Sunday, December 25, 2011

Thermomix Zucchini and Garden Herb Pesto

200g courgette, coarsely grated
30g pine nuts
20g golden linseeds
30g Parmesan cheese, grated
30g spinach
30g extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
40g mixed herbs such as mint, lemon thyme, parsley, basil, oregano
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
juice of one lemon
Heat a non-stick frying pan and saute the onions, garlic and seasoning in 2tbs of the oil until golden about 4 -5 minutes. Add the courgettes and saute for one minute. Let the mixture cool.
Toast the linseeds and pine nuts and add to the sauteed onion and courgette mixture, cool.
Place the herbs, spinach, lemon juice, Parmesan and remaining oil in the Thermomix bowl and blend until still coarse.
Add the herb mixture to the cooled sauteed onion, courgette and nut mixture. Adjust the seasoning if needed and let the flavours develop for about 20 minutes.
Food Fanatics Tips
Do not be tempted to add too much oil, the mixture must be dry to prevent the bread becoming claggy. Place the leftover pesto in a clean jar cover the surface with extra oil and keep refrigerated, it should last for up to one week.

Bread Dough
400g strong bread flour
20g fresh yeast or 7g dried yeast (I do not recommend fast action yeast)
1 tsp salt
200g water
40g extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp chopped rosemary
100g soft goats cheese
100g courgette and garden herb pesto

Weigh the flour, rosemary, yeast and salt directly into the Thermomix bowl, blend for 30 seconds on speed 8.
Add the oil and water, blend for 30 seconds on speed 8.
Scrape the sides down, lock the lid, set the timer to 1 minute 30 seconds, dial on lock position and press the dough button.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and neatly and glenty fold the dough into a ball to form a smooth top, place into a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean dry tea towel and let the dough prove to double in size. Should take about 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a 7"(18cm) OR 8"(20cm) spring form tin and lightly dust with flour.
Carefully turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and flatten using your fingers tips or very lightly roll with a rolling pin into a rectangle about 1.5cm thick.
Spread the pesto and sprinkle the goats cheese, roll the dough into a spiral and cut into 6. Place the spirals in the prepared tin, bake for 55 minutes. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin, brush the top with olive oil.

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