Cassoulet

Anything goes bean stew/soup dish.


The basic Ingredients:

• Beans: White haricot are my favourite. Almost any beans are good
• Meat: Something tasty, any of: sausage, bacon, mutton, turkey, smoked...
• Veggies: Onion, potatoes
• Herbs: Garlic, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, parsley, Juniper berries, S&P

The process:

• Add to pot and cook.
• Keep the beans to the meat ratio high on the beans side. 
• Liquids (Stock): 3 to 1 ratio to the beans, more means a soup.  Also consider some flour as this will make for a rich liquid.
• Add to pressure cooker and cook for 30 minutes with the heaviest weight.

Original source: Delia, much modified
Cost: $12 approx - 6 portions ($2/ portion) 

Tortilla (flour)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup lard, butter or vegan substitute (room temperature)
• 3/4 cup hot water (I found near boil worked best) 

The method:
1. Mix together the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients. Mix the dough together by hand until very consistent, making sure to work the lard/butter/other in very well.
2. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough by hand for 5-6 minutes.
3. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces (more or less). flatten in Tortilla press, cover with a tea towel or inverted bowl. Let sit for 20 minutes.
4. Bake in cast iron pan. 1 min per side.

Pita Bread

Prep: 10 min plus - Cook: 20 min (4 minutes each) - Total: 3 hour 30 min
Yield: Serves 4 – 6 large of up to 15 small
If you are careful with your proportions, you won't wind up with a sticky nightmare!


INGREDIENTS:

• Active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water (100 - 110 deg. F; hot to the touch)
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup (8 fl oz) lukewarm water

TOOLS: Mixing bowl, paddle or similar to transfer bread to and from oven, pizza tile, oven.


STEPS:

1. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup lukewarm water, add one tsp sugar, stir and let stand for 10 minutes until frothy.
2. Combine the flour and salt, mix thoroughly using your hands or a spatula; add the yeasty water and about 1/2 the lukewarm water; mix and gradually add more water a few TBSP at a time (it can be very sticky until well mixed) until firm and elastic and just a little sticky (may adhere to your hand).
3. Turn dough on to a lightly floured working surface and knead for 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. In a bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and leave in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 2-3 hours.
4. When dough has nearly doubled in size, punch down, knead lightly, pinch off hand fulls to form into balls, any size you like - between a ping-pong and a tennis ball.
5. Put pizza stone in oven on lowest rack; pre-heat oven to 450 deg. F
6. Place balls on a lightly floured surface a few inches apart, cover and rest for 10 - 15 minutes
7. Flatten with floured Tortilla press.
8. Set aside, covered, for another 10 minutes.
9. Using a pre-heated pizza stone or baking sheet; transferring the bread to the hot stone or sheet and baking for about 4 minutes - when the bread has 'popped' and browned ever so slightly on the edges or top. The time depends on how thick and moist your bread is and how hot the oven is.
10. Allow to cool, flatten, store in plastic bags. Can be refrigerated or frozen, with appropriate re-heating or micro-waving.

Thanks to http://www.e-rcps.com/m_e/pita.shtm