Galleta Mediterránea y Churros al Pimentón /Smoked Paprika Churros and Mediterranean Biscuit
Zorica Lakonic from Montenegro participates in our IV International Smoked Paprika Powder “La Chinata” Contest now with this with these two tasty surprising desserts “Smoked Paprika Churros and Mediterranean Biscuit”.
Zorica Lakonic desde Montenegro presenta para nuestro IV Concurso Internacional de Recetas Pimentón Ahumado La Chinata, dos soberbios postres con Pimentón Ahumado como son estas “Galleta Mediterránea y Churros al Pimentón”.
Recipes details:
Savory smoked paprika churros with smoked pepper sauce
Churros are a classic dessert item but they are equally as good in savory form. Dough is enriched with sweet smoked paprika and fried churos are dusted with grated Parmesan, hot smoked paprika and pepper flakes. Savory smoked paprika churros go so well with smoked pepper sauce and it's guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser!
For churros:
275 ml water
75g butter
200g plain flour
1 tsp La Chinata sweet smoked paprika
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp baking powder
2 eggs
vegetable oil for frying
For dusting:
50g freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tbsp corn meal
1 tsp La Chinata hot smoked paprika
2 tbsp La Chinata sweet pepper flakes
For smoked pepper sauce:
4 roasted peppers, chopped
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
4 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp La Chinata hot smoked paprika
½ tsp La Chinata sweet smoked paprika
2 tsp sherry vinegar
salt to taste
Preparation:
To make the sauce, place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth pasta is formed. Season to taste with salt and set aside.
In a medium pot, combine 275 ml water, butter, salt and sweet smoked paprika.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, add flour and cook, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, about one minute.
Remove pan from heat and add whole eggs 1 at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition until dough is smooth.
Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star tip.
Mix grated Parmesan, hot smoked paprika, pepper flakes and corn meal in a shallow plate and set aside.
Pour oil to depth of 5 centimeters in a skillet and heat it over medium heat just until it's nearly at the smoking point. Hold pastry bag 2-3 centimeters above oil and squeeze strips of dough into the hot oil. Fry the churros, turning them once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
Roll the churros in a Parmesan-paprika mixture and serve warm with smoked pepper sauce.
Mediterranean Biscuit
This savory gallete is the easiest vegetarian main courses you can serve. Your family and friends will be impressed with buttery pastry filled with roasted summer vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes) all enriched with La Chinata smoked paprika.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
500 g eggplant, cubed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 zucchini, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp La Chinata hot smoked paprika
200 g caned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup black olives
150 ml tomato passata
salt and black pepper
For the crust:
75g plain flour
74g whole-wheat flour
75g butter
50g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ tsp La Chinata sweet smoked paprika
60-90ml cold water
The rest of ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons corn meal
1 tbsp La Chinata sweet pepper flakes
Instructions:
- To prepare the crust, place all the ingredients into a food processor. Pulse several times until you get a non sticky dough. Wrap in a plastic film and chill in a refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- To make the filling, place the eggplant in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dray with kitchen paper.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minute until softened and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, Add the eggplant and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Add the zucchini, red pepper, oregano and hot smoked paprika cook for 5 minutes more, stirring often. Add the red kidney beans and olives, sir well, then add the passata and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook until heated through. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 220ºC.
- Place the pastry on a baking paper and roll it out to a 30cm diameter round.
- Transfer the pastry on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of corn meal, leaving a 4 cm border, then spoon over the filling.
- Gather up the edges of the pastry to partly cover the filling – it should be open in the middle. Brush the pastry with the remaining egg, sprinkle with remaining corn meal and La Chinata sweet paprika flakes and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.