Mitternacht Eintopfgericht in der schüssel brot
The Dough
- 1250g flour
- 750ml water
- 25g dry yeast
- 1 cup of olive oil
- bhut jolokia flakes to the taste. I do not have a precise quantity I went just by eye. It's not going to be terribly hot unless you intend to eat the whole bread (4 pounds! of bread)
Because of the size of this dough, I divided quantities of flour, water, yeast, and oil and I used two bowls for initial kneading.
Then I joined the two parties for the final knead.
Now the thing with the beer, there two ways I do this, I either substitute water and yeast for beer or I just replace some of the water with beer.
Beer has to be slightly warm or the dough won't rise very well.
Also low alcohol beer is preferable, I wasn't able to attain good result with strong beers and I think it makes bread taste awful.
Mix the yeast in warm water/beer let it rest for 10 mins.
Put in the flour and the olive oil.
Mix everything for a bit then add bhut flakes.
Start kneading, fisting, fingering anything goes. Don't forget the gloves!
Knead till the dough has the perfect consistency and become a bit elastic.
Let it rest for half an hour.
Heat the oven at 300ºF, cook for 45 mins.
I used a large cast iron pot after unscrewing plastic handles.
After it's done and has cooled down for a bit, take the bread out of the pot.
Let it completely cool and cut of the top.
With a spoon start chisel the core of the bread in order to obtain a bowl, this will be our schüssel brot.
Keep it 1cm thick, you can probably thinner than that with a smaller bowl, keep in mind you can eat the walls of bowl with the stew.
The Stew
- 1 pound of smoked country ham
- 300g red beans
- 3 grilled sausages
- 2 onions
- 200ml tomato juice
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 tsp of flour
- 1-2 dried hot peppers of choice (I went for dried chocolate hab)
- salt & pepper to the taste
This stew recipe is based on a variation of Mitternachtssuppe.
A little history first, Miternachtssouppe was seved at all-night German balls or on new year's holiday.
The high content of proteins and carbs was designed go give a boost to the system and lot of fats to slow down the absorption of alcohol.
Nowadays Miternachtssouppe ingredients varies widely, it is served everywhere, in all contexts.
There is no better place for proteins, carbs and fats than right at Oktoberfest.
Heat up a pot with water and add 1-2 cubes of broth.
Put the in beans and boil them, usually this is a very long process.
I've pre-soaked mine to speed things up still it will take a couple of hours to be done.
Boil the smoked ham in another (large) pot.
It will probably be ready in time with the beans.
Take the ham and put it aside.
In a fry pan put a tbsp of olive oil, add 1 minced onion.
Sauté for 5 mins add 1 tablespoon of flour, mix and sauté for another minute.
Soon as the beans are done, add in the fry pan content the dried hot pepper and tomato juice.
Simmer for 5 or 10 minutes.
Cut the ham into larger pieces.
Pour the stew into the schüssel brot, add the large pieces of ham.
Grill sausages, slice them in half - use them to decorate the sew.
Take 1 onion and slice into strips add it on top of the stew.
Cheers!