What to do with your leftover flour from lockdown hauling 🤔
When news about lockdown first surfaced, it seems that everyone assumed we’d be entering a somewhat zombie apocalypse-esque time in which going to the grocery store would become impossible. This fear resulted in bulk shopping sprees on pantry staples and non-perishable goods.
I still don’t know whether people genuinely thought they wouldn’t be able to leave the house, or they just felt it would be convenient to not need to. I mean, there’s still the milk and eggs a few times a week so it’s really quite pointless isn’t it?
Anyway, the outcome is that you’ve now got lots of flour; even though you haven’t a clue on how to bake bread let alone feed your family in survival mode. Which is fine, because you won’t need to. But nevertheless you have got to figure out what to do with all that flour - and here’s 10 of our favourite easy uses that aren’t the usual nana bread or sourdough loaf that you’re tired of seeing on your Insta feed.
Sweet Treats
Sugar cookies
The sugar cookie is not only super easy, but super delicious. It’s also a great blank canvas for icing if you’re bored and feel like some decorating. If you manage not to eat them all up, they also make a great little gift for loved ones.
Scones
There’s nothing quite like a hot scone with jam and clotted cream (or slathered in salted butter for me!) paired with a cuppa for tea time. We’ll have to thank the Brits for this impeccable creation. They may seem daunting, but they’re very simple to make at home; and once mastered you could even try out different dough flavours and add-ins.
Crumble
The perfect thing to do with your favourite summer fruits: coat them in a mixture of flour, sugar and cold knobs of butter. Cut yourself a slice of comfort that’s impossible to say no to… and top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, of course!
Blondies
The brownie’s simpler and, in my option, tastier sister. Fudgy, decadent, and full of mix-ins; throw in basically anything and get creative with those flavour combos. Why not try something sweet and salty? I don’t make the rules here, but whatever you do, do not skip out on the white chocolate chunks!
Shortbread
Shortbread is just one of those things where one piece is never enough. When life is putting you down, biting into a crumbly buttery biscuit makes you feel like it’s gonna be okay. And with a recipe of one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour, it’s simply a great and easy way to get baking.
Savoury doughs
Focaccia
This classic Italian bread is delicious when paired with salads, as a side dish, as a base for toppings, as a sandwich or simply enjoyed on its own. It’s the perfect way to use up flour as that’s basically the only ingredient; all you’ll need to form the dough is to add yeast, oil and water. Top with more olive oil, flaky sea salt and rosemary, and you’ve got yourself a treat.
Pasta
Everyone seems to shy away from making homemade fresh pasta - but it’s so easy and completely elevates your pasta dish. It doesn’t take a long time to prepare, cooks in 2-3 minutes and the flavour and texture of the pasta is unmatched. This means you won’t have to worry too much about the sauce because less is more when you’re going the fresh route.
Bagels
Bagels are super fun to make and to eat. You can stick to either a classic dough or get creative (cheesy, chocolate chip, dried fruit, herbs etc.) and your fillings can be absolutely anything your heart desires. Enjoy freshly baked, sliced in half and filled like a sandwich or sliced, toasted and topped open-faced.
Pie
Pies can be sweet or savoury, but there’s something special about the versatility of a savoury pie. It can be a vesicle for almost anything: all kinds of meat, vegetables, cheeses and even entire meals (baked pasta, Sunday roast, your Christmas leftovers... the list goes on). Shove it into a pie crust and all of a sudden it’s something new - that’s the beauty of it.
Tortillas
Flour, salt, water and oil are all it takes to make your own tortillas at home. After trying one fresh off the skillet and taking a warm, chewy bite, you’ll probably never buy store-bought again. You also probably won’t even bother to make burritos, wraps or tacos out of them because they're just so good as is (and because freshly baked goods are not a promoter of self-control).
BONUS: if you really have more flour - or any ingredient - than you need and don’t have anything necessary to do with it, head over to Foodbank Malta and donate it to a worthy cause. Also, if lockdown ever happens again please don’t buy more food than you need; not only does it leave less for others but it may end up as waste… unless you follow our amazing tips, of course.
Don’t forget to tag us in your stories and pics - we love to see you get creative in the kitchen!
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