Australian Gourmet Traveller - (01)January 2021 (1)

Sardines,souronions

andcurrants

SERVES4 TOSHARE// PREPTIME 15 MINS//
COOK2 MINS(PLUSPICKLING,INFUSING)

“Thesesardinesarejustlightly
pickled,”saysToft,“whiletheraisins
andonioncreatethisagrodolce,
sweet and sour moment.”

12 sardinefillets(300gm)

50 gmraisins

1 tbspextra-virginoliveoil

SOURONIONS

100 mlwhitebalsamicvinegar

100 mlapplecidervinegar

20 gmwhitesugar

2 garliccloves,unpeeled,bruised

5 blackpeppercorns

25 gmdill,leavespicked,stalksreserved

2 small white salad onions, thinly sliced

1 Forsouronions,combinevinegars,
sugar,garlicandpeppercornswith150ml
waterina saucepanovermediumheat.
Bringtotheboil,adddillstalksandset
asidetoinfuse(3minutes).Placeonion
ina bowl,strainpicklingliquidover,
coverandrefrigeratetochill.
2 Placesardinesina non-reactive
containerina singlelayer,pourover
onionmixture,coverand refrigerate
tochillovernight.
3 Strainsardinesandonions,reserving
liquid,andcoarselychophalfthedill.
Combinechoppeddill,onion,raisins
andhalftheoilina bowlandsetaside
tomacerate(10minutes).Spoononto
servingplates,thentopwithsardines,
remainingdill,remainingoilanda little
pickling liquid, season to taste and serve.

Catalanbread,tomato,oregano

SERVES6 TOSHARE// PREPTIME 25 MINS// COOK1 HR 15 MINS(PLUSPROVING,RESTING)

“There’ssomethingtobesaidaboutcoldtomatoesonwarmtoast,”saysToft.

“Weusethebesttomatoesso,withtheolive oil and crunchy sea salt flakes,

it tastesjustlikesummer.”Pictured p85

7 gmdriedyeast

1 tspwhitesugar

125 ml(½cup)extra-virgin olive oil

500 gmbreadflour

3 tspsaltflakes

Finesemolina,todust

1 vine-ripenedtomato,coarselychopped

400 gmmixedheirloomtomatoes,

coarselychopped,plusextra to serve

¼ cup oregano leaves

1 Combineyeastandsugarwith375ml

(11/2cups)lukewarmwaterina small

bowl.Coverandstanduntilfrothy

(10minutes),thenstirin1 tbspoil.

Combineflour,saltandyeastmixture

inthebowlofa standmixerfittedwith

a doughhookandmixonlowspeed

untila softdoughforms,thenmixon

mediumspeeduntilsmoothandelastic

(8minutes),orkneadbyhandona lightly

flouredsurface.Transferdoughtoa large

oiledbowl,coverandstandina warm

placeuntildoubledinsize(30minutes).

Folddoughoveronitself3 timesand

restagain(30minutes).Repeatfolding

andresting3 moretimes,coverandset

aside until doubled in size (30 minutes).

2 Turnoutdoughontoa worksurface

dustedwithsemolinaandcutinto

6 pieces.Dustwithmoresemolina,

stretchdoughslightlyandplaceona tray.

3 Combinealltomatoesina bowl with

2 tbspoilandseasontotaste.

4 Preheatovento240°C.Heat2 tspoil

inan18cmovenprooffryingpanover

mediumheat.Addonepieceofdough

(seenote),pressingdownslightlyinto

a roundabout1cmthickandtopwith

onesixthofthetomatomixture.Cook

untilbaseis lightgolden(2minutes),

then bakeuntilpuffedandgolden(10-12

minutes).Transfertoa separatetrayand

seasontotaste.Repeatwithremaining

oil,doughandtomatomixture.Serve

Catalanbreadtoppedwithextra

tomatoes,oreganoandremainingoil.

NoteIf youhavemorethanone pan,

try cooking two at once.●

“These sardinesarejustlightly

pickled, whiletheraisins andonion

create thisagrodolce,sweet and

sour moment.”

GOURMET TRAVELLER 87