Pasta Stuffed Braided Bread & Nutella-Banana Stuffed Braided Bread

I love baking breads of different shapes and types. Well, this has been my first attempt of braiding and it was so much fun and enjoyment while doing. I have used large qty of flour so that i can make two breads. One bread has the stuffing of Macaroni pasta and that was our dinner which was accompanied with a simple tomato soup that i made, and the other bread is Nutella- banana stuffed bread, that was for breakfast for lazy Sunday. Check both the yummies below and enjoy braiding..!!

Pasta Stuffed Braided Bread:

Ingredients:

For Bread:

• 1 1/2 cup of Maida/APF (all purpose flour)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tbsp yeast
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1/2 cup of warm milk (and some extra for brushing the bread)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil /or any other vegetable oil

For Pasta Mixture Stuffing:

• 1 cup of macaroni pasta
• Sufficient Water to boil pasta
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil or butter
• 1/3 cup small chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup small chopped yellow bell pepper
• 3/4 cup small chopped onion
• 1/2 cup small chopped tomatoes
• 3 pods of garlic finely grated
• 2-3 tbsp small chopped fresh Italian Basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano herb
• 1/3-1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp black salt powder
• 1 tsp red chilly flakes
• Black pepper powder to taste
• Salt to taste

Recipe:

For Bread:

• In a large bowl, mix together all purpose flour with whole wheat flour, salt and olive oil. Mix well and keep it aside
• In a small bowl pour warm milk and mix it with sugar and instant dry yeast. Stir and keep it aside atleast for 10 minutes or until mixture turns frothy.
• Once the yeast mixture in a small bowl turns frothy, add the same in flour mixture. 
• Add water slowly gradually to form a dough. Knead for 5-6 min or until smooth, soft and elastic but a non sticky dough.
• Grease the dough with oil and cover the dough loosely with a plastic cling film and allow it rise in a warm place, until it doubles in volume (approx 1hr- 1hr 30 minutes). 
• Meanwhile prepare pasta stuffing..

For Pasta Stuffing:

• Chop all the ingredients listed above for making pasta stuffing..
• In a small pan, pour sufficient amount of water for boiling pasta and let it boil.        
• Meanwhile in another pan, heat oil or butter, add small chopped onion and finely grated garlic. Saute it for a while until onions are translucent and soft. 
• Now add small chopped red and yellow bell pepper, small chopped tomato, black salt, dried oregano chilly flakes and shredded cheddar cheese. Mix all well until cheese melts.
• Now drain water from the boiled pasta. Add those pasta in a pan mixture and cook further for 2-3 minutes. 
• Turn off the flame and sprinkle those small chopped fresh Italian Basil on top. (Sprinkling fresh chopped basil lastly, will keep its aroma and taste more alive).
• For braiding and stuffing:
• Now come back to dough.
• Punch the dough down which has rised and doubled in volume.
• Sprinkle some flour on a work surface and bring the dough down there. Knead for few seconds.
• Divide the dough in two equal dough balls and keep the other aside.
• Roll the dough ball with a rolling pin in a large square shape
• With Pizza cuter or a sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on the sides of the long rolled dough as shown below and spread the stuffing in centre
• Alternately, cross the strips over the stuffing and seal the ends and edges slightly to avoid stuffing coming out.
• Carefully lift the braided bread and place it on baking tray dusted with flour.
• Cover it lightly and allow it rise for about 30-35 minutes.
• Prehaet the Oven at 200 degree Celsius.
• Brush the rised braided bread with milk and bake it for 22-25 minutes in preheated oven.
• Once done, bring out and allow it to cool on wire rack
• Slice  and serve..!!

Nutella Stuffed Braided Bread

Nutella-Banana Stuffed Braided Bread

Ingredients:

Above half dough ball

1 cup Nutella 

3 medium ripe bananas

Milk for brushing the dough

Method:

• As described above, follow the same pattern.
• Simply roll the dough in to a rectangle, make cuts 1 inch apart on the sides of the long rolled dough, spread nutella and banana in the center and cross the strips over the stuffing and seal the edges.
• Carefully Lift the dough and place the same in a baking tray dusted with flour.
• Cover it and allow to rise for 30-35 minutes, brush the rised bread with milk and bake for 22-25 minutes in preheated oven at 200 degree Celsius.
• Slice and Enjoy with cup of hot coffee..!!

Paneer Cutlet (Patty made with Cottage Cheese) and Sandwiches.

As monsoons around, this is a quick and healthy recipe for munching. A very easy recipe, where you wont stop eating one. The Cutlet or patties can be shallow fried or deep fried, but i myself prefer to have shallow fried Cutlets. Have a look below.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Shredded Paneer (Cottage cheese) 

1 Medium boiled and mashed potato

1 medium small chopped onion

2 bread sliced (dip in water and crumble it in the mixture)

1 tbsp kasuri methi slightly crushed between your palms (dry fenugreek leaves)

2 tbsp besan (chickpea flour)

1/4 cup grated cheese (i used Parmesan cheese which was left out, but please feel free to use process cheese or cheddar cheese any of it)

1 tsp Cumin Powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

1 tsp red chilly powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Ginger paste

1 tsp green chilly paste

Salt to taste and 

Olive oil or any other oil for shallow frying the cutlets..

Recipe:

• In a bowl, Mix grated paneer, boiled and mashed potato, chopped onion, bread dipped in water and crumbled a little, slightly crushed kasuri methi,  besan, grated cheese, cumin powder, garam masala powder, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, ginger paste, green chilly paste and salt. 

• Now give a usual Cutlet or patty shape.
• Heat a little qty of oil in a non stick pan for shallow frying the Cutlets /Patties.

• Shallow fry it on medium flame until light golden brown from both the sides with crunchy texture from outside and soft from inside.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup or Green coriander or Mint Chutney.

Serving Tip:

Take two slice of a bread, Spread butter and Green coriander or mint chutney, and place Paneer Cutlet /Patty. Cover it with another bread slice for sandwich. 

Here is your Paneer cutlet Sandwich ready to serve. Or else you can Grilled the sandwiches too.

Enjoy..:)

Easy Italian Ciabatta Bread

A perfect and sure shot,  Italian Ciabatta bread recipe with a night old starter..(also known as sponge or biga)

Ciabattas are generally flat, broad, long stretch baked bread popular in Italy.

Little crunch from outside and Pillowy soft from inside, Perfect for sandwiches which are infused with garlic, olive oil and dried herbs, and the same goes well with soup too. This bread can me made in to various other variation, i.e, with Italian stuffings (garlic, parmesan, dried / fresh herbs, sliced onions..and many more), can make Small Ciabatta Dinner buns/rolls out of it....It tastes really good.

With various other variation, its really worth making it...do try it..

Temperature is quite warm and moist here so thought to take advantage of it by making Ciabatta loaf..

Believe me this bread will live a happy and satisfied smile on your face....

Ingredients:

For Biga (Sponge / Overnight starter)

1 1/2 cup Maida / All purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Instant dry yeast

3/4 cup room temperature water (not warm)

For Bread

All of Biga mixture

1 1/2 cup Maida / all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp Instant dry yeast

1/4 cup luke warm water

2 tbsp olive oil

*some more flour and oil for dusting and greasing respectively.

Recipe:

For Biga (Sponge / Overnight starter):

In a bowl, Mix Maida / all purpose flour with salt, water and Instant dry yeast. Stir all well and cover the bowl with a plastic cling film. 

Biga/Sponge

Let it rest overnight or approximately around 12 hours without disturbing. Slowly gradually you will notice little rise in the mixture and small bubbles in it..let it be as it is and do not disturb the process.

After 12 hours Ready Biga / Sponge

For Bread:

• In a small bowl dissolve yeast in luke warm water for 10 minutes or until  frothy. 
• In a large bowl Mix Maida /all purpose flour, salt, dissolved frothy yeast mixture, Olive oil and Biga mixture together.
• Mix until all  is gathered and forms a sticky dough.
• Dust a little flour on work surface, knead the sticky dough for about 7-8 minutes, until soft, smooth and elastic. (Use only little flour for dusting and kneading and not much).
• Grease the dough with olive oil, place it in a bowl and cover with a plastic cling film. 

• Allow it to rise for about 1 hour or until the dough doubles in volume.

• Once it doubles up, punch the dough down. Dust the work surface with little flour, knead the dough in a rectangular shape with rolling pin.

• Make three folds to the rolled dough to give a loaf like shape and place it on a baking tray. Cover the dough of baking tray with tea towel and let it rise again for 1 hour or until doubles in volume. 

 *forgot to click the rised loaf pic..:(

• Pre-heat oven at 220 degree Celsius.
• Sprinkle little flour on top of the dough before going inside oven.
• Bake for 20-22 minutes or until crust turn light brown and tapping gives hollow sound.
• Place baked bread on a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.
• And here you are ready to enjoy your fresh baked Ciabattas...

Recipe featured