There is nothing easier and nothing better than sourdough foccacia, it’s a great crowd pleaser, and so so moreish. I have made it so many times and it is very forgiving it just bakes up beautifully without any hassles, and we love that sort of recipe right?

This is an easy method, and a good recipe to try if you haven’t made it before or if you’re not having any luck with previous attempts.

There is no need to build a levain, just use some of your sourdough starter when it’s mature and ready to go. You can also add some whole-wheat flour if you choose to, I didn’t, but my starter is fed with 1/3 rye flour all the time.

Ingredients:

• 210gms strong bread flour
• 155gms spring water
• 20gms extra virgin olive oil
• 6gms sea salt
• 75gms mature sourdough starter

Method:

1. Mix everything except the olive oil together either by hand or use a stand mixer with a dough hook (I used my Kitchenaid mixer) for 1 minute on low speed, then knead for another 5 minutes on speed 2.
2. Now add the olive oil and knead again for another 5 minutes on speed 2, or you can also do slap and folds if you’re doing this by hand.
3. Rest for 30 minutes, then do a coil fold, and fold again every 30 minutes until you have done 4 folds.
4. Stretch into an oiled rectangular baking tin, and cover and cold proof overnight.
5. Take out in the morning (or later) and let it rest on the bench for about 5 hours before you want to bake it.
6. Wet your fingers and dimple the dough gently down into the pan base.
7. Drizzle over 1 or more tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and some sea salt flakes, then press some halved cherry tomatoes and rosemary sprigs into the holes evenly spaced around the dough.
8. Bake at 230degC for 25-30 minutes.

I like to drizzle it with some more olive oil when it comes out of the oven and cooling in the pan for a few minutes before you remove it. It is best eaten straightaway while warm, and best eaten on the day you bake it. That is never a problem here, it is always devoured in one sitting!!! Enjoy!

I just adore banana bread, mind you I have tasted some really good ones in my life and some really dry terrible ones too.  The best ones I find are moist, crumbly and not dense, and have walnuts inside and on top….yummo ♥

This recipe can also be considered healthy as there is very little sugar (½ cup only) in the whole loaf, and it is also made with spelt flour, well known for it health benefits as an ancient grain, and much kinder to our tummies.

Here I have added not only a wonderful moist, healthy and delicious banana bread recipe, but I have found another way to use up some of that starter discard we have every time we feed our beloved starters.  Along with the other two recipes for pancakes and flatbread, this recipe is wonderful, and much, much better in my opinion than normal banana breads.  It will stay moist for a few days if wrapped in foil…..well if it lasts that long!

Try it an  let me know I promise you wont be disappointed ♥♥♥

Ingredients:

• 115gms unsalted butter
• ½ cup brown sugar – lightly packed
• 170gms sourdough starter (or 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1 cup plain flour
• 3 really ripe bananas – mashed
• 1tsp pure vanilla essence
• ¾ cup walnuts – chopped
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2tsp honey
• 2 free range eggs
• ½tsp sea salt – fine
• ½tsp baking soda
• zest of 1 lemon

Topping:

• In a small bowl mix together 3 tbsp chopped walnuts and 1 tbsp brown sugar.

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 155°C fan forced (175°C if not fan forced).
2. Grease a 23cm x 13cm loaf tin and line the bottom and up two ends with baking paper – this not only stops it sticking but makes it easier to lift out of the tin.
3. In the large bowl of your stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, and scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
5. Add sourdough starter, honey, mashed bananas, vanilla and olive oil.
6. Mix the two flours together with the baking soda and salt and add gradually to the mixture.
7. Keep scraping down the sides.
8. Now fold in the lemon zest and walnuts with a spatula.
9. Pout the mixture the loaf tin, and smooth the top with the spatula.
10. Sprinkle on the chopped walnuts and sugar.
11. Bake for 55 minutes.  Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift out with the two ends of the baking paper and place on a wire rack to cool………or of course eat straight away while still warm with butter…lots of butter!

This is the most wonderful lemon cake you will ever make (and eat) it is so light and delicious and topped off with beautiful lemon curd and strawberries it is a winner.  Not only does it taste wonderful it is a stunner in looks.

I often make it for friends and family and it is constantly requested, along with my pavlova  as they are not heavy and I think that is an issue with most cakes, and desserts, no one wants to feel too full or bloated after enjoying a piece of cake…heaven no…room for more please!

Ingredients:

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 165g caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1¹⁄³ cups self raising flour
• 125ml milk
• zest of 3 lemons
• Lemon curd
• Strawberries for decorating
• Icing sugar to dust on top

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C° (160C° fan forced).
2. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
3. With your mixer beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between additions.
5. Fold through the flour and milk in two alternate batches until just combined.
6. Then gently fold through the lemon zest.
7. Tip the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake springs back when touched gently in the centre.
8. Remove from the oven, let cool 5 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
9. With a sharp knife slice a circle from the top of the cake.
10. Spread lemon curd inside the removed circle area.  Decorate with halved strawberries.
11. Replace circle of cake back on top.  Dust with icing sugar.

Enjoy…and please leave me a comment below if you have made this and really enjoyed it as much as I do♥

I really enjoy finding new ways to use up the discarded sourdough starter when I feed it each time.

Here is a wonderful way, and you will never to back to normal flatbread once you have made these, they are so light and airy, and wonderful to use in many ways.

I generally make them when I lave left over roast meat, they make wonderful wraps, just spread some beautiful hummus or baba ganoush on the flatbread, then just pile the sliced or pulled meats on top, add slice onion, lettuce tomato or anything you fancy…..delicious!

Video below show you how beautifully they puff up.  Recipe makes 4 depending on the size you make them.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup bread flour
• Few pinches of sea salt
• 1 tbsp sourdough starter
• ½ cup warm water

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Knead for a few minutes, then cut in two and roll out on a floured surface.
3. Place into a really hot frying pan,( no oil needed),  turn when it has browned spots, once and watch it puff up!

• I am making sourdough flatbread to go with lamb fillets and home made smokey Baba ghanoush purée …it's so easy to make just add a full tablespoon of starter, 1 cup bread flour, a few pinches of salt, add 1/2 cup warm water mix together. Knead for a few minutes then cut in two and roll out on floured surface and place into a really hot pan (no oil needed) and turn once and watch it puff up! Slide photo for another pic. A great way to use up your daily starter discard. They are so much better than any other flatbread I have made. #sourdough #starter #naturalyeast #naturallyleavened #naturallyfermented #flatbread #sourdoughflatbread #instapic #instavideo #instafood #instagram #instaphoto #food #foodporn #foodpics #foodphoto #askmehow #cookingadvice #cookinglessons #cookbookcomingsoon

  A post shared by Gail (@monrealescookinginspirations) on May 14, 2017 at 3:10pm PDT

 Wonderful way to use up your discarded starter, freshly made for breakfast they are divine!  It is surprising how light and fluffy they are, much nicer than the traditional pancakes, and much healthier too! 

It only takes 5 minutes to make the mixture, leave for 30 minutes to let the starter give the batter a boost, and you have beautiful pancakes for breakfast ♥

I’m always trying to find ways to use the starter which is discarded each time we feed it, and this is a winner.

Makes 4-6 depending on how large you make them.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, large
• 1 cup milk
• 1½ cups sourdough starter
• 1½ cups plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ¼ sugar
• ¼ butter, melted

Topping:

• 1 punnet strawberries, cut in quarters
• Golden syrup, maple syrup or honey (whichever you prefer I like golden syrup)
• Butter to dollop on top

Method:-

1. Beat eggs in a medium bowl, add milk and sourdough starter, stir to combine.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & sugar.
3. Add to the eggs mixture and mix well.
4. Stir in the melted butter.
5. You may need to add a little more milk if the matter is stiff, it depends on the consistency of your sourdough starter.
6. Wait about 20-30 minutes to allow your sourdough starter to give the batter a boost.
7. Lightly grease a heavy frying pan on low-medium heat, drop the batter onto the pan and cook until light golden brown and bubbles are starting to appear on top, then flip over and cook on the other side.
8. Don’t flip over more than once, it is sufficient to cook them through by flipping only once.

To Serve:

Heat plates while the pancakes are cooking, and place each one on a heated plate, drop dollops of butter around the pancake, top with strawberries and drizzle syrup over (as much as you like…the more the better I say!)

Enjoy!  Please leave a comment below as I love feedback on this recipe if you have made it. 

I love these little pies they are so easy to make and are a great vegetarian option for a meal or for those ‘meat free’ nights I have once or twice a week.  Not only are they delicious but also nutritious having several different vegetables in them, and  they are also topped with melted cheese for added protein.  You can also add some tinned or stewed lentils for that extra protein dimension.

Try these they are just delicious ♥ 

Ingredients:

• 2 potatoes, peeled & chopped
• 250gms pumpkin, peeled & chopped
• 125gms kumera (orange sweet potato) peeled & chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled & chopped
• 1 small onion, peeled & chopped
• 50gms butter
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tomato, chopped
• ½ cup peas (frozen as they cook faster)

Method:

1. Boil potato, pumpkin, kumera and carrot until just tender, drain.
2. Saute the onion in the butter until soft, add curry powder, stir through, and saute 1 minute.
3. Add vegetables to the pan and add a little water and toss through.
4. Add tomato and peas, and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Place in partly cooked pie shells, and sprinkle with grated tasty cheese.
6. Place in a moderate oven until the cheese is melted….yummo!

Pastry – Thaw one sheet of shortcrust pastry, and cut to size and place in greased 2 small pie tins.  Prick with fork and bake a few minutes until partially set.

serves two

Let me know how these little pies turn our for you they are a great staple ♥

Falafel are so easy to make and so much nicer that store bought ones….served with home made hummus (recipe on website) warmed sourdough flatbread (recipe a few posts ago) and fresh tabouli and I'm in heaven …recipe now on the website #falafel #chickpeas #hummus #tabouli #sourdoughflatbread #oliveoil #food #foodpic #foodphoto #foodvideo #foodporn #instapic #instaphoto #instavideo #instagram #askmehow #cookingadvice #cookinglessons

A post shared by Gail (@monrealescookinginspirations) on Jul 21, 2017 at 12:19am PDT

This is a great recipe I’ve taken the video directly from my Instagram page.  Many of my followers loved it ♥

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried chickpeas – don’t substitute with canned, they are too soft
  1 small onion, roughly chopped
  ¼ cup parsley, chopped
  2 cloves garlic
  1½ tsp chickpea flour
  1¾ tsp salt
  2 tsp cumin
  1 tsp ground coriander
  ¼ tsp black pepper
  ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  Pinch for ground cardamom
  Vegetable oil for frying (preferably canola)

Method:
1. Put the chickpeas into a large bowl and cover them with cold water, let them soak overnight.
2. They will double in size as they soak, you will have between 4-5 cups of chickpeas after soaking.
3. Drain and rinse the chickpeas well.
4. Pour them in to a food processor along with the chopped onion, garlic cloves, parsley, chickpea flour, salt, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper & cardamom.
5. Pulse all ingredients together until a rough coarse meal forms.
6. Scrape down the sides and process until the mixture is somewhere between the texture of couscous and paste.
7. You wan the mixture to hold together but you don’t want it turning into hummus.
8.Once the mixture is the desired consistency spoon it into a bowl and let refrigerate for an hour.
9.Fill a pan with the vegetable oil, and heat.
10.Roll into balls or patties and fry until golden.

Serve with home made hummus (recipe coming on the website) and freshly made tabouli.
Let me know with a comment below if you really like this recipe.