Dough Boy Food

DOUGHBOYS

Steps:

• Sponge: In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and stir in the flour. Allow the mixture to sit until quite bubbly, about 30 minutes.
• Mix together the white flour, rye flour and salt in a bowl. Stir 1 cup of this mixture and 1 cup of cold water into the sponge. Mix thoroughly and allow to sit another 30 minutes.
• Add the whole-wheat flour, chestnut flour and the olive oil. Knead the dough either by hand or in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix until the dough is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. You may need to add a little more flour if the dough is too wet, but you want a soft, slightly sticky dough. Very soft, moist dough makes the best crust!
• Put the dough in a large bowl, cover with a towel and allow it to rest in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours. If you are making the dough a day before, put the bowl in the refrigerator and let rise slowly overnight.
• To cook the doughboys, preheat a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, with enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 375 degrees F.
• Be sure to use a frying thermometer to be accurate. Pull the dough into odd shapes that look like elephant ears, then drop them into the fryer, in batches, and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip them over with a chop stick and cook the other side until golden brown, a few more minutes. Repeat the process until all of the dough is used. Arrange them on a serving platter and serve with jam, maple syrup, and powdered sugar. Sit down, get coffee and eat.
• Cook's Note: The dough usually made a day before using.

SCOTTISH STEW AND DOUGHBOYS

Steps:

• Chop up beef; roll into seasoned flour.
• Place into a hot oiled pan to brown (Will go crusty on the base. Do not worry).
• Add the chopped onion, carrots, and turnips. Cook on medium until softened.
• Dissolve beef bouillon cubes in about 3/4 pint of water.
• Pour mixture into stew.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Slow cook on low heat until beef is tender, approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
• Stir often and keep the gravy level up by adding water.
• DOUGHBOYS:.
• Blend flour and suet together.
• Mix in a little water at a time to make a dough.
• Roll into balls and place on top of gravy about 15 to 20 minutes from end of cooking.
• Make sure there is enough gravy as they soak up the liquid.
• Best cooked with lid on pan.
• When ready they are light and fluffy about double the size.
• To serve, take out doughboys and thicken the gravy if required with gravy thickener or a little cornflour mixed with water.
• I like to cook the stew in the morning, switch it off and reheat when making the doughboys for our evening meal; always tastes much better.

MAORI BOIL-UP WITH DOUGHBOYS (DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Add stock, water and pork to pot, bring to a boil then cover and simmer for an hour.
• Soak watercress in cold water for 10 minutes. (This removes bitterness) Squeeze out moisture and break into pieces. Set aside.
• Add kumara, onion, green onion and tomatoes to stock and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove pork and chop into pieces. Return meat to stock and boil for 5 minutes. Add salt and watercress and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile make the doughboys. Cut butter into dry ingredients until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in enough milk to make a stiff, slightly sticky dough.
• Drop either teaspoon or tablespoon sized amounts of the doughboy mixture into the the boiling pot, cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes. Don't lift lid while cooking. Larger doughboys will take a bit longer.
• Serve with a garnish of chopped cilantro.

SCARPELLI (DOUGH BOYS)

Steps:

• In a jug, whisk egg, vanilla, sugar and milk.
• Place flour in a bowl.
• Add mixture to flour and mix well.
• Mixture should be of a cake consistency.
• Add more milk or flour to make the consistency right.
• Leave mixture for 30 minutes to rise.
• In a non stick pan, over low heat, place a quantity of olive oil to enable shallow frying.
• Place a tablespoon of mixture per scarpelli in the pan and cook 10 to 12 scarpelli at a time.
• When scarpelli are golden on both sides, remove scarpelli and place on paper towel.
• Sprinkle scarpelli with sugar and eat warm.
• Tips.
• Keep heat low to moderate as scarpelli will burn and not cook thoroughly if heat is too high.
• Scarpelli are best eaten on the day that they are made.

DOUGH BOY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift together the flour and salt. Cut the margarine and shortening into the flour mixture.
• Add spices and yeast, followed by coconut and water.
• Knead the mixture for 5 minutes, score with a knife. Leave to stand until almost twice its' size (approx. 1 hour). Form dough into a round mound or loaf shape.
• Gently place bread on baking sheet. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Check for doneness by "knocking" on the bottom of the bread; if it sounds hollow, it is done. If it is not done, continue baking for another 15 to 30 minutes if needed.