Well, it happened. I’m another year older. I hit thirty seven on Monday (like a brick wall) which means that I’m legally no longer allowed to dance at weddings or sit down on a couch without going “oouuughh”. Strictly enforced law. Punishable by exile.
But look, I’m very lucky to be born in June because at least I can hide behind tomato season instead of fixating on eye bags in the mirror (like I can’t do both). My local greengrocer is fully stocked with gorgeous fashion tomatoes, all of them British too, which means I can feel good about making them my personality for a month or two.
Inevitably I spend this time of year thinking about new ways I can combine tomatoes and bread, but always come right back to my focaccia recipe. I was going to bake myself this birthday cake but honestly, isn’t focaccia better?? This recipe has been top secret for years now, despite there being a sourdough version on the blog. But for this newsletter I’ve decided to finally share it with you. It’ll be on the blog with all the bells and whistles next week, but as subscribers you get it one week early and in PDF format (see the bottom of this newsletter) because you’re all lovely.
And look, I know I promised the updated version of my pound cake last week, but it’s taking a little longer than anticipated to perfect. So hang tight on that one, just a little longer!
Right, let’s dive into it!
Real Meals: Birthday Edition
I’ve eaten some great food this week (another birthday law) but I want to tell you about two things in particular. I didn’t make either of them, but I’ve got a feeling they will influence some experiments going forward and it could be fun for you to witness an origin story in real-time.
1. This Sandwich from Goat Ledge
Goat Ledge is an unusual little spot in Hastings (where I live) located right on the beach. It’s not a vegan spot, but they’ve been making an incredible tofu bap (like a bun-based sandwich with fried tofu, gochujang mayo and pink pickled onions) for years. Anyway, I treated myself to a birthday bap only to find they’ve added an element which is a total gamechanger: deep fried kimchi!
I had to ask the chef what was going on because I couldn’t figure it out and he said they make in-house vegan kimchi, stir through some corn starch and then deep fry like a big crispy fermented fritter. Mark my words, I will be trying this at home and sharing the results…
2. These Beans From The Union
When you live in a small town, you tend to lower your expectations of the vegan options at non vegan places. However I was shook by the consideration put in by The Union in Rye. It’s essentially a little gastro pub with a handful of tables in an incredibly picturesque, ancient town. But everything we ate was simply stunnin’. The sourdough with chive oil and pickled veggies deserves commendation but the star for me was these beans!
They were slowly stewed butter beans in a broth that was so reduced it was almost creamy, topped with baked aubergine, toasted pine nuts and crispy sage. I cook so many beans at home, so I wasn’t expecting to be wowed, but blummin ‘eck I was wrong! So so delicious!
Weekly Wrap: Some Heroic Gyros
Vegan Greek Pitas - Continuing the theme from last week’s tzatziki, I’ve developed a fresh pita bread recipe for you. These are the Greek flatbread style, rather than the puffed up ones that you fill. There’s a real joy to making these and freezing them to guarantee perfect, easy lunches for the week ahead. Lunches like…gyros maybe…?
Vegan Gyros - OK you saw this coming. You’ve got your vegan tzatziki, your vegan greek pitas, the logical next step was obvs the whole gyro. I wanted to make this recipe nice and versatile, so it’s mostly about the method and marinade. You can make it with my vegan chicken, store bought vegan chicken or just some extra firm tofu!
As always, any engagement with these new recipes helps me massively! So if you try them and love them, I’d love for you to leave a review on the blog! Thank you!
Recipe: Birthday Focaccia
Stick a candle in it, because it’s better than any cake. My simple, delicious, completely vegan focaccia. Customise the toppings to suit your needs/wants/fantasies and be liberal with the olive oil.
Note: Use the best olive oil you can get your hands on but avoid extra virgin. We’re baking at a temperature over the smoke point, which will negatively affect the flavour of anything super unrefined.
For the Focaccia
7g instant yeast, or one sachet
1/2 tsp sugar
440ml water
400g “00” flour or sub for plain white flour, aka all purpose
200g strong white flour, aka white bread flour
1.5 tsp fine sea salt
1.5 tbsp olive oil
For the Toppings
150g cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and gently crushed with the side of a knife (optional)
100g olives, pitted (optional)
6 small sprigs of fresh rosemary (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch flaky sea salt
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix the yeast, sugar, and 100ml of the water (warm, not hot). Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the “00” flour and strong white flour. Add the fine sea salt and mix well.
Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Pour in the frothy yeast mixture, the remaining 340ml of water, and the olive oil.
If mixing by hand, use a spatula to mix the ingredients together until a sticky dough forms. Keep mixing to build gluten structure for at least 3 minutes. If using a stand mixer, fit the dough hook attachment and knead on medium speed for 5 minutes.
Place the kneaded dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free area for about 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Grease a large baking tray (about 30x40 cm) with olive oil. Sprinkle the base and sides with coarse semolina flour. Gently punch down the risen dough to release the air. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking tray and spread it out evenly using your fingers.
Cover the tray loosely with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let it rise for another 45 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F) or 200ºC fan. If you have one, place a pizza stone in the centre of the oven to heat up. This will ensure the base of the focaccia is crispy.
After the second rise, grease your hands with some extra olive oil and use your fingers to create dimples all over the surface of the dough. If using, scatter the halved cherry tomatoes, crushed garlic cloves, pitted olives, and rosemary sprigs evenly over the top. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Place the baking tray in the preheated oven, directly on top of the pizza stone. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the focaccia is golden brown.
Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool completely. Slice and serve.
OK, that’ll do! Tell your friends about the newsletter and I’ll sing you a song or something. Big love!
Richard xx
Happy belated birthday Richard 🎉