Mloukieh o Djaj - Stew of Jute Leaves with Roasted Chicken

My Friend had asked me to post Mloukieh Recipe a while back, and having to fit the gym, courses, meetings, the kids, their activities and home into an average day, I never got the chance to do it, till now!! But now that we are here, I will go on to say that this is one of my favourite Arabic Cuisine concoctions. Not only that, but it happens to be almost everybody's and especially famous with kids! For the longest time, and so is the case, everytime I ask my children what they would like to have for lunch, they always say "Mloukieh"!! If it was up to them, they will have it everyday of the week. I had a little experiment once with one of my son's friends, who came over for a play date. I had cooked this amazing dish for them. Being English, he had no idea what this food was, but I asked him to just try and if he didn't like it I would give him something else to have. He tried it, and loved it that every time he comes over he says: "I hope you cook that seaweed soup, coz I love it!!" lol

I totally recommend you give this a go if you have never tried it before, because it is truly good :)

Jute Leaves (Mloukieh)

Of course Mloukieh is not seaweed soup, it actually grows on land! It is the leaves of Jute (similar to spinach, yet more bitter in flavour) that are treated as vegetables in Middle Eastern, North African, East African and South Asian cuisines. It is eaten cooked, not raw, and in Arabic cuisine it is usually cooked in chicken (most famous) or meat broth - and in some cases including both meat and chicken together - into a light yet rich stew. This stew is said to have originated in Egypt, however, as a fact nobody knows how the region got to eat Jute leaves, and where it started. The preparation of Mloukieh or Molokhyyah stew differs from region to another. The Egyptians' way is to very finely chop the leaves and then cook them into a broth (to look like the stew in the picture above). While in Levantine Cuisine, the leaves are cooked whole instead of finely chopped. However, and since fresh Mloukieh leaves are not always available, most people would go for the frozen leaves, which mostly come finely chopped, rather than whole leaves. Therefore, most people would serve the finely chopped stew. I personally prefer the whole leaves one in terms of texture, but nonetheless would have the finely chopped one any time.

Mloukieh is usually served topping a rice pilaf, alongside roasted and browned chicken. Custom has it that when hostesses are cooking a special lunch for guests, they would serve the Mloukieh along side Djaj Mahshi (Stuffed whole chicken - stuffing is a mix of precooked rice, minced meat and nuts). Usually each of the three items are dished separately and the host will plate rice topped with Mloukieh alongside a piece of chicken and a lemon wedge. Mloukieh needs a squeeze of lemon to perfect the flavour, or you can prepare a special vinaigrette with onions and chili (recipe below), which fabulously compliments the flavours of this dish. I would normally have both ready, lemon wedges and the vinaigrette, and keep it up to each one to decide which to go for.

Some preparations of Mloukieh include coriander and some don't. When the recipe includes coriander, some will cook the coriander with the stew, and others would lightly fry coriander and thinly sliced garlic in a little olive oil, then add it to the top of the finished dish. Whichever way you decide to go, the outcome is the same as the flavours eventually intermingle creating the whole either way. However if you are not into the whole coriander business (although highly recomended) you can skip the whole thing and cook it without coriander.

If you have access to fresh Mloukieh Leaves, then you need to cut the leaves off the stalks. Discard the stalks, then wash the leaves and dry them. Usually the leaves are then placed on a large tray to air dry for a couple of days, tossing them occasionally to ensure equal dryness. They are then  lightly stir fried and frozen till ready to use. My mother in law told me that she freezes them without stir frying, which I have tried and found to work very well. Then the leaves are used in the same manner as the finely chopped method.

After many explorations and experimentations and all, the below is how I cook Mloukieh at home. How I love it the best and how my family likes it.
PS For the roasted chicken, follow the link, and scroll down to the chicken part.

Let's do this....

You Need
to serve 4

2 whole roasted chickens
Rice Pilaf Side dish, topped with toasted nuts

For Stew
2 frozen Mloukieh bags, thawed
1 liter chicken broth
1 head of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 bunch coriander, finely chopped (optional)
2 tbsp Olive oil
Salt & Black pepper to taste

For Onion Vinaigrette
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 3 small lemons)
1/4 cup apple vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red chili finely chopped
Salt & Black pepper to taste

Clean and roast your chickens as instructed in the link above. While the chickens are roasting start making the stew.

In a large pot, place the olive oil, the thinly sliced garlic and stir fry until the garlic is translucent but not browned (browning the garlic will lend a bitter flavour which is not favourable here). Once the garlic is translucent add the finely chopped coriander, and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add the Mloukieh (whole leaves or finely chopped) and stir fry to incorporate. Continue to cook while stirring for about 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, and stir to combine all. Check seasoning and adjust as necessary. Bring the whole to a boil, then let boil for 2-3 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the leaves are cooked through and the flavours have meshed together.

Make the Onion Vinaigrette,
Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and shake till all are incorporated. Please note that because there is no emulsifying agent in this vinaigrette the mixture will separate, therefore before serving shake again and stir before pouring.

To serve, place rice on dinner plate, top with a ladle of stew alongside a piece of chicken or shred some chicken pieces instead, then pour a little vinaigrette on top or a squeeze of lemon juice.

Et voila, Mloukieh the old fashioned way, the always good and comforting way :)



Thank you for dropping by, hope you like this post and make sure to come back soon for more :)

Not on Food! On Love - Happy Valentine's Day

Let's Love today, let's put troubles aside. For a day let's not hate, instead let's love and celebrate life. 


I woke up today and watched the news! I don't do that anymore, watch the news that is! Why?.... because... what a troubled world we live in! I watched the news today, on Valentine's Day, and there was not a sign of love there! What a pity, on a global scale!

When we are capable of so much love, how can we let it go to waste? Why choose hate? Why do we push love out of ourselves, when it's an all embracing, powerful feeling of warmth that can change the world? If we focus as much energy to love as we do to hate, the world today will be different. It will be lighter and compassionate. Love makes life worth living, and good worth giving. Love brings us closer and makes us one, isn't that much better than hate? Aren't you and I essentially the same? Aren't we all?

Love is in the sun, the sea, the sunset, the breeze, the smile and the fields. Love is in flowers, in trees, in homes and love is in each one of us, and for each one of us. For the children, the men and the women who make this a whole, so make sure to love today, every single one and thing. Make sure to count the blessings and feel the love. Make sure to - as someone put it - "Make cookies, not war!"



Today,
Let's send a light out for love and ask for a less troubled world. Love, Don't Hate! #peace
This Valentine's day

Understanding Meringue - Lemon Meringue Pie

Meringue is the true melt in your mouth experience... When done right!!! The hard outside and smooth inside texture of meringue is the reason behind the world's love of this cloud-like food. Ask anyone and they will tell you that a Baked Alaska is an incredible experience that show cases a balance between hot and cold, hard and soft, sweet and savoury! The same applies to Pavlovas, Meringue kisses, floating island and of course the amazing Lemon Meringue Pie.... Some foods are just too good to miss out on, and some experiences are unique and fully satisfying to the palate... Such is meringue!

Are you fascinated by the way egg whites rise when whipped? Did you ever wonder why meringue pies weep and shrink? Do you know the difference between French, Swiss and Italian Meringues? Is meringue cooked or uncooked? .... if you have been wondering and want to understand meringue, then read on, because I am letting you in on all things meringue, on why meringue can go wrong, and ways to prevent it!!

Eggs are possibly the most remarkable ingredient in the kitchen. They totally transform to a new shape and acquire new properties with every cooking method used. This has enabled cooks to use eggs in a variety of concoctions as well as enabled the creation of many of the dishes we know today. Perhaps beating eggs is the one discovery that forever changed the face of cookery. It is through beating eggs that dishes such as soufflés, Meringues, Sabayons...etc. had come to life. Even specific types of cake, such as Angel Cakes, Meringue Cakes and Chiffon Cakes, would not have been possible without the discovery of the effects of beating eggs. For this reason, I have decided to dedicate a post to Egg Foams, specifically on the making of Meringue.


Egg Foams - The effects of beating eggs

Normally, physical agitation (produced by beating) destroys structure, but not for eggs. Beating eggs actually creates structure. For example if you place an egg white in a bowl and beat it with a whisk, in a few minutes you will achieve a glossy foamy texture that clings to the sides of the bowl when turned upside down! This same structure becomes firm and brittle when cooked, holding its own shape.

This foaming ability that the eggs have is basically, the ability of the egg whites to cling to air and make it an integral part of the ingredients making up the dish. Therefore, through beating the egg white, we are incorporating air, which is encased by the egg whites. This starts the build up of a foam. The more this foam is beaten, the more volume it acquires as more air is incorporated... The chemical and physical make up of the egg whites (its proteins), make it a less runny liquid which allows it to hold its form when foamed. Which is why the egg foam survives - as foam - longer than that created with other liquids. That's the reason why when whipped into stiff peaks, egg whites can hold perfect shape, allowing us to pipe it into detailed decorations, such as when making meringue moments or in the case of royal icing.

The addition of sugar to egg whites, adds density to the foam, making it more stable and thicker. It is usually added to egg whites after they had started foaming. But in some cases it can be added to the egg whites on the outset, which is done when a very firm, and dense foam is required (this is the most used method for commercial production of meringue). This is especially true when the meringue is going to be piped, or used in the creation of details.

Stages of beating egg whites
Beating egg whites results in foam (as in picture 1 above), once the foam is achieved continuing to beat will result in the formation of soft peaks (as in picture 2 above), these are peaks that curl up when you remove the whisk. Usually sugar is added at this stage. Then, further beating will result in the formation of stiff peaks (as in picture 3 above). Stiff peaks remain firm and straight once the whisk is removed. At this stage the foam should keep shape, and cling to the sides of the bowl, when flipped upside down.

Meringue - Sweetened Egg Foam
A Meringue is a sweetened egg white foam that is stiff and stable enough to hold shape. There are different types of meringue, such as French, Swiss and Italian meringues. The difference lies in the stage when sugar is added, or whether or not it is subjected to heat. However they all end up with the same result. It is therefore better to characterise meringue according to the method of cooking, rather than to origin.

The 2 types of Meringue

• Uncooked Meringue   (French) This type is the simplest and most commonly used. It ranges from creamy to dense and stiff. The lightest consistency is achieved by beating the whites first to soft peaks and then gradually folding in the sugar. This creates a soft frothy consistency suitable for spreading, yet too soft to pipe or shape. If the sugar is beaten in, instead of folded in, you will achieve a creamier and firmer consistency. The longer you beat this egg and sugar mixture the stiffer it becomes, and the more suitable for piping and creating shapes it is. There is an array of methods to incorporating the sugar into egg whites. What is worth noting here though, is that the earlier the sugar is added, the firmer and stiffer the meringue is. The later the sugar is added, the softer the meringue.
• Cooked Meringue    This type is trickier to make and results in a denser meringue than the uncooked type. This type is also less brittle than the uncooked meringue, and absorbs sugar more readily as sugar dissolves better in hot liquid. The partial coagulation of the egg whites creates a more stable meringue, which can sit without separating for a day or even more! This meringue is also safer than uncooked meringue, as the heat kills salmonella bacteria. Cooked meringues can be stored in the fridge for several days. There are 2 types of cooked meringue:

1. Italian Meringue; this is a meringue that is made by using cooked syrup (sugar and a little water are boiled to "soft ball"), the whites are whipped to stiff peaks, and then the syrup is streamed into the egg whites while continuously beating. This meringue is usually fluffy yet stiff enough to use in decorating pastries, and can hold for a couple of days  before use. This meringue is also light enough to be incorporated into the making of other desserts such as cake batters, and creams...etc.
2. Swiss Meringue; This meringue is usually made by placing sugar, eggs and some acid (like cream of tartar, or lemon juice) into a bowl over a water bath, and the mixture is whipped to stiff peaks. The bowl is then removed from the water bath and the mixture is whipped until it cools. This method also pasteurises the eggs.

Whichever way you decide to prepare your meringue, you should always watch out for "Meringue's 3 Enemies", which will cause it to flop and not get the proper texture. These 3 enemies are: egg yolk, fat or oil, and detergent. These chemicals will interfere with the foaming process and will lead to an unstable meringue and requires prolongued whipping. However, egg yolks and fat or oil can be incorporated into the meringue after the completion of the foaming process (after the meringue is achieved) as in the case of egg leavened cakes, and the making of soufflés . 

Meringue Troubles

We all know that meringue can go wrong! Weeping, Grittiness and Stickiness are the most common meringue problems. But what exactly causes them?

• Over-beating or under-beating can cause weeping (unsightly puddles of syrup or syrup beads)
• Weeping and beads are also caused by undissolved sugar. Therefore it is best to use caster or icing sugar rather than granulated sugar. This is also true for under-cooked sugar syrup.
• Small particles of undissolved sugar in sugar syrup will also cause grittiness. In uncooked meringues, undissolved sugar (resulting from using granulated sugar and adding the sugar all at once) will also end up with a gritty textured meringue.
• Meringue pie toppings can weep and shrink away from the base, this can be a result of undercooking, or cooking in a high temperature oven, which browns the meringue before the egg whites had the chance to gelatenise. Especially when the pie filling is cold, the meringue bottom will not cook, and the top will overcook in a high temp oven.
• Humid weather is bad for meringue, as they absorb moisture, which will make it soft and sticky.
• It is hard to control weeping when the pie is old. In fact, this is an indication of freshness of the pie if you are to purchase it. Weeping, softness or stickiness are all indications that the pie is old.

Now that you know how meringue is made, how to prevent meringue troubles and how to make my best ever Lemon Tart, you are ready to take on the all-time favourite Lemon Meringue Pie. Here is how its made:

Lemon Meringue Pie

Makes 1 (10" pie) or 12 mini pies

Make sure the meringue does not get too stiff before adding the cornstrach mixture.

You Need

1 recipe lemon tart (freshly made and filling still warm)

For Meringue
You Need
150ml egg whites (from about 5 large eggs)
a squeeze of lemon juice
134g caster sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
90 ml water
1 tsp vanilla essence

Whip the egg whites with the lemon juice on high speed in a stand mixer until it tripples in size. (if you are using handheld mixer make sure to make cornstarch mixture before you start, once done transfer the cornstarch mixture from the cooking pan into a bowl to stop the cooking process). Gradually add the sugar, turn to medium speed. Continue whipping until soft peaks, do not over beat.

While the egg whites are beating, make the cornstarch mixture. Place the cornstarch in a saucepan and gradually add the water stirring until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer while constantly stirring. Once the mixture becomes translucent, cook for 30 seconds extra. remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Turn the mixer back to high, and immediately add the cornstarch mixture to the egg whites. Whip to stiff peaks. Do not over beat, stop immediately once stiff peaks are achieved.

Immediately cover the tops of the still warm lemon filling, making sure to touch the crust on all edges, leaving no gaps, in order to make sure that the meringue does not shrink. Once the whole top is covered with meringue you can create shapes by pulling your spatula upwards, or swirling it about. Just make sure that there are no gaps. Alternatively you can pipe the meringue over the top if you like. Bake in 375F oven for 10 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned.

Refrigerate for several hours before serving, in order for the filling to set.

Thank you for dropping by and reading this post. Hope it helps you make perfect Lemon Meringue pies, which are really succulent and should not be missed! Come back again soon for more. & don't forget to spread the love :)

The Best Ever Lemon Tart

"When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down 'Happy'. They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life."

- John Lennon

There is something about the lemon tree that makes me happy. It is beautiful, like a piece of sunshine. Very fresh, healthy, optimistic and promising of colour, tang and versatility. From the tree's bark, to the leaves, the blossoms and the actual lemons, all reek of the fresh and tangy scent that flirts with your senses, ever so gently leaving you refreshed and appetised. Have you ever smelled lemon and orange blossoms? I can safely say, it is about the best fragrance that you can ever smell. Something about the lemon tree, to me, evokes roots and grounding! I remember my childhood, when I would go with Dad to the farm, especially in spring when the trees have filled up with blossoms. The whole farm smelled like a sweet gentle breeze from heaven. When we used to stay there overnight, we used to make a camp fire using the wood of lemon trees, and as we munched on oranges, pomelos, clementines, mandalinas (Mandarin) we would throw the skin onto the burning wood, and as the skin burned away, the smell of the caramelising citrus bouquet was just Divine! This time of year is the season of Lemon and oranges in Jordan. The farm is now in full production mode, and at this time of year I reminisce the Lemon Tree; the camp fire, the rustic smell of wood against the wet earth. At this time of year I reminisce the earth from which I fed.

Drawing by Jose Escofet

From the love of lemon, and its tang, sprung a love for lemon desserts. I find lemon to be a very good ingredient for desserts. The use of these tart fruits in desserts teaches you how to achieve balance in your creations. The sweetness of a desert balances the tartness of the lemon, creating a fresh and even-handed experience for your palate. One of my most favourite desserts is a Lemon Meringue Pie, and so I had first decided to post the recipe here for you to try, and maybe see for yourself why I am so deeply in love with this pie. However, and since it includes the making of Meringue, which deserves a post on its own, I have decided to go for my best loved Lemon Tart first, as it is a base for the Lemon Meringue pie, and move on from there to another post on meringue, including the Lemon Meringue pie. In this post I will focus on the flaky crust and leave the meringue for another session.

This lemon tart is one that I make regularly, and back in the day when I was catering it was always in demand and the most selling dessert option. I am always complimented on its flavours, and always asked for seconds. Therefore I strongly recommend you give it a go, it will make you a star!

You can use dry lentils, dry beans instead of the ceramic or metal baking beans to blind bake your shell

The tart's shell is made out of a flaky crust, in which I incorporate lemon zest. The zest offers the essence of the lemon flavour, and does not tamper with the constitution of the crust. The crust is blind baked (baked topped with baking beans to weigh it down, for an even surface, free of air pockets), then fully baked till done. I then fill it with home-made lemon curd (recipe below). Then I spread a very thin layer of lemon syrup on top to protect the curd and prevent the formation of skin. I like the contrast of a couple of branches of red currents against the yellow of the curd, and a little green goes a long way, so I place a couple of fresh mint leaves on the side and sprinkle the whole with a light dusting of powdered sugar. Epic!

The lemon curd used in this recipe can also be canned in sterilised jars, and used as spread, or kept for use on another occasion. You can even use fancy looking jars and offer it to a friend or relative as a gift from the kitchen :)

Tips for guaranteed shell success

The ideal crust has to be light, tender and flaky. It should never be tough, hard to work with or rubbery. To ensure best results, follow these guidelines and you are guaranteed to achieve success every time.

• Traditionally crust is made using lard. The use of lard results in super flaky crust, but too much lard can have a strong taste, that offsets the whole flavour. Therefore, butter is used along side a little lard in order to achieve best results without the strong flavour of lard. If you are not into lard, you can use vegetable shortening instead. With that said, shortening is not a very healthy option; therefore and if you are still uncomfortable you can go for an all butter crust, but since butter is high in water content and has a low melting point, the dough made of 100% butter is harder to work with than that made with some lard or shortening. Also the use of all butter results in a softer, dryer and crumblier crust. For best Results use a mixture of butter and lard.
• The ingredients have to be used cold, not at room temperature. Using warm ingredients results in a tough finished product. Use ice water instead of room temperature water, and use cold butter and lard instead of room temp. Rest the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling.
• Ideally while making the crust the fat should remain visible in little lumps. That is why we pulse, use finger tips or use a pastry cutter, and never process continuously. The crumbs resulting from the pulsing are actually little separated lumps of fat that clung to the rest of the ingredients. Friction produces heat, so a continuous processing causes friction, which in turn produces heat and softens the fat as it gets warmer. The soft fat will result in it blending into the flour instead of remaining in separate pieces leading to a dough that is hard to work with and which turns out non-flaky after baking.
• Never knead a short crust, or a flaky crust. Kneading transfers heat from your hands to the dough, which softens and melts the fats. Instead gently bring the dough together (minimal handling) using the finger tips.
• The flakiness of dough depends immensely on the flour to fat ratio. The more flour is used the harder the dough becomes, the tougher and harder the overall outcome is. Therefore follow the recipe precisely, and use minimal amount of flour when rolling the dough. I find that rolling the dough between two sheets of parchment paper is the best way to exclude the addition of any extra flour.
• Finally if you have scrapes of dough, you must handle them as you would puff pastry scraps. Never knead them, instead layer them on top of each other and roll them out.

Let's do this....

Makes 1 10" loose bottom tart pan

You Need

For the Crust

178g bread flour

3g salt

35g cold lard or vegetable shortening

114g cold unsalted butter cut into cubes

40 ml ice water

2 tsp lemon zest

For The Lemon Curd
45g cornstarch
340g granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
70g unsalted butter
5 egg yolks, beaten
90 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

For the Lemon Syrup
6 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
75g caster sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, the zest and the salt together and place aside. Place the cold butter, lard and flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor and pulse till mixture resembles crumbs. Do not over mix. Add the water and pulse again until the mixture gets together and forms a small ball. Do not over mix. The fat should still be lumpy. Turn onto a work surface lined with parchment paper. Gather the dough into a ball, using your fingertips. Flatten slightly into the shape of a disk (this helps the dough to chill faster). Wrap with cling film, chill for at least 1 hour.

Make the Shell
Roll the dough in between 2 sheets of parchment paper (3 mm thick). Transfer to a lined loose-bottom tart tin, and gently smooth - with your hands - into place. Press the dough onto the fluted edges. Remove excess dough, and place the lined tin in the fridge for 30 minutes to cool.
Prick the bottom and sides of the tart shell with a fork. Line the top of the shell with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or baking weights. Blind bake in a preheated oven (375F) for about 15 minutes. Remove the beans and the parchment paper, return to the oven, and bake until the shell is light brown and baked through, about 10 minutes longer. Set aside to cool.

Make the lemon curd
In a heavy bottom saucepan, place the cornstarch, sugar, and salt and mix until combined. Add the water while continuously whisking. Cook over low heat, continuously whisking until the mixture comes to a boil. Simmer gently for 3 minutes, then add the butter and stir until its completely melted and incorporated into the mixture. Remove from the heat. Ladle a small portion of the cornstarch mixture into the egg yolks to temper them, whisk to combine. Add the egg mixture back into the cornstarch mixture and stir all until well incorporated. Add the lemon juice and zest to the mixture and stir. Place the saucepan back on the stove, and cook again on low heat stirring constantly until the mixture boils, continue cooking while constantly stirring for 2 minutes extra.
Immediately pour the curd over the cooled shell. Cover with cling film, to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate for several hours before serving to allow the filling to set.

Meanwhile make the Lemon Syrup
In a saucepan, place sugar and juice and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and allow to cool. Place in clean air tight container till ready to use.

Once ready to serve, gently remove cling film from the top of your tart. Release tart from the tin, and place on serving plate. Lightly pour a little lemon syrup on top of the filling and gently spread without breaking the top of the filling. Place a couple of branches of red currents in the centre, and place 2 fresh mint leaves on its upper side. Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve.

If you like to learn more about Pies and tarts, different pie and tart crusts, fillings, toppings..etc, join my Course "Baking Perfect Pies & Tarts Every Time". For more information about this course, or any other course, or for further assistance, please don't hesitate to let me know.


Related Links

• Pear Frangipane Tart with Red Wine Reduction
• Hearty Old-fashioned Chocolate Fudge Pie
• Fresh Fig Tatre Tatin
• Ratatouille Tartlets

Check out Simple and in Season/Fabulicious Food, and submit any seasonal recipes you post :)


Thank you for reading this post, and do give it a try, you will love it. Come back again soon, but before you go show me the love and leave me a comment :))

How To Make Fresh Phyllo Dough - a step-by-step Tutorial

Mostly requested recipes are for 'Quick & Easy'! I know, who has the time? But it's those trickier preparations, which require specific skills, that make the kitchen so much more fun, and grant a feel of achievement that will make you extra proud when you serve your food. Home-made Fresh Phyllo Dough is definitely one of those preparations. It is surely not one for the faint-hearted, requires Olympic rolling skills and needs a certain amount of skill to perfect. But hey, this is what my blog is for, taking your cooking skills to the next level, isn't it? Since you are here, I trust you want to go further in your kitchen, which is why I want to include recipes that are more challenging and require extra skills for you to try. At the end of the day, and just like with everything, practice makes perfect. With that said, Phyllo Dough is one that is found, fresh or frozen, in almost all supermarkets and in excellent quality. Yes you can always buy some, if that is what you are thinking, but if you were curious to know how they are made, or if like me, you like a challenge and want to learn how to make it, then read on as you are going to love this.

If you had read my Borscht Soup recipe, then you already know how I got to learn the method of making Fresh Phyllo dough. Before that incident, I had tried making phyllo pastry many times but it quite never turned out perfect. As I had come to learn, it was all in the rolling technique. This is the step that determines the success of your phyllo dough. Therefore, in this post, I have included a video of 'how to roll phyllo dough' which I took, when I was learning how to make it. I do not usually include videos in my posts, because not everything requires a video demonstration. However, and in order to make sure you get the technique right, I have included one here for you to watch. When you do, make sure you notice how the lady's hands move, and how she twists the end of the rolling pin with her right hand in order to stretch the dough more. Also pay special attention to how she rolls out the dough, firmly pressing down as she rolls the pin back towards her. You can come back and watch this video as many times as you need, while practicing.

What is Phyllo dough?

Phyllo, Filo or Fillo*, also known as sheet pastry doughs, which  are paper-thin sheets of unleavened** flour dough, very commonly used in making pastries both sweet and savoury, especially in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. 

* All spellings are correct and commonly used to refer to the same term.

**Unleavened meaning: without the use of a leavening/rising agent such as yeast or baking powder...etc.

Sheet pastry doughs are prepared one layer at a time, and can be assembled into pastries that use a dozen layers before cooking such as in Baklawa or Börek for instance. These super thin sheets of dough are not to be confused with puff-pastry, the preparation of which is very different from the making of phyllo. Unlike phyllo, in puff pastry, the layers are created in the actual process of making dough - by wrapping in the butter rolling and folding as you go. With layered phyllo preparations, the layers are created before cooking and way after the sheets have been created.

Phyllo dough is created by making stiff flour and water dough. Some recipes use acid like vinegar for tenderising the dough, other use oil. The result is the same, which is a paper-thin (1 mm) translucent dough that can quickly dry and become brittle. It is therefore brushed with oil or butter until its cut to prevent it from stiffening and drying out. Another variant to phyllo dough is the strudel, which is very similar to phyllo except it will include little fat and usually a whole egg in its ingredients. The making of either one involves the same techniques.

Origins, Namings and Uses

It is widely believed that phyllo, which is Greek for Leaf, was invented in Istanbul at the times of the early Ottoman Empire. But some historians believe that a more primitive version of it, was evident in the drawing of the early Egyptians. However, the closer version to what is now known as phyllo comes from the Turkish cuisine. When the Ottoman Empire ruled parts of Eastern Europe, the phyllo dough was adopted in Hungary as Retes and in Austria as Strudel. Phyllo is also the ancestor of the French Feuille.

In Turkish Cuisine, pastires made out of phyllo dough are called Börek, and in Arabic cuisine especially Egyptian they are called Gollash, while in Bosnia Börek refers only to pies made with meat, while other pies using phyllo dough are called Pita, and finally in Macedonia they are referred to as Kori. Other pastries made using phyllo dough go with a variety of names such as Baklawa for instance,  or what is more commonly referred to as Baklava.

Phyllo can be used in a variety of ways, rolled, turnovers, folded, layered... and can have a variety of fillings from vegetables, to leaves, nuts and chocolates and anything you can think of. It is commonly used in making Samboosik, or Samosas. 

Before you start

To make Phyllo pastry at home, you will need a specialised rolling pin, that is about 1.5-2 meters long, which is thicker in the middle and moves on to thinner edges. This rolling pin is used for rolling out the dough which will keep on stretching as it rolls, the only substitution to this rolling pin is a dough sheeter, which is not readily available in most homes. You can custom design a pin at any carpenter's if they are not available in your local market. You will also need a 2.5m square 100% cotton sheet (you can buy a bed spread and use it for this, however make sure it is 100% cotton, as the cotton absorbed the excess moisture making it possible for the dough to stretch). Finally you will need a large table or surface to roll the dough and streatch it, as it will stretch to 2 m square. If your table's surface is rough or with strong texture, use a thick table cover to cover it under the cotton sheet in order for the dough not to tear.

You Need

1.5 Kg all purpose flour

2 tsp Salt

Water (usually 40% water, 60% flour. The quantity depends on the weather and type of flour, follow recipe for instructions)

1/2 cup Vegetable oil or melted butter to brush the dough

Making of phyllo dough

In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add water gradually and mix together, until thoroughly incorporated. If the dough appears dry, add more water. If the dough looks like that in the pictures 4-6 above: has come together and no flour is visible, as well as looks similar to bread dough; dry but soft, no more water is needed. Divide the dough into 3 balls, and sprinkle with flour to coat. Cover and let for 30 minutes.

Kneading the phyllo dough balls, and preparing for rolling

At this time, you must cover your table with the cotton cloth. Sprinkle the cloth with flour. Take 1 dough ball out, place over the floured surface, and knead it using only your finger tips. Pull the dough out and push it in at the centre and repeat, till the dough is elastic, soft and is like bread dough (as in picture 2). Gather up the ball, tucking all the sides in towards the centre (as in picture 3). Keep the seam downwards, sprinkle the table with flour, and place the ball (seam side down) and sprinkle the top generously with flour (as in picture 5). Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Rolling the phyllo dough

After resting, start by pressing the ball down at the centre. Using the rolling pin, start rolling the dough to flatten as you would a cookie dough. Once the dough is flattened as much as you can flatten it, place the rolling pin at the edge, rolling the edge right onto it, using the left hand to lead the dough on the pin, and the right hand to twist the pin to secure. Continue, twisting and rolling until you have the whole dough rolled around the pin. Lift the pin up and place back on the table. While pressing downwards towards the table, unroll the dough from the pin. You will notice that with each roll the dough is stretching and becoming thinner and bigger. Repeat this process until you have a large thin sheet of dough, about 3 mm thick.

Here is a video of how to roll phyllo dough, to make the process clearer:

Now to stretch the phyllo dough, you first have to sprinkle the top with vegetable oil or melted butter (as in picture 1). 

Distributing the oil on phyllo dough in prep for stretching

Then gently lift over the sides of the dough and flap towards the centre to distribute the oil over the whole surface, unfold back to position. Repeat with all sides, add more oil only if necessary. Once the whole surface is covered with oil (as in picture 6), you are now ready to start stretching the dough by hand (see picture 1 below).

Stretching Phyllo dough by hand

Gently hold the edges of the dough and pull towards you ever so slightly, making sure not to tear it. You can pull a little, and stop then pull a bit more and so on. Continue to pull all edges, until the dough covers the whole surface. The dough should be 1 mm thick and about 2 meter square in total surface. The dough will become transparent as you stretch it, just careful not to tear it.

Once stretched, the phyllo sheet can then be cut to use straight away for filling or layering or cutting rounds for making phyllo tourtiere for instance...etc.

If you wish to store or freeze the phyllo dough, you will have to cover the tops with another cloth (100% cotton) to absorb all the moisture. Cover for about 5-7 minutes. Press all over the cloth to absorb all the moisture. Then remove and sprinkle the tops of the dough moderately with corn starch. Place the cloth back on and gently distribute the starch by rubbing your hands on the cloth. Remove cloth and cut into sheets, strips or squares, let them stand for 5 minutes. Wrap well with plastic and freeze for up to 6 months.

Related Posts:

• Samboosik - Arabic style with 2 different fillings
• Date Rolls
• Chocolate Filo Parcels

Thank you for reading this post, hope you have enjoyed it. I am looking forward to hearing you say you tried this too!! Let me know how it goes, and come back soon for more :)

My Dream, About Provence and A Ragoût de Poullet Provençal - Chicken Stew (from the Provence region of France)

Ragoût de Poullet Provençal

"Once you have heard the lark, known the swish of feet through hill-top grass and smelt the earth made ready for the seed, you are never again going to be fully happy about the cities and towns that man carries like a crippling weight upon his back." 

- Gwyn Thomas

I Have a dream...

One of my most favourite cuisines ever is Provençal cuisine. My fondness doesn't stop at that! I have a specific love - which I cannot explain - to that spot of earth! Very often - and recently more than ever - I find myself longing more and more for a life in a country house somewhere on Provence with a piece of garden where I get to grow my own herbs, trees and floral bushes... where I get to cook my take on that cuisine using its local produce, all in a woody and rustic country kitchen. You can say I have a dream! I would love to wake up to the herbal and floral Aromas of lavender and rosemary being brought together in holly matrimony to take part in the whole of the fragrant Provence. What can be better than sipping on fresh orange juice while looking out onto fields of colour and fresh produce? One day....

Painting of French country house in Provence, by French Artist Jean-Marc

Come to think of it, growing up, I was always around flavours of Provence. Maybe because my family's business was in farming, or because back then when Jordan was more agricultural in nature, the produce was somewhat similar to that in Provence. From olive trees, to lavender, fennel, sage, rosemary to bay leaves... moving on to citrus fruits including the thick skinned citrus fruits, to grape trees, cherry trees, fig trees, plum trees, and apple trees... all were grown in Jordan and were all around us! I remember munching on their raw, natural goodness up until I moved to live abroad. Sadly, although Jordan still has a small agricultural side to it, it is nothing like it used to be! Today, it seems that - just like the trend is everywhere - trees have been replaced by buildings and touristic attractions! The simple joys have been replaced with adrenaline packed rides, water slides and urbanised landscape! For that reason, I dream up Provence, which is reminiscent of a good old time!

Until then, I can conjure up Provence in my kitchen, close my eyes and let the aromas bring about the dream. In my kitchen I am able to float away on clouds of a fragrant bouquet garni, to a much simpler life, to that of a dream. And this, you too can achieve. Be it Provence or any other dream, you can live it, even if shortly by cooking its cuisine. My recipe below 'Ragoût de Pullet Provençal' is one that always evokes provence. Ragoût is french for stew or 'slowly cooked'. The recipe is a stew of chicken and provençal vegetables and herbs. I have an adoration for the french Baguette and would always choose to serve ragoût with a baguette. However, this stew can also be served with rice, a side of pasta or over mash.

Ragoût de Poullet Provençal -
a tomato based stew of carrots, fennel, garlic and  onion, aromatised with fresh rosemary, thyme, sage and bay leaf

As ever, before jumping into the recipe, why not get to know

Provence

Provence is a vast region in South Eastern France, on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy.  It is the countryside of France, very well known for its picturesque landscape with hues of pastel colours touched with the soft light of its favourable climate. Lavender purples, poppy reds, sunflower yellows and olive greens are but a handful of the array of colours naturally painting its hilly terrain. The fragrant and beautiful Provence can stimulate the imagination and creativity in ways that no other region can, so much so that it has inspired the great works of writers and artists the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald to Van Gogh and Picasso, who regularly turned to Provence for inspiration. Provence was also home for the great French artist Paul Cézanne. To him, the region is resonant with memory and emotion, his grounding and home, which lead to him concentrating much of his extraordinary pictorial talents there - creating from that landscape some of the most remarkable and original images in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century art.

Landscape Art of the Provence by Paul Cezanne

La Cuisine Provençal CAN INSPIRE YOUR KITCHEN TOO

The inspirational influence of the Provence region was not limited to arts and Literature, it has magnificently influenced French Cuisine, through its colourful gastronomy, which became known in Paris at the time of the French Revolution. Today, Provençal cooking continues to live on as an influential and undivided part of the French cuisine's heritage. It is also one of the world's most favourite cuisines. 

Painting of Provence Olive Trees and hilltop village
by French artist Jean-Marc

Provençal cuisine is defined by the region's landscape and its generous offerings. In Provence, olive trees, fennel, sage, rosemary, thyme,  lavender, marjoram, bay laurel trees and garlic all grow naturally and are found in abundance. These races of produce are used in the region's cuisine as abundantly as they are found in its nature. Dishes a la Provençal are characterised by the presence of Tomato and lots of garlic and herbs amongst the other ingredients. The flavours of Provençal cooking are bold and robust, yet never heavy-handed. The ingredients are mixed together in a way to meld without any of them overpowering the other. Not even the use of lots and lots of garlic, which is characteristic of Provençal cooking, will make it stand out. It is truly a melting pot of flavours that are intermingled and balanced.

When it comes to the French specialty - Patisserie, then Provençal specialties include among others:

• Biscuits, crisp cookies.
• Calissons, a diamond-shaped sweet made with ground almond.
• Bugnes,  sweet crispy pastry made out of dough that has been shaped into thin twisted ribbons, deep-fried and covered with icing sugar.
• Pompe, a sweet cognate to focaccia. (part of the 13 desserts of Provençal Christmas, which are desserts made only on Christmas)
• Souflee Cakes
• Croissants with Pine Nuts....

More on  Provençal  Produce

Along the Mediterranean cost, anchovies are caught and usually cured with salt. this curing process not only preserves the anchovies, but also intensifies their flavour. Anchovies are strongly present in french country-side cooking. The Mediterranean cost also supplies a number of local fish and seafood. Found in the costal cuisine of Provence are trout, bleak, sea urchins, mussels, crabs, small cuttlefish, octopus, and small snails. Over there, people even have a snails festival, where the residents of a village get together on a late Sunday morning to savour snails in a variety of preparations.

When it comes to meats, the Provence is famous for its local Sisteron Lambs as well as goats for meats and from which they make a variety of local cheeses. The region is also famous for rabbit, which grows wild there. As for fruits and vegetables, the valleys of Rhone are the largest fruit and vegetable producing areas of France. There you will find abundance of apples, prunes, peaches, cherries, oranges, lemons and almonds, figs and of course grapes...etc.  One remarkable produce of this area is the truffle. Truffles are gathered in Tricastin (the main market: Carpentras). Another specialty produce is Lavender honey of vaucluse.

The Provence is also known for producing wines! Famous for Roses that pair well with the region's cuisine, while more and more Red wine varieties are being produced. Among the famous wines of the Provence are: Cotes de Provence, Coteaux d'Aix-en-provence, Cassis, Cinsaut, Grenache, Ugni Blanc, Semillon...etc.

Ragoût de Pullet Provençal
You Need
1 whole oven grilled chicken, pulled from the bone or 4 chicken breasts cooked and cut into thick chunks
1 cup reserved drippings from grilling the chicken or 1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 medium brown onions, finely chopped
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 packet new red potatoes, cut into chunks
4 large carrots, cut into chunks
2 bulbs of fennel, trimmed and sliced
500g tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped
500g tomatoes, peeled and juiced
2 -3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp fennel seeds
3 springs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 spring fresh rosemary
1 spring fresh sage
salt & Black pepper to taste
Chives for garnish (optional)

In a large pot or casserole dish, heat the olive oil together with the finely chopped onion. Cook stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent but not browned. Add the garlic, carrots, potatoes, and fennel along with the herbs and stir to coat.

Add the chopped tomatoes and stir to mix. Let it cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a separate dish or large bowl, mix together the tomato paste and tomato juice, season and add the sugar. Add the drippings from grilling the chicken (if reserved any, if not use 1 cup chicken broth instead) stir all to mix. Pour over the stew vegetables and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Once the mixture boils, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 2 hours, or until the vegetables are very tender. Before serving, add chicken pieces and let simmer in stew for 20 minutes further.

Garnish with chopped chives and serve hot. For best results, dunk a baguette into the ragoût and taste the goodness!

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I find no better way to conclude this post than with these words by John Burroughs, which speak my mind:   "To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life."

Thank you for dropping by, hope you have enjoyed reading about my loved Provence, and learning about my dream :) Come back soon for more....

Borscht - A Hearty Beets Soup from the Ukraine

Photo from www.beyondthepeel.net

On the same note of new cuisine and family...

Blessed is a food enthusiast who is surrounded by other foodies. Here is the thing, when you are someone with lots of love for food, when you revel and are enthused by the mention of food, and when you like to stir up food conversations, you have got to be surrounded with people who share the same interests. That is how you thrive... Blessed I am for the foodies in my life, who eat and talk food with me, and who cook and delight my taste buds, not to forget who always provide a chance to push the boundaries.

Bashar, my husband's cousin, is one of the people whose food company I always enjoy. The man can paint the walls red when it comes to cooking. When he hosts a meal, you know you are in for some serious food. A couple of months ago, we had gathered up at theirs, and having lived in Russia for quite some years, on his menu was a Borscht. Borscht (pronounced Borsh) is a beetroot soup that originates from the (previously known as) Soviet Union, which had swept over Eastern Europe, moving on to central Europe then to America via the Eastern European immigrants. Each city had adopted the concept of Borscht, creating its own version of the hearty delicious deep red soup. I had tried beetroot soup before, but never was it good enough to recall. It never made it to my repertoire! However, when I tried Bashar's soup I immediately placed it in the revisit compartment. It was sour-sweetly delicious, with depth and heart to it, which at first hits your nose with a sweet aroma of earth, then fills your mouth with the savoury sweet tones of root vegetables... by all means a satisfying experience that I would want repeats of. I asked him for a container to take home for pictures for a blog post. Sadly the soup never made it to my pictures! Someone had it at home, and until now I am not sure whether its my hubbs or the nanny as none would admit to it!

Never mind the non-photo incident, and moving on, a couple of weeks after that gathering, I had gone for a quick visit back home. When my mum, knew I was coming, she arranged for a surprise cooking session for me! She wakes me up at 7: 30 am one morning, and says "wake up I have a surprise for you!". "It's 7:30 mum!!" I said barely awake... She insisted I wake up and that I will be happy I did. So rushing out of bed, and washing up, while she kept on calling me over to the kitchen, you can say I was a little less than excited and on the verge of upset to put it mildly! But boy, was I in for a treat!!

Making Phyllo dough

She had met a Ukrainian Lady  - in Jordan - who makes these amazing Russian pastries made out of fresh phyllo dough! Knowing I was visiting, mum had arranged for the lady to come over to ours to teach me how to make these fine and delicate pastries! You can say that, I was fully awake and ready once I knew it meant learning how to make fresh phyllo! How sweet are mums? I was super excited to actually learn how to make fresh phyllo dough, because I had tried making it before and, well you can say, it was a relative of phyllo but not exactly a close one!! I will dedicate a post for that session and tell you all about how it went. As for this post... Knowing she is Ukrainian, I had to ask her about Borscht, and the sweet lady gave me a run down of the history and regional differences! And it goes as follows:

Borscht, is a soup of Ukranian origin, which became very famous all over Eastern and central Europe. In this soup, beetroot is the star of the show. Beets are a primary vegetable used in those areas during the cold months of winter. The story of Borscht began, when people would keep trimmings of root vegetables - mainly beets - in a large pot, that when full they would cook in beef broth and serve as soup. It was therefore known to be a poor man's soup, at first, but then moved up in rank to make it into a star soup in every city. Different cities created different versions of this soup, however the original Ukranian preparation uses beats as a base, and add starchy root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots, together with chopped celery, tomatoes and mushrooms; all cooked in beef broth. The Russian borscht is made out of beets, cabbages and potatoes, the Polish version includes tomatoes and tomato paste, while the Romanian Borscht is based on the use of fermented wheat. Whichever version you choose to make, a key component of all Borscht soups is acidity, usually coming from the use of red wine vinegar or the use of lemon. Another staple ingredient is a dollop of sour cream on top.

Cold Borscht Shooters (photo by http://cakeforbreakfast.net)

Borscht is served in 2 variations...

• Hot Borscht - the more famous version. Served as a hearty soup that can be served as a main, especially when bacon or meat are used in making it. But usually served as an appetiser with a side of dark bread such as pumpernickel. 
• Cold Borscht (Chlondik) - famous in Belarusian, Polish and Ukrainian cuisines, and is a relative of Gazpacho, or the Hungarian Cold Tomato Soup...etc. Once the Borscht is cooked, it is cooled, then mixed with sour cream or yoghurt, which turns it into a pinkish hue. Chopped hard booiled eggs are then mixed into it and it is finally garnished with dill or parsley. This version makes for a unique cold soup or shooter aperitif for a cocktail party. 

Ukrainian Borscht 

Serves 4 Appetiser portions

You Need

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 cup Onion, finely chopped

1 liter Beef Broth (for vegetarian version you can use vegetable broth instead)

1 medium potato, peeled and cubed

3 large beetroots, peeled and cubed or sliced

1 cup diced peeled carrots

1 cup diced celery stalks

2 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

1 cup chopped portobello mushrooms

1 tbsp red wine vinegar, or juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt & Black pepper to taste

4 tbsp Sour cream or low fat yoghurt

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

fresh dill springs

Place oil and chopped onions in a Medium pot over high heat. Saute the onions until translucent but not browned. Add the broth, seasoning and cubed potatoes, cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered for 4 minutes then add the diced carrots and continue simmering until the vegetables are are tender (about 10 minutes).

Add the rest of the vegetables together with the vinegar and bring back to a boil, reduce heat to medium until all the vegetables are cooked through, potatoes are very soft and the liquid is a rich dark red colour. Serve hot with a dollop of prepared sour cream or yoghurt on top, then garnish with fresh finely chopped parsley and springs of dill. Best Served with dark bread on the side.

For the Prepared sour cream or yoghurt

Mix sour cream or yoghurt with a tbsp of finely chopped fresh parsley. Season with black pepper. Use to garnish top of soup.

Did you know

Beets have been first classified by Aristotle, and were described to have grown in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and that the Greeks used to offer them to the Sun God Apollo as they were believed to be magical vegetables with healing properties?  The ancient times knew what modern science had come to prove: 

Beetroot is one of nature's most amazing productions. Its rich red colour, makes it a great ingredient to use to add colour to your plates and make them more appealing to the eye. Beets are naturally sweet, which makes them fabulous for both savoury and sweet concoctions. They offer earthy tones, and are naturally hearty with a suggestion of warmth. They belong to the superfoods category as they are full of anti oxidants that tremendously aid your liver and prevent liver disease, as well as being a natural fighter against the fomation of cancer cells or mutations of healthy cells. Beets are proven to help reduce the risk of contracting colone and digestive tract cancer. Most importantly beets are a rich source of folate, which prevents umbrio deformations and is therefore great food to consume while pregnant... So make sure to eat beets, especially now, that they are in season.

Thank you for dropping by, hope you have enjoyed this post, come back soon for more :)