2021, Switzerland, Iphone 8
Introduction
From Roti to Bread
More than one and a half decades ago, like several times before, I once again tried deviating from otherwise set paths by changing my geographic location, embracing alternative exposure. That means avoiding the 9-5 mould that would condition to the ways and traditions of a one view society, which always seemed so strange to me since a child growing up all around the world with a global state of mind. A great opportunity to experience more versatility, but still being surrounded by something familiar, I decided to to go the motherland. India!
2012, Canaught Place New Delhi- Monkey eating Ice Cream, Sony NEX VG 10, 50mm f/1.8 Lens
Not once, but several times upon returning to Zurich, I ran back to India because there was some unfinished business, something missing or something I needed to go back for. Maybe something I needed to take care of? Or some mystery that lied hidden in these mystical lands, rich in culture. Yes, I am one of those hippie dudes from the west that loves yoga and thinks that once you've been to India, you will have attained enlightenment. ...What? You haven't been?
Just Kidding!
2013 - Zurich Main Station, Sony NEX VG 10, 50mm f/1.8 Lens
One of the things that I missed most in India, was the bread we get here in Switzerland. I mean almost every local Bakery had exceptional kinds of breads. At least one bun that had it's special intricacies in how it's baked. In India at a time before L'Opéra, I just couldn't bare the toast bread anymore. Even when I was living in the US, the bread tasted awful.
2012, Bangalore - American Corporations taking over, the rise of western consumerism in India, Sony NEX VG 10, 50mm f/1.8 Lens
So, I got an oven and started baking bread every day. Experimenting with local yeast and flour, I also tried making sour yeast. I used simple whole wheat flour and sugar to form my own batches. I ran a Guesthouse for a while, where I'd wake up at around 5am just to knead a dough with some yeast and make sure it would rise an hour later by putting in in my oven at 25°C. I set an alarm and went back to sleep. An hour later, I'd put the dough in the oven at around 06.20 am and slide that bread in the oven. 45min later the whole ground floor smelled like freshly baked bread. Since I could time the oven I slept until around 7 to grab some breakfast.
2014, New Delhi - Bread Made by our cook at guest house a few years later Sony NEX VG 10, 50mm f/1.8 Lens
I had many more adventures in that guesthouse. How I got there sounds pretty much like a story out of a comic...More about it in another post.
2014, New Delhi - Guest House with hand painted Boards. Sony NEX VG 10, 18-200mm Lens
Now it's time for the Pizza:
Pizza Recipe
Ingredients:
700g White Flour
1 TBS Sugar
1 TBS Salt
12.5g Yeast
3-4 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Water
Olives
Kapers
Mushrooms
Italian Herbs(Dry), Oregano, Thyme (Fresh)
Pealed Tomato (Sauce)
A bit of Red Wine (optional)
3 Cloves of Garlic
Boullion
Black Pepper
Vegan Cheese (Melt)
Process
Iphone 8. Vegan grated Melt and Kapers
There are various Cheese alternatives out there. I personally don't really like most of them. I usually leave out the melt(Ch**se) or add very less for the visuals.
Step One
At 700g flour to Bowl, add 12.5g Yeast, Sugar and Salt, then add 3-4 TBS of Olive Oil. Now add Water and knead
Make sure the knead uses as much water as possible in order to make the dough soft. It takes time to get a hang of it. Try adding very little flour if it gets to wet.
Step Two
Place a cloth that is moist on top of bowl and make sure to place it somewhere where it's at least 22-25 Degrees Celsius. In this case I put the oven on 25°C.
Leave in the oven for at least 45 min.
Meanwhile:
Step Three
Add Tomato Sauce (pealed tomato) to pan, then add a bit of Bouillon. Cut three cloves of garlic brunoise.
Step Four
Once the Tomato is heated, add garlic, cook and add some black pepper. Once the sauce thickens, add Red Wine and maybe a bit more olive oil and continue to cook on low heat.
Step Five
Cut olives in slices and set aside.
Prepare herbs and add to already cooked tomato Sauce. Make sure Tomato Sauce is slightly cooled down. Mix herbs.
Make sure to involve some kids. Most kids love pizza. It can also be something fun and creative to prepare. While doing it, one can spur lots excitement and instill passion to have fun with them while cooking or baking.
Step Six
Get the dough out of the oven that was heated 25°C.
Use some flower to roll out the dough so it does not stick to the surface. Try to get it even, not like me.
Even the kid can do it all by herself. She's a six year old.
Step Seven
Add the Sauce
Use a TBS to spread the Sauce
Step Eight
Add the mushroom, olives, kapers. The mushroom I added was dehydrated Xerocomellus Crystenteron
Add the melt(Ch**se)
Step Nine
Put it in the oven. Top and bottom heat or circulating air at 200-220°C. Bake for 15 min and set a timer.
et voila:
Here are all my previous recipes, always vegan in case you feel like trying something else:
"The will is infinite and execution confined... the desire is boundless and the act a slave to limit" - William Shakespeare
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Nice. You should include kids to make it fun. Well, it's true and to loosen up or not minding the time.
By your steps, it looked so simple but I don't know if it really is. And it's not the recipe alone that continued me to read it but the something mystical that took you with that land for you to be there. Very nice.
It's true that this one takes a while to make. You know the feeling when you've made a tomato sauce the same way 10 times and tried another 30 different variations? You might stick to 3 variations that each have their own science behind it. It might also be one thing in the process that you do but apply to an entirely different dish. For instance I tried dissolving the yeast in sugar, water, mixing it with salt sugar and water etc. At one point I stuck to something that worked because it tasted good. It only made me wonder how many more variations there could be rather than to think I figured out the ideal way to make a pizza. In Italy they don't even make their pizzas with yeast. It's so funny how just the basil from another country and maybe even the spinach you'd add to it, makes it taste a world apart from the one you're accustomed to. I really love habaneros or cayenne pepper on pizzas and put it right on the tomato sauce or after I added the melt. It's funny how every version tastes different. The best part is, when you tried something Italian a thousand times without knowing the recipe and end up with the traditional Italian method or doing it without knowing. One could just buy a dough and put a tin of tomato on there, add some melt and put it in the oven. You are right ! It's not about the pizza. :) I think whats calling me back there is a dream I had of making a pizza in India. The dream wasn't about the pizza though... I guess this time it would be another challenge get a hold of some tapioca starch and some grains to make my own melt. Vegan cheese would probably be hard to come by out there.
I too am a fan of cheese-less pizzas, aka pizza marinara. However, I won't say no to that vegan cheese substitute either, perhaps it would help bring back childhood memories. I used to enjoy pizza marinara several times a week in Albania, but when I moved to Ecuador and tried to explain what it was to the pizzerias, they all refused to make such a stupid thing.
Awesome work chef, there is nothing like starting from scratch.
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@justinparke Thank you for your lovely comment! I can relate to this. Yeahh! Cheese-less pizzas rule! It's funny how I tried to come up with so many alternatives for cheese just to please others that were used to having cheese on their pizzas. Nutritional yeast with some cashews, garlic and lemon juice or maybe even stuff made from sunflower seeds or other grains. I wonder what new foods will emerge from all these roots, plants, natural thickening agents, protein powders. Maybe what weird textures they will process stuff that we will call food in the future? I guess we would still be happy with some simple beans and rice or a pizza marinara? :)
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I really need to have a couple of pieces right now!!!!!
I love a post that not only describes a great recipe but also involves a story. It adds some dimension to everything. A sweet child helping is a great addition. Food made with passion.
@carolynstahl much appreciated comment. I really love your food posts btw. Kids make pizza very exciting. It's kinda strange to switch places where you bake bread because there is none and wake up in a place where monkeys eat ice cream. Even stranger when you cycle around a city and get stuck at a red light in the midst of traffic and have this bewildered look on your face because next to you there's this huge elephant waiting for the signal to turn green. I think we need to do a hive pizza party.
Oh I want to wait for an elephant to cross the street. Yesss!!!!
I think I will make pizza today haha.
Your simple pizza doesn't look simple at all, it looks delicious and mouth-watering. And your little girl rolling it, wow!
@sugandhaseth thanks for your comment. This girl likes everything. Some kids can be difficult with certain foods. I was one of those kids. You're right, it isn't as simple 😅.. My title is deceiving. Do recommend trying a pizza with the base made with yeast or getting a dough that is more like a bread dough. Herbs in the on the tomato sauce, olives, capers and champignons(or a preferred mushroom). Do you have a favorite combo? Some people like pineapple on their pizza.
This looks fantastic!!!! Love it. Whose kid did you steal?
I'm also a fan of a thick set coconut yoghurt on vegan pizza - sounds strange I know but works well.
@riverflows So happy you peakd this post. These kids wanna hang out with me all the time and climb on me like as if I was a tree. I sorta have to run as soon as they see me. A lot of my friends are mom's now too. Some of them have multiple kids and I guess at times they all need to chill, so a get to borrow a them. This teenager once came up to me and said I look like an anime character with my shoes and my kimono. The little one on the foto says she wants to become a ninja when she grows up. I tried explaining her what a kunoichi and a shinobi is. I guess i'm a big kid myself. One can give them this untainted joy for anything and everything can be so playful to them?
I still can't get over your awesome palak recipe!
That melt is actually made of coconut too. I should try out the coconut yoghurt. It's a mind opener. Thanks. Your comments are always so appreciated dear friend.
#Beautiful recipe, and how awesome to see a little girl learning to bake a pizza from scratch! i love her!!