What is a sourdough starter?

A sourdough starter is a living, fermented culture of flour and water that serves as a natural leavening (or rising) agent for baking. A starter consists of a symbiotic community of wild yeast and beneficial bacteria (mostly lactic acid bacteria) that are collected from the environment and the flour itself – in contrast to commercial yeast, which has a single concentrated strain.

When you make your starter, you are creating a living, bubbling jar of wild yeast. You will need to take good care of the starter and, rumour has it, it’s good practice to give your starter a name; after all, it is a living organism. (My starter is called Mother Doughresa). Your starter will need food, warmth and a little attention – but don’t worry, it won’t bite.

The starter should have a sour, tangy smell. If it smells truly awful (like garbage), start over.

Let’s dive right in!

 What you’ll need

• Flour (bread, rye or whole wheat)
• Lukewarm water
• Jar or container (not airtight!)
• Silicone spatula
• Patience (about 7 days’ worth) 

Day-by-day sourdough starter instructions

Notes

• Keep your jar in a warm, toasty area in the kitchen but out of direct sunlight.
• To kickstart your starter, use rye flour. It expedites the fermentation process. In comparison to white flour, rye flour is teeming with extra nutrients that help kickstart the entire process. If you don’t have rye flour, a good-quality organic whole wheat will also work.
• Do not use the discard in recipes until your starter is mature enough (from around Day 7).

Day 1: Where the Magic Starts

Mix:

100g rye flour
125g lukewarm water
Stir until thick, like pancake batter.
Loosely cover the jar (lid resting on top or cloth + rubber band).
Leave it on the counter.

Starter status: Shy. Very quiet.

Day 2: “Is Something Happening?”

You might see bubbles. Or nothing. Both are normal.

Weigh out 75g of the starter and discard the rest.

Feed it:

50g rye flour
50g white bread flour
120g lukewarm water
Mix, cover and leave on the counter.

Starter status: Confused, but trying.

Days 3 – 6: The Funky Phase

It may start to smell sour. This is normal. Promise.

And bubbles – yay!

Repeat Day 2:

Weigh out 75g of the starter and discard the rest.

Feed it:

50g rye flour
50g white bread flour
120g lukewarm water
Mix, cover and leave on the counter.

Starter status: Feeling confident.

Day 7 + Onwards: Ready to Bake

If it rises reliably and passes the float test (a spoonful floats in water), it’s ready!

Congratulations. You now own a sourdough starter.

From here on you can feed the starter with just bread flour, if you prefer.

Starter status: Baking queen.

Keeping the starter alive

To keep the starter alive, you will need to feed it:

– every few days if you are planning to bake often.

– weekly or every second week if you don’t bake often.

Store the starter in the fridge.

A starter can last for weeks and even months. Some famous bakeries around the world have starters they’ve nurtured for years, decades and even centuries.

How to know when it’s ready to be used

• Your sourdough starter smells sweet and yeasty.
• It has at least doubled in size (usually with a dome top that is just beginning to flatten).
• It’s bubbly.
• It passes the ‘float test’ – a tiny dollop floats in water, indicating peak activity for baking.

If all of the above is present, it’s good to go. In order to maximise the leavening power for your bread, you should use it at its peak, just as it begins to flatten.

Sourdough discard

This is the starter that is thrown out/discarded when feeding the starter. Do not waste it!

You can make sourdough pancakes or waffles, crackers, flatbreads or naan, banana bread or muffins and even biscuits using the discard from Day 7 onwards.

Happy baking!

This delicious pizza recipe is the perfect excuse to use your sourdough starter. 

Artichoke and burrata sourdough Sicilian pizza

A thick, chewy, fluffy crust that resembles bread and is usually rectangular in shape.

Makes 1 (30 x 21cm) pizza

Ingredients

For the dough:

1⅖ cup (330g) water
½ cup (100g) active sourdough starter
2½ tsp (12.5ml) olive oil
4¼ cups (525g) OO flour
2 heaped tsp (13g) salt

3 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup pizza sauce
1 cup (150g packed) grated mozzarella
¼ cup marinated artichokes, drained and torn
1 ball (125g) burrata cheese, torn
Salt and milled pepper
Olive oil or chilli oil, for drizzling

Method 

1. Before you start, make sure your sourdough starter is bubbling and active, it can be fed a few hours before the dough is mixed.
2. Dissolve the active sourdough starter in water in a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil and stir.
3. Mix in the flour and salt until a rough dough is formed.
4. Cover the dough with cling wrap directly on the surface and rest in a warm area for 30 minutes.
5. Stretch and fold the dough eight to ten times by reaching into the bowl and drawing it up and into the middle. At 30-minute intervals, repeat this procedure twice more.
6. For a more developed flavour, the dough can be refrigerated for 24 – 72 hours, or left at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours.
7. Remove the dough from the fridge and set it on the counter to rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
8. Generously grease a 30 x 21cm deep baking dish with olive oil.
9. Gently move the dough to the prepared baking dish. To fill the pan, gently squeeze and stretch the dough with your hands. If the dough resists to fill the pan, cover and let it rest for an additional 15-20 minutes covered before continuing to stretch out the dough.
10. After the dough fills the pan, use your fingers and dimple the dough as you would for focaccia. Let it rise at room temperature for at least two hours, or until it has risen properly and is puffy.
11. Preheat the oven to its highest temperature setting.
12. Bake the base for about 20 minutes.
13. Remove pizza and lower the oven temperature to 180°C.
14. Spread the pizza sauce over the base followed by the mozzarella, artichokes and burrata. Season.
15. Bake for another 20 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese melted and bubbly.
16. Remove pizza from oven and cool slightly. Cut into rectangular pieces, drizzle with some olive oil or chilli oil and serve warm.

Words: Lichelle May
Photography Shutterstock, Zhann Solomons

The post 7-day guide to making your own sourdough starter appeared first on MyKitchen.

Sourdough bread has taken the internet and our kitchens by storm. But don’t be mistaken, baking a tasty loaf is no easy feat. Here are some of the most common mistakes you might make when baking your beloved bread.  

Mistake #1: Your oven temperature is too cold  

After the lengthy stages of kneading, double (or triple) proofing, and baking, slicing into your sourdough should be a moment of triumph. But if your loaf is dense and riddled with oversized holes by the crust, the issue may lie with your oven temperature. Make sure that you preheat the oven to the correct temperature before baking your placing your loaf in it.   

@odins_dough 240C is the magic temperature for baking your loaves, just make sure the oven is properly pre heated. Odins Dough makes sourdough bread baking easy. Recipes and process details at Odins Dough …https://odins-dough.webador.co.uk/ Give it a try and enjoy. #bakingbread #scoringsourdough #love #relaxation  #inspiration #amazing #experiment #Sourdough #baking #hobby #goodfood #behappy #fermentation #bread #makeyourown #sharing #spreadthelove #healthybread #healthyfood #cook #organic #joy #zen #relax #CapCut ♬ Summer – Instrumental – Devinney

Mistake #2: Under-proofing your dough 

It will be very clear if your dough did not proof long enough. How? Your loaf will be flat and dense on the inside – without those lovely air pockets sourdough bread is known for. The dough needs enough time for gluten to develop and for the fermentation process to develop (trapping gas to create and airy texture). How do you know if it’s done proofing? Use the poke test. Use a lightly floured finger and poke your finger in it. If the dough springs back quickly, it’s not ready to bake yet. Another way to see if your dough is ready for the oven is to do the “windowpane test”. Take a small piece of dough and see if you can stretch it enough to create a thin patch of dough that you can see light through it. 

@musclemommasourdough I made this dough the night before with UNFED starter! It fermented on the counter overnight. Breadleigh is a super happy starter, making perfect dough even unfed. Link to her is in my profile! #sourdough #sourdoughtips #sourdoughstarter #dehydratedsourdoughstater #activestarter #sourdoughscoring #sourdoughbaker #sourdoughbakery #sourdoughtutorial #sourdoughtipsandtricks #sourdoughbread #sourdoughhowto #beginnersourdough #sourdoughbeginner #sourdoughforbeginners #sourdoughbaking #allaboutsourdough #sourdoughreels #sourdoughforbusymoms ♬ The Gift – Frozen Silence

Mistake #3: You’re not forming it correctly 

Ended up with a flat bread? You may not have shaped your loaf correctly. Forming your loaf is a crucial part for a successfully risen, fluffy sourdough bread. During shaping, it’s crucial to build tension across the surface of the dough – this helps direct the rise vertically rather than allowing it to spread outward. 

@sourdoughduffy Reply to @stewied shaping some 50% whole wheat sourdough @sourdoughduffy #breadtok #sourdough #bakingtiktok ♬ BREAKFAST CHALLENGE – SPENCE

Photography: Shutterstock

The post 3 Common mistakes when baking a sourdough loaf   appeared first on MyKitchen.

Sourdough is having a moment, and you don’t want to miss it! From a croissant sourdough loaf to yummy sourdough matcha bagels these viral recipes made with a sourdough starter are taking over kitchens everywhere. 

1. Sourdough croissant loaf 

Yes, you read right! A crunchy, buttery croissant bread? Yes, please! The viral collab of a sourdough loaf and a croissant has taken TikTok by storm – and we are here for it. For this delicious recipe you’ll incorporate cold butter during when you do the stretch and fold stages to create a flaky, buttery soft layers. Yum! 

@chels_field Replying to @Kat Zhu Croissant Sourdough Recipe 100g sourdough starter 350g warm filtered water 500g bread flour (I use @King Arthur Baking ) 10g salt 1 stick cold butter (grated) 1. In a medium-sized bowl, add your active sourdough starter and water. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or spatula. 2. Add the flour and salt. Mix with spatula and then use your hands to make sure it’s mixed thoroughly. This will take a few minutes. You will want to make sure there are no flour clumps left. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is incorporated into the main dough. 3. Cover and let sit for one hour. NOTE- This hour begins as soon as you begin mixing your dough together, NOT after you have completed the mixing and coil fold steps. 4. After the hour is up, you will start your coil folds or stretch and folds. 5. Grate the cold butter and place into the dough during your second coil fold. 6. When you are finished, place the plastic cover over the bowl, and allow the dough to rest for 30 mins 7. Perform a total of 4 rounds of coil folds (or stretch and folds) each 30 minutes apart. 8. Allow the dough to bulk ferment until it is fully proofed. The amount of time will vary depending on the temperature of your house, your dough and the climate you are in. (Use the below table for timing and 9. Once your bulk fermentation is finished you will do a preshape. To pre-shape, you will do circular motions, scrape the dough under itself and toward yourself to create a round, tight ball of dough. The goal is to create a uniform ball of dough with smooth, tight surface tension. 10. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for about 20 mins. 11. After the dough has finished its bench rest, use the bench scraper to flip the dough upside down onto your counter. The part of the dough that was touching the counter during the bench rest should now be 12. Very gently stretch the dough at its corners to create a square or rectangle shape. 13. Grab the bottom of the dough and fold it up ward, then grab the right side and flip over to the left, left over to the right, pull the top of the dough down to the center. 14. Stitch the dough by pulling the sides and cross crossing over each other (shown in the video) 15. Then roll the dough up like a burrito and place into your banneton. Cover and put in the fridge for at least 12 hours or up to two days. 16. Next day, preheat your oven to 500 degrees with your Dutch oven inside for 25 minutes. 17. Once preheated, take your dough out of the fridge and place onto parchment paper and score the lo 18. Place into the preheated Dutch oven for around 23 mins with the lid on. 19. After 23 mins, remove the lid and turn the oven temp to 450 and bake for an additional 8 minutes. time will vary depending on your oven) Or until your internal dough temp reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit. #sourdoughbread #sourdough #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughforbeginners #sourdoughtok ♬ som original – andressaressam

2. Sourdough cereal 

Add some sugar, spice (and the sourdough starter, of course) to make a delicious cinnamon toast crunch cereal. This yummy breakfast cereal is buttery, flaky, and perfectly sweet. This viral recipe is popping up on everyone’s For You pages – and it’s a breeze to make. Once cooled down, just add milk and voila! 

@lauragettle This was a first try at Simplicity and A Starter’s Homemade Sourdough Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal. I’d say it was a success, and it was so easy which is always a bonus! My 2yo gobbled it up! #sourdough #sourdoughdiscard #sourdoughstarter #homemade #cereal ♬ original sound – Laura | MultiPassionate SAHM

3. Sourdough matcha bagels 

This one is definitely for the bagel-obsessed! It was only a matter of time before matcha made its appearance in the sourdough world – and we could not have imagined a tastier way! The naturally sweet, nutty and clean flavour of matcha adds another layer of depth to your bagel. You can pair it with toppings like cream cheese and creamy avocado. Are you a sweet tooth? Opt for toppings like honey or jam. These bagels are chewy, soft and rich with matcha flavour in every bite.   

@jeshastevens Replying to @daveearly3 matcha swirl sourdough bagel. Bagel recipe will be up monday #sourdough #sourdoughbread #bagel #bageltok #sourdoughstarter #stpatricksday ♬ Love on the Brain (Originally Performed by Rihanna) [Instrumental Version] – Hit The Button Karaoke

Photography: Fresh Living Magazine 

The post 3 Viral TikTok sourdough recipes taking over your <em> For You </em>pages  appeared first on MyKitchen.

With a perfect blend of a crispy crust and chewy centre, this sourdough bread gets elevated to a whole new level when served with caramelised onion butter. To achieve that perfectly crisp crust, bake the bread in a hot Dutch oven. 

Cheat’s sourdough with caramalised onion butter 

Serves 8 

Ingredients 

4 cups (600g) flour + extra for dusting
1 packet (10g) instant dry yeast
2 tsp (10ml) fine salt
1 tsp (5ml) sugar
1½ cups (375ml) water, lukewarm
1 Tbsp (15ml) olive oil  

For the caramelised onion butter 

1 Tbsp (15ml) butter
3 onions, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp (15ml) light brown sugar
4 sprigs thyme, picked
½ cup 9125ml0 butter, softened 
Salt and milled pepper, to taste 

Method 

1. Combine the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the water and olive oil. Mix until a dough starts to form.
3. Dust a bit of flour on the work surface and knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
4. Place dough in a large, oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm directly on the surface of the dough.
5. Place dough in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
6. Once dough has risen, knock down by kneading for about a minute.
7. Preheat oven to 220°C. Place a cast-iron pot with a lid in the oven to heat up.
8. Shape the dough to your desired shape, score with a sharp knife and dust with flour.
9. Carefully remove the pot from the oven and dust the inside with flour. Add shaped bread, cover with lid.

Recipes & Styling: Lichelle May 

Photographs: Zhann Solomons 

The post Cheat’s sourdough with caramalised onion butter  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Breakfast in bed is the ultimate Mother’s Day treat! Spoil the mom figure in your life like the queen she with one (or more) of these delicious breakfasts. 

Perfect pancakes easy enough for kids to make

Total Time 15–20 minutes // Makes 18–20  

Ingredients   

2 cups (500 ml) cake flour, sifted 
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder 
Pinch salt 
2 eggs, whisked 
2 cups (500 ml) milk 
1 tsp (10 ml) vanilla essence 
2 Tbsp butter (28 g), melted 
Canola oil or butter for frying  

Method   

1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. 
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla and butter until smooth. 
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix to create a smooth batter. 
4. Heat oil or butter in a large pan. 
5. Ladle ¼ cup of the batter into the pan and swirl to coat the base. 
6. Fry for about 3–4 minutes over a low heat, then flip and fry the other side until lightly golden and cooked through. 
7. Place pancakes on kitchen or baking paper and repeat with remaining batter.

Recipe & Styling: Fresh Living Magazine
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine 

Deconstructed breakfast apple crumble 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients 

2 Tbsp (28 g) butter
2 Tbsp (30 ml) brown sugar
2 apples, halved
2 Tbsp (30 ml) water
1 Tbsp (15 ml) vanilla vodka
¼ cup (60 ml) oats
¼ cup (60 ml) almond butter
¼ cup (60 ml) + 1 tsp (5 ml) honey
4 Tbsp (60 ml) cream cheese
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla essence 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Heat the butter and sugar in a pan. Add the apples, cut sides down, and fry for 5 minutes over medium heat.
3. Add the water and vodka and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Mix the oats, almond butter and ¼ cup honey. Spread on a tray and bake for 5 minutes.
5. Mix the cream cheese with 1 tsp honey and vanilla.
6. Dollop cream cheese on to plates, top with apples, drizzle with pan juices and sprinkle with oat crumble.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto/HMimages.co.za 

Yoghurt and chia seed breakfast puddings 

Makes 4 // Cooking time 5 min, plus overnight

Ingredients 

1 cup (250 ml) low-fat milk
1¼ cup (310 ml) plain yoghurt
1 Tbsp (15 ml) honey
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla essence
¼ tsp (1 ml) cinnamon
¼ cup (60 ml) chia seeds
1 cup (250 ml) granola
½ cup (125 ml) fresh mixed berries 

Method 

1. In a large bowl, mix the milk, yoghurt, honey, vanilla and cinnamon, until well combined.
2. Whisk in the chia seeds.
3. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
4. In the morning, remove from the fridge and stir well.
5. In glasses, layer the mixture with granola, and top with mixed berries

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za 

Sprouted breakfast stacks on spicy potato rösti 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients 

For the rösti 

2 large potatoes
3 Tbsp (45 ml) cake flour
1 tsp (5 ml) masala
2 eggs
Pinch of salt
Oil for frying  

For the stack 

1 cup (250 ml) hummus
2 cups (500 ml) legume sprouts (chickpea, lentil, mung)
4 eggs 

To serve 

Sriracha sauce
1 cup (250 ml) leafy pea sprouts 

Method 

1. Grate the potatoes and squeeze out all the excess liquid before combining with the dry ingredients and eggs.
2. Shape the rösti mixture into rounds and fry on both sides until golden brown.
3. Mix the hummus with the legume sprouts, set aside.
4. Poach the eggs by bringing some water to a gentle simmer in a pan. Crack an egg into a cup and slide it out of the cup and into the simmering water. Immediately cover the egg with the cup and leave to cook for a few seconds, until the egg holds its shape. Remove the cup and leave the egg to cook until done to your liking.
5. To assemble, top the rösti with the hummus mixture and poached egg.
6. To serve, dress the sprouted breakfast stack with sriracha sauce and fresh pea sprouts.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za 

Corn fritter eggs Florentine 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 45 min 

Ingredients 

For the corn fritters 

1 can (400 g) corn kernels
1 cup (150 ml) flour
1 Tbsp (15 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
2 eggs, whisked
¾ cup (175 ml) milk
Vegetable oil, to fry  

For the eggs

Florentine
6 eggs
2 Tbsp (30 ml) mayonnaise
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
Pinch cayenne pepper
200 g baby spinach 

Method 

For the corn fritters 

1. Mix corn, flour, sugar, baking powder, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Stir in eggs and milk.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Scoop 2–3 tbsp batter into the pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes, then flip and cook for 3 minutes on the other side, until golden.
3. Place on paper towel to drain.

For the eggs Florentine 

1. Bring a pot of water to a simmer and add a drop of vinegar.
2. Poach the eggs by bringing some water to a gentle simmer in a pan. Crack an egg into a cup and slide it out of the cup and into the simmering water. Immediately cover the egg with the cup and leave to cook for a few seconds, until the egg holds its shape. Remove the cup and leave the egg to cook until done to your liking.
3. Make a cheat’s hollandaise sauce by mixing mayonnaise, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.
4. To serve, top the fritters with baby spinach, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto//HMimages.co.za 

Sausage-stuffed sourdough breakfast loaf 

Makes 1 loaf // Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients 

2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped parsley
½ tsp (3 ml) paprika
1 loaf sourdough bread
1½ cups cheese, grated
250 g chicken sausage, cooked and sliced
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
Handful chives, sliced  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Heat oil over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic until soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and paprika.
3. Cut the top of the loaf into 3-cm-thick diagonals, making small diamonds. Only cut halfway into the bread and not the whole way through.
4. Separate the pieces of bread with a teaspoon. Fill the gaps with the onion mixture, grated cheese and slices of sausage.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
6. Sprinkle with spring onion and chives before serving.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za 

The post 6 breakfast-in-bed recipes for Mother’s Day  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Rotisserie chicken is a fast, fuss-free and finger-licking good cheat for dinner. We show you how to turn this blank canvas into four fab suppers. 

Chicken pot pies 

Serves 4 • Total time 50 minutes

Ingredients 

1 roll (400g) puff pastry, defrosted overnight 
2 Tbsp oil 
¼ cup butter 
1 packet (300g) leeks, sliced 
2 packets (250g each) brown or button mushrooms, quartered 
3 cloves garlic, chopped 
4 sprigs fresh rosemary 
4 sprigs fresh thyme 
¼ cup flour 
2 cups milk 
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 
Salt and milled black pepper 
1 egg, whisked   

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease 6 large ramekins or mini pie dishes. 
2. Roll pastry out slightly thinner to about 4mm. Cut four circles about 2cm larger than the ramekins or dishes and refrigerate until needed. 
3. Add oil and butter to a frying pan over medium-low heat and cook leeks for 3 minutes. 
4. Add mushrooms and fry for another 3-4 minutes. 
5. Stir in garlic and herbs and fry for a minute. 
6. Add flour, stir to cover vegetables and cook for 30 seconds. 
7. Gradually add milk in a thin stream.
8. Add chicken and season. Simmer mixture for 5 minutes to thicken and cook the flour. 
9. Spoon filling into ramekins or dishes. Remove and discard herb sprigs. 
10. Pierce the middle of each chilled pastry lid twice with a sharp knife. 
11. Place lids on top of pie filling and brush with whisked egg. 
12. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Serve hot.

Sourdough pizza toast 

Serves 8 • Total time 25 minutes 

Ingredients 

8 thick slices sourdough bread 
¼ cup canola oil or melted butter 
½ coil (150g) chorizo, sliced 
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken (skin removed) 
½ punnet (100g) mixed medley tomatoes, halved 
1 cup (100g) grated white cheddar 
1 cup (100g) grated mozzarella  

To serve

1 red onion, sliced
1 avocado, sliced (optional) 
Fresh basil   

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking tray. 
3. Brush bread with oil or butter and bake for 3 minutes until golden. Remove from oven. 
4. Top each slice of bread with cheese, chorizo, chicken and tomato. 
5. Bake for another 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling. 
6. Top with red onion, avocado and basil just before serving.

Also read: BBQ chicken and bacon pizzettes

Coronation chicken pasta salad 

Serves 4 • Total time 30 minutes

Ingredients 

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 
1 Tbsp ground turmeric 
1 Tbsp mild curry powder 
3 Tbsp olive oil 
1 cup buttermilk 
2 Tbsp chutney 400g fusilli pasta, cooked 
1 can (400g) peach halves, diced 
Salt and milled black pepper 
Handful fresh coriander, finely chopped 
Squeeze of lemon 

Method

1. Add chicken to a bowl and toss with half the spices and 1 Tbsp of the oil. 
2. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and brown chicken for 3 minutes (add an extra splash of oil if it starts to catch). 
3. Combine buttermilk with remaining spices and chutney to make a dressing. 
4. Toss chicken, pasta and peaches together in a serving bowl, then coat with dressing and season. 
5. Garnish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon just before serving.

Pizza braai pie 

Serves 6-8 • Total time 30 minutes

Ingredients 

¼ cup passata sauce 
½ sachet (25g) tomato paste 
1 clove garlic, grated 
½ punnet (10g) fresh parsley, chopped + extra for serving 
2 store-bought pizza bases, defrosted 
¾ cup (100g) grated Emmental or mozzarella 
¾ cup (100g) mature cheddar 
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 
1 small red onion, sliced 
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 
1 red pepper, sliced 

Method

1. Combine passata sauce, tomato paste, garlic and parsley. 
2. Spread evenly over one of the pizza bases. 
3. Top with cheeses, chicken, red onion, cherry tomatoes and red pepper. Season well. 
4. Place second pizza base upside down on first pizza base to enclose. 
5. Brush edges of pizza with a little water and press closed. 
6. Place in a folding braai grid and grill over medium coals for 10-15 minutes, until charred and cheese has melted, turning regularly. 
7. Slice into triangles, top with parsley and serve hot.

Words: Sjaan van der Ploeg

Photography: Fresh Living Magazine

Also read: Use your leftover meat for this spicy chicken with pea patties

The post How to turn rotisserie chicken into 4 fab meals appeared first on MyKitchen.