Saturday, August 15, 2009

Cooking Classes Update



















'Pumpkin Seed Yeast Rolls'

Cooking instructions have been going well, and through this I have ventured back into more baking, and pasta making. Something I had no time for in the past, and had outsourced for my catering and cafe.

One student in particular loved getting her hands into the flour, but not so happy with the cleaning up that is inevitable afterward...




















Since my students have moved into the new school building in the beginning of summer there has been some restructuring. Administration is working on giving a garden area to use, as well as possibly a cafe for the students to learn, produce, and work. On the job experience is one of the main goals for this program.

Summer has had little attendance, but the larger filled classes begin in September for us.

A few of us have been working on learning to make a simple yeast bread dough...





















...and while waiting on the bread to rise we worked on making pasta dough...





















Lessons in egg noodles and a Béchamel sauce; that will include cheese, and sour cream. Anyone who has made pasta before with out a pasta machine knows rolling out the dough the artisanal way takes lots of practice!





















Plates were piled high, and it was delicious. What student does not love to eat, especially when it is a plate for growing young man; it is hard for me to digest that they do no put vegetables on their plates...




















The bread turned out fantastic...lots of yummy loaves to take home...



















For the first lesson...things went well, and not to mention the smell that filled the entire place!


SIMPLE YEAST BREAD

2 1/2 c. warm water
2 pkgs. yeast
1/3 c. sugar
3 tbsp. oil
6 c. flour

Mix well, adding flour a cup at a time. Knead on flour surface. Place in buttered bowl and let rise for an hour covered with a cloth. Knead again. Make into rolls and let rise until double (we used muffin tins and small bread tins). You may place pumpkin seeds on top, and then Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Brush tops with melted butter, and serve.

PS Buffalodick is right, they are a little short on dough, but we did not make enough to fill the pans so that everyone could have their share, so we had to make do, but it was tasty!