Quick Christmas Recipes
Get your oven ready for TWO Christmas recipes you can do with our ragu.
Both recipes have the same base and ingredients, they are great fun with kids and make the most delicious appetiser for your Christmas meal!
Introducing:
- Bolognese Ragu Christmas tree
- Bolognese Ragu wreath
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Table of Contents
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INGREDIENTS
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Dough (makes one recipe: for both… double it!)
220 g water
2 tsp dried yeast or 20 grams fresh yeast
400 g bread flour
30 g oil EVO, plus extra for greasing
1 tsp dry thyme leaves.
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt.
Filling
1 jar 250 grams of your favourite EPRONTO Ragu`
Mayonnaise (better if homemade…) or, if vegan, some vegetable oil
Breadcrumbs, 2 to 3 tbsps
Perfect for
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This recipe is perfect for a delicious and beautiful appetiser to present during the holidays.
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This is a fantastic centrepiece idea that allows your guests to share a delicious starter.
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Also perfect for a buffet or standing function.
Process
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You can prepare the bread dough with your favourite system, using a food processor or by hand.
Follow the instructions about the dry yeast, each one works differently, some need to be reactivated in water, some need to be added to the flour: follow the instructions on the packet.
Use room temperature water, add the salt when a ball of dough is already formed.
Put the dough in a large and well-flowered bowl, cover with cling film and let it rest in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
Pour EPRONTO ragu` in a bowl and add the breadcrumbs to absorb all the liquid: this will make it easier to cut pieces for the centrepiece or to close the small balls for the tree.
Line a rectangular baking dish with parchment paper and put it aside for the tree, or a round baking dish 26-28 cm for the centrepiece. If your round baking dish is smaller, cut fewer pieces: they will be taller, but equally lovely.
When the dough has risen, pour it on a well floured surface (a large silicone mat is ideal).
Ragu Christmas Tree
Without kneading again, form a long log, cut it in 32 pieces and roll them one by one in small circles (8 cm diameter). Spread on top of each one a bit of mayonnaise and ½ tsp of EPRONTO ragu` + breadcrumbs,, leaving 2 cm all around. Close each piece and place them on the prepared baking dish, with the folded edges on the dish: in the middle of the short side place 2 balls, 2 in a second line (this is the trunk), then make the shape of a Christmas tree. The balls need to just touch each other, as they will rise again.
Switch on the oven 180 degrees.
If you like you can brush with egg wash before baking, or decorate it further using cherry tomatoes and thyme leaves.
Bake it for 25 -30 minute until golden.
Ragu Wreath
Roll the dough quite thin: if your surface is a big baking mat, make it as big as it is: cm 40 x 50. It will be quite thin, but not too thin. If you do not have a silicone mat, use a large tea towel very well floured.
Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on top of the dough, then a thin layer of EPRONTO Ragu` on top of the mayo. Using the SEITAN ragu` you can use a bit of oil instead of mayonnaise, to have a vegan result.
Then starting from the longer side, with the help of the silicone baking mat or the tea towel, roll the dough, when finished pat it gently to keep it firm. Cut it in pieces (20), and lay them with the cut side down on the prepared baking dish, in circles. Let it rise 30 minutes in a warm place (ideally the oven with the light on). When risen, switch on the oven at 180 degrees and bake it for 25 - 30 minutes until golden. For the last 10 minutes you could need to cover it with foil to avoid burning the crumbles of ragu on top.
Useful items
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Large bowl
Small bowl
Spatula
Spoons
Rolling pin
Oven dish rectangular (big)
or
Oven dish round 26 - 28 cm
Silicone mat or big tea towel
Oven