I planned a trip to the post office in order to post a couple of parcels; upon sticking my head out the door to get the pushchair from the shed, I changed my mind - the wind was awful and the rain. I'm feeling decidedly fairweather pagany today. I have a love hate relationship with rain - on the one hand I love the feel of the rain (particularly if it's mild - today it was not!), and do not care one jot about my hair getting wet. On the other hand I absolutely hate my specs getting rained on and not being able to see. I suppose I ought to sort out contacts again (particularly as I'm taking Rye swimming now - and presently wearing my specs in the pool, but I know from experience that the chlorine in the water will eventually damage the coating on the lenses of my specs) - not that I get on with them terribly well; acute stigmatism tends to mean the right lense never quite fits properly and after a while I get irritated with the lenses slipping down slightly. Mind, it's been well over 5 years since I last wore them - perhaps they will be better this time?
Today has passed in a bit of blur. You know how it is - I'm sure we've done stuff but nothing really sticks out. I did make a super pizza for tea - it was very yummy indeed - evidenced by Rye asking for thirds! The pasta salad was rather nice too - the beetroot turning it all rather pink:
Rye doing his rabbit impression as he eats cucmber (hands wagging on head like rabbit ears).
6 comments:
The weather hasn't been very pleasent here either. I've not felt warm all day.
The pizza looks delicous. Did you make your own base?
Yup, base is easy: 4cups of strong wholewheat flour, 4 cups of plain flour, tsp of salt, 1 1/2 tsp of dried yeast (not the fast acting stuff - but the yeast that needs reconstituting in water) 1 pint of warm water, tsp of sugar. Glug or two of olive oil.
Pop both flours in a bowl with the salt.
Reconsitute the yeast in warm water with the sugar (or honey or sugar substitute like agarve syrup)
Then mix the yeasty water (will be all foamy on top) into the flour and add the oil if you want, and knead for ten mins until the dough is smooth and elastic (or use a cake mixer with dough hook). Leave to prove until about double in size - knock back.
Now this amount of dough makes about 1/2 a dozen medium sized thinnish bases, or a large thickish base and a small loaf, or about 2-3 large thick bases. You can either freeze the excess dough and then defrost and use later.. or, as I prefer - roll out all the dough to the require thickeness (remember it will rise a bit in the oven) and then bake for five minutes - leave to cool and then wrap and freeze - you can then cook these from frozen.
(or of course you could half the recipe.. which will be enough dough for a large thick pizza).
I don't actually roll this out, I press it into my tin (lightly greased) and then I spread with olive oil (stops it going soggy), spread over some garlic paste, tbsp or two of passata, good sprinkle of dried thyme (fresh is nicer tho), and a good grating of black pepper.
Slice up mozzerella and spread over; and then I ususally sprinkle over some mature cheddar... last night though I used parmasan because I don't have any cheddar left.
Cook for about 10 minutes YUM!
Oh I drizzle a little good olive oil over the top before popping in the oven too.
Weather pretty grim in Cornwall too it seems winter has returned driving wind and rain enough to keep me in the warm :) the circlet is beautiful you are so clever. i wish i could crochet maybe you should start up some online lessons on circlet making. Every festival that comes around i make myself a circlet from the garden but it would be so great to have an everlasting one x x x
Love the picture of your very own Green man!
I wear contact lenses now and also have an astigmatism. i have a special lense for the astigmatism and don't notice anything at at all. i have tried using lenses before, once when I was 16 and again about 8/9 years ago. The ones i use now are so different. I can actually see in the bath and shower now and they are brilliant for swimming. See if you can get a free trial with an optician for a week or so ( I did). It was the best thing I have done for a long time
Thanks for the recipe. I'm looking forward to giving it ago.
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