Ever since I started baking and reading about baking bread, I have fantasised about baking with bread flour. But t is not available in India and so that idea continued to stay in my fantasies. Though many people say that it doesn’t make much of a difference, I wanted to try it out once. Whenever any friend or relative would travel from the West and ask me what I want, my answer was invariably bread flour and rye flour. The response was mostly eye rolling, sighing and shaking heads in disappointment. Due to many reasons, I couldn’t be successful in this endeavour till one day the husband had to make a 2 day trip to Amsterdam.
He was not pleased because it took him more time to travel than he would spend there. But I was not going to give up on this chance. I pleaded, coerced and bullied (mostly bullied) him to promise me to get bread flour. He finally did when he figured he couldn’t get away this time. When he returned I grabbed the suitcase from him and almost tore it open. His exasperation coupled with jet lag was a sight to behold. He also got me some amazing waffle strudel which was one of the most delicious things I tasted. So extra brownie points for that!
Finally I decided to bake a Boule with it for the Bread Bakers International Breads theme. You have to see the bread flour expanding to fill the bowl. It is so airy and light and has such a beautiful crust and crumb. I am in love and waiting for the husband’s next trip to Europe. Fingers crossed.
So I made some delicious and simple cashew cheese to go along with it. Then I figured I could make a crostini with corn and the cheese and translate that to a protein rich dish. Since I have used bread flour, that is also high in protein which is the icing on the cake. You can try this with any other bread like a baguette or even regular sliced bread. But a homemade bread does give an awesome flavour to it. This is a quick recipe for a breakfast or snack and can be made with whatever veggies no toppings you have on hand. You can use goat cheese or paneer or any other spread like hummus or baba ghanoush. It is all completely left to your imagination.
Protein – Corn and cashew cheese
Makes 6 slices
WHAT WE NEED
Bread slices 6
Sweet corn, shelled 1/2 cup
Cherry tomatoes 10-12
Cashew cheese 2-3 tbsp
Mixed herbs 1 tsp
Fresh coriander 2-3 stalks
Olive oil
Salt
WHAT TO DO
- Preheat the oven to 175C
- Brush the bread slices with olive oil and place them on a greased baking tray
- Bake for 6-8 minutes. If you want it very crisp, bake for a minute or so longer
- Cook the corn in a vessel with hot water for 6-8 minutes till it is well done
- Drain the water from the corn
- Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves
- Mix the corn, cherry tomatoes, finely chopped coriander, mixed herbs and salt
- Take out the bread slices from the oven
- Spread some cashew cheese on the bread slices
- Top it with the corn tomato mixture
- Enjoy!
This is my post for the Mega Marathon under the theme, ‘Protein Rich Dishes’.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 80
Completely agree on this craze. Once we start baking bread at home then thre is no stopping. Love your boule. My daughter loves these types of artisan breads but it has been a while since I baked. You are tempting me to make it. And the final crostini looks amazing.
That bread looks so fantastic Sowmya, you really whip out some cool breads man!..and cashew cheese sounds excellent!
Cashew and cheese just makes me drool… All my fav ingredients added out there..
Nothing can beat homemade breads, its been an excellent therapy for me whenever i feel down. Boule looks prefect like we get here in bakeries. crostini looks gorgeous and colourful, and that cashew cheese rocks.
Boule looks so perfect and light.Love the cashew cheese.The first click is amazing.
That strudel looks awesome and those corn and tomato with cheese oh my… Cashew cheese is something new for me. Will look for it.
CAshew Cheese sounds fascnating.And the bread nothing can beat the homemade ones
Sowmya, the flour does make all the difference in the texture of the bread. The same bread recipe will turn out different in texture when I bake it in India, in Kenya and Montreal. In India the plain flour has less gluten. Delicious looking crostini… with home made bread it must have tasted awesome.
Cashew cheese??? I live in the land of cashew nuts and will love to try it, As for the crostini I wish I can grab it.
I will remember to get some bread flour the next time I am coming to chennai Sowmya. Try asking for vital wheat gluten the next time someone is traveling . It’s much smaller in size and helps the flour enormously.
ah ! this is so good 🙂 almost out of a masterchef bakery ! the crumb is so marvellous. Try adding 1 tsp of gluten for every cup of maida / atta u use to make locally available bread flour 🙂 it works for me here in mumbai. If u need vital wheat gluten, ping me and I will send u the packs (I have a lot to spare!) – it wd be magic in ur hands !
Marvelous!! Lovely home-made bread. Nothing can beat it. Super recipe
I haven’t read teh recipe and all I have been doing is drool over those pics Sowmya!! Will come back and drool again and read 🙂