 

Combine all the ingredients (except for the chilli flakes) and work into a smooth mixture. Chill in the fridge until the dough is ready. 

Turn the dough out onto work surface, knead and divide into 6 (there shouldn't be any need for more flour) and roll into thin discs. It's easiest to do this on a parchment, which in turn makes it easy to flip them over onto the hot tray. 

Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the topping onto the base and pat into a smooth, even layer. Sprinkle chilli flakes on top and bake for 7-8 minutes until the meat is done and the edges start to get soe colour. 

In case you want your lahmacuns to stay soft, cover them with parchment and then top with a tea towel.

Serve with the remaining herbs and drizzle with lemon juice. 

PS. in case lahmacun is up your alley, you shouldn't forget another Turkish take on pizza: pide!

Onko teillä ollut jo mahdollisuus maistaa lahmacunia? Veikö se teidänkin sydämenne?

__________________


ANYONE FOR SECONDS?


        

SHARING IS CARING!

Jewish penicillin - Jiddishe Mama's chicken soup with noodles and matzo balls (kosher, gluten-free)

* * * 

Every Jewish mother has their own version of this chicken and noodle soup - the cure-all-ailments-wonder.

* * * 

As the long-awaited spring sun finally graced Scandinavia with its rays, we honestly thought the worst was behind us. Temperatures, soaring higher and higher each day lulled us into thinking we'd survived the most critical period without any casualties.

Summer was on its way and with it our happiness could continue as one endless stream of care-free summer days and picnics. 

Oh, how wrong we were.

Only a couple of days after our return from the Champagne cruise the dark clouds started to gather in the horizon. First my throat started acting out, though luckily proving to be a false alarm. But then... then all Hell broke loose. The worst possible scenario came true. My eyes are welling up even as I'm trying to write this. 

Man flu. 

The most fatal of diseases got the best of Gothenburger, a professional soldier; my mean, lean killing machine. Ruthlessly the contraction stripped him bare of his highly honed survival strategies, regressing him to a 3-year-old toddler. 

"Hurts. Feels bad. I think I'm dying."

We were facing a battle not many survive. Fortunately one of us was up for it and knew exactly which guns to bring out. The big ones. A.k.a. Jiddishe Mama's Jewish chicken soup.

This is a soup every Jiddishe Mama and Bubbe (that's Jewish mamas and grandmothers everywhere) has in their recipe arsenal. Also known as Jewish penicillin, generations and generations have come to know its prowess. This soup is proven to cure any ailments life throws one's way, from heartache to flu.

An article published in an American medical journal shows the soup's miraculous healing properties are not entirely without scientific foundation: something in the chicken soup controls the white cells and helps the body fight the infection.

(Can any teenager think of anything more depressing? That even science shows how mothers really know best?)

Perhaps it's the nutrients in the soup? Perhaps it's the warmth that helps alleviate congestion? The hydrating qualities?

Or perhaps it's the key ingredient of any cooking: love?

The Jewish chicken soup is rather well known outside Jewish kitchens as well and I have a feeling many of you, too, will have at least heard of the most exotic element: the matzo balls?

While matzo meal (or the sheets you can grind into meal yourself) might be difficult to come by (sold at least in kosher delis) you can substitute them with water crackers.

(The soup is good and comforting even without the matzo balls and helps its stay gluten-free, too.)

You can also omit the noodles - in that case just use more root veggies. 

Instead of noodles/ spaghetti you can use any kind of pasta you want - the toddler within each patient tends to find teddy bear-shaped pasta particularly healing...

Serves 4-6

Jiddishe Mama's chicken soup - Jewish chicken soup with noodles and matzo balls:

1 whole 2 kg chicken)

about 2,5 l water

2 large carrots (or 3-4 smaller ones)

2 large onions (or 3 smaller ones)

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp whole black peppers

3 large garlic cloves (or 4-5 smaller ones)

3 bay leaves

the stalks of a parsley bunch

the stalks of a dill bunch

1 large carrots (or 2 smaller ones)

1/2 of a large leek (or 1 smaller one)

75 g spaghetti or noodles (gluten-free if needed)

remaining herbs

Pat the chicken dry and place in the largets pot you've got. Pour enough water into the pot to cover the chicken by about 10 cm. Bring to simmer.

Roughly chop the carrots and onions. Bruise the garlic with the back of the knife.

Cook the chicken for half an hour, skimming the foam and fat that forms on the top (save 3 tbsp of chicken fat, schmaltz, for the matzo balls).

Once the foam stops forming, add rest of the ingredients into the pot and simmer for further 1,5 hrs.

Transfer the chicken out of the pot and drain the stock through a mesh sieve. Check the taste and season with salt and pepper or chicken stock cube as needed. Prepare the matzo ball mixture at this point. 

To maximize the clarity of the soup, you can cool the stock and then skim the fat layer gathering on the top while the chicken cools. 

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, strip the skin and remove the meat from the bones. Shred the meat, cut the leek and carrots to match sticks and break the pasta into similar length pieces.

Return the stock into the pot and bring to simmer. Add matzo balls and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Then add pasta/ noodles and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Then add veggies and after another 5 minutes the chicken. Once the chicken's heated through, stir in the remaining herbs. In case too much stock has evaporated during cooking, replenish it with some chicken stock.

Matzo balls (depending on the size makes 20-25 balls):

3 eggs

3 tbsp chicken fat (or vegetable oil)

85 g matzo meal (or finely ground water crackers; gluten-free if needed)

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

1/4 tl onion powder

1/2 tbsp finely chopped dill

1/2 tsp finely rated lemon zest

Blizz the matzo sheets or water crackers in a food processor until fine. Combine with rest of the dry ingredients. 

Lightly beat the eggs and add the fat.

Combine the dry and wet ingredients and stir quickly. Cover and chill for half an hour (this helps shaping the balls).

Roll into small balls of about 2 cm (they double in size when cooked).

Cook in the soup as instructed above.

Another highly potent flu-repeller is also one of my all-time favourite recipes on the blog: my mango, chilli and ginger chicken. 

Are you guys familiar with Jewish chicken soup? Or do you have another trusty go-to-recipe when you're feeling under the weather?

___________________


ANYONE FOR SECONDS?


       

SHARING IS CARING!

Cheat's treat: Thai chicken, mushroom, coconut and noodle soup (kosher, gluten-free)

* * * 

Some of my secrets to weeknight dinners are noodles and rotisserie chicken. Together they make this quick, easy and delicious Thai chicken, mushroom, coconut and noodle soup. 

* * * 

Recently I was interviewed for the biggest paper in the country in the search for tips for speeding up cooking those weeknight meals. Seeing how I was (again) in a company so much better than myself (the other person they interviewed is a Michelin-starred chef...) I didn't dare to say everything I was thinking of. 

But we're all friends, right? So I don't mind sharing my #1 secret - you know, just between the two of us. 

You guys ready?

Here it comes. 

Order in. 

That's it: have someone else do the cooking and  order in instead!

Especially this spring my head's been working overtime just trying to stay on top of my body (let alone on top of all the things she's supposed to stay on top of) that it's actually rather disgraceful, how often I've happily outsourced the catering to a variety of home delivery services. And how often my dinner has been a delivery from Pizza Hut (BBQ, Italian crust) is downright shameful. What kind of a food blogger am I?!

But yes, I do cook, too. And I do cook using those tips I was giving out in that interview. One of my favourite shortcuts is using rotisserie chicken (or parts of it). 

That makes a robust salad in no time (such as my recipe for St. Tropez chicken and pasta salad), a spread to make a sandwich or to be served with a jacket potato (my favourite is this chicken and avocado salad) adds body to soups (you've got to try this Mediterranean chicken and roasted pepper soup!). 

Chicken cooked on the bone just has so much more flavour and juiciness than those vacuum-packen, anemic bra-fillers.

Good noodles are another shortcut I'm a big fan of - they only take fraction of the time cooking pasta would. 


This thai chicken, mushroom, coconut and noodle soup combines both of this hacks. Oh, and coconut, which I favour over cream any time. As it comes in a tin, its shelf life is so much more convenient than that of cream. Which is why I always have some at home.

serves 4

Thai chicken, mushroom, coconut & noodle soup:

2 chicken breasts on the bone (or two ready grilled ones from the shop)

1,5 tbsp finely chopped ginger

1,5 tbsp finely chopped garlic

2 red chillis, finely chopped

200 g shiitake mushrooms, sliced 

7,5 dl chicken stock

1 can (400 ml) coconut milk

50 g noodles (for gluten-free soup use mung bean vermicelli or rice noodles)

2 spring onions, finely sliced

1 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce) 

(½ - 1 tbsp brown sugar) 

½ bunch coriander, leaves chopped

½ bunch (Thai) basil, leaves chopped

to serve: lime wedges

rest of the herbs

toasted peanuts (optional)

In case using raw chicken breasts, roast them at 180°c for 45 minutes until cooked through. Baste with the liquid in the bottom of the pan every now and then. Let cool and in the meanwhile prepare the stock.

Measure ginger, garlic and chilli into the pot along with the chicken stock. Bring to boil and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add mushrooms and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. 

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bone and shred the meat into desired chunks. Add into the stock with spring onion and coconut milk. 

Bring to boil and add the noodles. Cook for a couple of minutes until the noodles are done. Add the herbs.

Season with fish sauce. Check the taste and adjust to your liking by adding fish sauce and/ or sugar.

Divide into serving bowls, scatter remaining herbs (and peanuts, if using) on top. Serve with a drizzle of lime juice. 

How about you guys - would you fancy a bowl of my Thai chicken, mushroom, coconut and noodle soup?

And hey - don't forget to share your own tips for surviving the mad weekend dinner rush? What are your secret short-cuts?

___________________

ANYONE FOR SECONDS?

    

             

SHARING IS CARING!