May 15th HBinFive Bread Braid

There is still more to create from the Master Dough recipe, demonstrated by three new breads for this assignment.

The Hearty Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaf made good toast and sandwiches.

The Turkish-Style Pita Bread was indeed more like a flatbread than the puffy pita most of us are familiar with. We enjoyed it with a Greek salad and Hummus.

I had the most fun with the Whole Grain Garlic Knots with Parsley and Olive Oil, although I substituted rosemary for the parsley. Yes, my garlic did burn a bit, as some have also experienced, but no matter, these were still wonderful. I decided to use rosemary, not only because I have so much of it, but since others said their parley burned, I thought the rosemary might be heartier in a hot oven.

We all loved these, and I imagine the dough and toppings could be really versatile here, so I look forward to trying these again. It made me think of fougasse, which I have made often, and always look for new topping ideas.

We served the knots with this pasta, adapted from Chez Panisse Pasta, Pizza and Calzone.

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Asparagus
An adaption of Shrimp, Peas, Creme Fraiche & Spaghetti

1 pound shrimp
2 cloves garlic
A handful of fresh basil leaves
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups sliced asparagus, tough ends removed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound spaghetti

Put pasta water up to boil, and cook spaghetti when water is ready.

Wash and peel the shrimp. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Cut the basil leaves into narrow ribbons.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shrimp, salt and pepper. After a minute, lower the heat and add the garlic and asparagus. Cook for 1 minute. Add the cream and basil and cook another minute or so. Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan. Mix well and taste for seasoning. Serve garnished with additional fresh basil.

The basil I used was not yet from my garden. My garden challenge this week included more salad for 2, strawberries and chives.