Pampushky – Ukrainian Garlic bread

Ingredients

15g fresh yeast (or 7 g dried active yeast)

1 teaspoon caster sugar

225 ml warm water

400g Canadian string white flour plus extra for dusting)

8g fine sea salt

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for oiling

20g wild garlic leaves (or alternatively gloves crushed)

½ bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

1 egg beaten (or milk) to glaze

Method

• First make the sponge: dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water.
• Add 200g of the flour and mix roughly.
• Cover with clingfilm and leave to prove ion the refrigerator overnight.
• The next morning, add the rest of the flour and salt to the starter and knead on a well-floured work surface until the dough is smooth and comes away from your hands easily.
• Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape them into round buns. Put the, side by side in an oiled round ovenproof dish or a 24 cm round tin cake. Cover and let them prove again, this time in a warm place, until doubled in size. They will; join together just like hot cross buns do
• Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200°C.
• To make the basting oil, simply stir the finely shredded wild garlic or crushed garlic through the oil with a small pinch of sea salt and let it infuse.
• When the pampushky look plumb and ready, brush them generously with some beaten egg (or milk) to glaze and bake for 20-25 min.
• Take them out and baste immediately with the garlic oil and serve immediately.

Original recipe by Olia Hercules from ‘Ukraine and beyond’ (modified)

Added by: Marion Potschin-Young