Ricotta and Sweet Red Pepper Rolls
What could be better than a delicious bun with a cup of hot tea? Making homemade buns is quite simple: you'll need the most basic ingredients any home cook has on hand—flour, eggs...
- milk – 0.5 cups
- egg – 1 pc.
- garlic – 2 cloves
- egg (yolk) – 1 pc.
- sugar – 1 tbsp. l.
- flour – 450 g
- coarse sea salt – 0.25 tsp.
- dry yeast – 6 g
- red bell pepper – 1 pc.
- ricotta cheese – 200 g
- vegetable oil – 1 tsp.
- Wash the pepper, cut into quarters, and remove the core. Place the quarters skin-side up in a baking dish, drizzle with vegetable oil, and bake in an oven preheated to 220°C (425°F) for 15 minutes.
- Sift the flour into a bowl, add the yeast, sugar, and salt. Whisk the milk, egg, and ricotta cheese, pour it into the flour, and knead the dough. Transfer it to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours.
- Place the cooked peppers in a plastic bag, seal tightly, and let sit for 10 minutes. Peel and finely chop the flesh. Peel and mince the garlic.
- Add chopped pepper and garlic to the dough. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each into a ball.
- Preheat oven to 200°C. Place the buns on a greased baking sheet, brush with egg yolk, and score the tops with a knife to form a cross. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes. Then remove the plastic wrap, sprinkle the buns with sea salt, and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
In one gastronomic book I read a phrase: the difference between young cheese and mature cheese is like the difference between Beaujolais and Armagnac, like the difference between a basic Ford and a perfectly good Oldsmobile, like the difference between... Then came increasingly derogatory comparisons.
This ricotta lasagna recipe is an easy way to "discover" Italy and find yourself in a cozy trattoria on the outskirts of a picturesque Sicilian village without buying a plane ticket. Incidentally, ricotta and eggplant lasagna is a specialty of Sicilian cuisine, where eggplant, like tomatoes grown in the hot sun, is held in high esteem. As for the meat component, there's no real need for it—this tomato-cheese vegetable lasagna is so self-sufficient and delicious.
Hot cross buns are served in the UK and some other European countries for breakfast on Good Friday, the eve of Easter Sunday. However, the tradition of making them dates back to pre-Christian times: it was once believed that these baked goods protected the home and its inhabitants from evil spirits. Therefore, the buns were eaten with relish, and the remaining, stale ones were hung from the ceiling in kitchens. We suggest baking them purely for culinary pleasure. Hot cross buns are usually flavored with spices and raisins, as well as candied and dried cherries, nuts, and even chocolate chips or cocoa powder. Why not make these buns ourselves—with or without a special occasion? Try them; you're sure to love them!
Yeast-based buns are a very homey, cozy, and truly heartwarming treat. They're delicious any time of day, but especially in the morning. You'll agree: it's so nice to wake up to the aroma of freshly baked goods! Of course, this requires a bit of heroism, even on a weekend, as the dough takes several hours to rise. Here's a life hack! Knead the yeast dough for the buns in the evening and refrigerate. In the morning, take it out and let it rest for two hours. Once the dough has risen, divide it into buns and continue baking according to the recipe.
Sugar buns can be served with tea or coffee, plain or topped with jam, butter, or nut butter. Either way, enjoyment is guaranteed! Sugar buns are very easy to make and quite quick for yeast dough, which, you'll agree, is quite important. You can substitute the shaping method we suggested ("snails") with any other. So, with the same dough, you can make simple round buns, as well as "braids," "horseshoes," or intricate "flowers." The result will be beautiful and original.
