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Meat Meatballs with Artichoke and Potato

Ingredients for 4 people 600g ground pork. 50g bread crumbs. 150cc milk. 2 onions. 6 garlic cloves. 2 green peppers. 1 red pepper. parsley. 1 whole egg. 150cc dry white wine. 1 tablespoon vinegar (any kind except balsamic). 300cc chicken stock. flour for coating. 1 tablespoon flour. 4 artichokes. 4 potatoes. salt. freshly ground black pepper. olive oil. Preparation Put the ground pork in a bowl and mix it with the bread crumbs that you've softened in the milk, then add the egg. Season with salt and pepper, and knead everything together until the meat feels well bound and sticky. Let it rest for 4 or 5 hours in a covered bowl in the fridge. This step makes all the difference — the meat firms up and the flavors meld beautifully. Shape the mixture into meatballs, dust them lightly with flour...   and fry them in plenty of hot oil until they're golden and crispy on the outside. Once fried, set them on paper towels to soak up the extra oil... S...

Homemade Bread



Making bread might seem tricky at first, but when you think about the aroma and taste of freshly baked bread — and how wholesome and natural it is — it's worth bringing this staple back into our kitchens. There's nothing quite like bread you've made yourself to awaken your appetite.













Ingredients

  • 500g bread flour.
  • 300ml water.
  • 5g yeast.
  • 10g salt.
  • 5g salt.

Method

  1. Put the flour and salt in a bowl, then start adding the water bit by bit. The mixture will look a bit like dry mud at first. Keep adding water gradually until it's all worked in.
  2. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 5 minutes.
  3. After resting, turn it out onto a floured work surface and knead it vigorously for 10 minutes. Cover again with the damp cloth and let it rest another 10 minutes.
  4. You'll need to repeat this kneading five times, resting 10 minutes between each round.
  5. After the fifth kneading, the dough will start looking smooth and elastic. Now dissolve the yeast in a splash of water, make a well in the center of your dough, pour it in, and keep kneading until the yeast is completely incorporated and the dough pulls away cleanly from your work surface.
  6. Let it rest for 30 minutes in a floured bowl, covered with the damp cloth.
  7. Using a knife, divide the dough into 2 or 3 pieces, depending on how large you want your loaves. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
  8. After resting, shape the loaves. Flatten each piece with a rolling pin into a rectangle. Fold the top edge down to the center and press to seal, then do the same with the bottom edge. Fold the whole thing in half lengthwise and press the ends firmly to seal them. The seam should end up on the bottom. Roll the piece gently to elongate it.
  9. Cover the shaped loaves with the damp cloth and let them rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
  10. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
  11. Place the loaves on a baking sheet and make a lengthwise slash down the top with a sharp knife or razor blade. Dust them lightly with flour and slide them into the oven. Bake until they're golden brown and sound hollow when you tap the bottom. The crust should be nice and crisp.


Notes

For an extra crispy crust, it helps to keep a small pan of water in the oven while baking — the steam does wonders.
Ideally, you'd bake this on a baking stone if you have one, but if not, the steam trick works brilliantly too.
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