Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Fig Feta Serrano Ham Sourdough Focaccia #BreadBakers

A little bit sweet and a whole lot savory, this Fig Feta Serrano Ham Sourdough Focaccia makes a great brunch, lunch or snack with drinks. 

Food Lust People Love: A little bit sweet and a whole lot savory, this Fig Feta Serrano Ham Sourdough Focaccia makes a great brunch, lunch or snack with drinks.

A while back we had a friend visiting for a few days and I know we’d be out and about showing her the sights of this beautiful island. I wanted to prepare something that could be made ahead then baked when we go home. 

This sourdough focaccia is perfect for that. It has its last rise in the refrigerator and is very forgiving if you leave it a little longer before baking. 

Fig Feta Serrano Ham Sourdough Focaccia

Start at least one day ahead of when you want to bake this to allow for overnight proofing. This recipe was inspired by one on the Good Food website. I’ve since made this three times and it never fails to please!

Ingredients
For the base: 
1 cup or 240ml water
1 oz or 28g bubbly active starter
2 2/3 cups or 332g strong white bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the topping:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 purple onion
2 garlic cloves
4-5 fresh figs,
3 1/2 oz or 100g serrano ham slices
2 1/2 oz or 70g feta
flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
freshly ground black pepper

Method
In your mixing bowl, mix the starter with the water. Stir the starter and water loosely together just to lift the starter off the bottom of the bowl.


Next, add the 332g of strong white bread flour to the bowl, and the 1/2 teaspoon salt. 


Mix it all together loosely, so that it’s pretty ragged but all the flour and water is mixed; I use a Danish whisk for this first rough mix but you can use your hands, if you prefer. I follow this up using a bowl scraper to clean round the bowl and make sure it is all nicely roughly mixed together.


Cover the bowl with a shower cap or cling film, and leave it for an hour or so on the kitchen counter. 


After an hour, remove the cover, and start to lift and fold the dough to build up the structure in the dough, wake up the gluten, and bring it into a smooth ball of dough. Literally pick up a small handful of dough from one side of the bowl, lift it and fold it over the rest of the dough to the other side of the bowl. Then turn the bowl and repeat the process, do it about 20-25 times maximum, until it is a smooth ball.


Please note: you will only need to perform this many pulls and folds on this first occasion; after this, far fewer pulls and folds will be required to pull the dough into a ball before covering and leaving it again. You do NOT need to perform 20-25 each time. At this point the dough will be at its stickiest, from this point it will become less sticky with each handling.

Cover the bowl again with your same cover, and leave it out on the kitchen counter.

Over the next few hours, perform sets of the pulls and folds/lifting and folding actions 2 to 4 more times; these do not need to be done at fixed time periods apart, as long as you fit in sufficient sets during that time, that’s the key. Aim for 4 sets in total. The dough will not be starting to grow at this stage.

Each time you perform these pulls and folds, stop when the dough comes into a ball, that is the dough telling you it has had enough handling at that stage.

Complete the final set, pulling the dough into a nice firm ball, then re-cover the bowl, and leave it on the counter overnight. This is often called the “bulk fermentation” period.

The ideal temperature for this is between 64°F- 68°F or 18°C – 20°C for 8-10 hours. If it is a lot colder than this, it will take longer, just give it a few more hours. 

The next morning, the dough should have really grown within the bowl, to at least double, with a smoothish, slightly domed surface. There should be a nice structure to the dough, it does not need to be bubbly, just grown. 


Prepare a large baking tray by lining it with parchment. 

Using a bowl scraper or your hands, gently ease the bubbly risen dough from the bowl and let it fall onto the parchment. Gently stretch it out. 


Pour over about half of the olive oil. Cover loosely and leave it on the counter to prove again for 1 1/2 – 2 hours. If you won’t be home to bake then, you can pop the dough in the refrigerator for a longer rise time. 


When you are ready to bake, take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. 

Slice the onion as thinly as possible. Remove the stems and quarter the figs. Crumble the feta and mince the garlic. Pick the thyme leaves off the stems. 



Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C.

Tear the ham into bits. 


Use your finger tips to firmly press dimples all over the dough. Toss the thyme leaves, onion, garlic, figs, ham and feta with one tablespoon olive oil, then scatter these over the top. 


Use your fingers to press the toppings into the bread a little, and spread the bread to fill any gaps. 


Cover loosely with oiled cling film and leave to rise for 20 minutes more until it has puffed up.

Drizzle over the remaining oil, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper, and bake for 30 mins until risen, golden and crisp on top. 


Leave to cool in the pan for 15 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Food Lust People Love: A little bit sweet and a whole lot savory, this Fig Feta Serrano Ham Sourdough Focaccia makes a great brunch, lunch or snack with drinks.

Cut into rectangles to serve. Enjoy! 

Food Lust People Love: A little bit sweet and a whole lot savory, this Fig Feta Serrano Ham Sourdough Focaccia makes a great brunch, lunch or snack with drinks.

It’s the second Tuesday of the month which means it’s the day my fellow Bread Bakers and I share our recipes, this time for sourdough bread. Many thanks to our host Radha of Magical Ingredients


#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.



Pin this Fig Feta Serrano Ham Sourdough Focaccia!

Food Lust People Love: A little bit sweet and a whole lot savory, this Fig Feta Serrano Ham Sourdough Focaccia makes a great brunch, lunch or snack with drinks.

.

Sunday, September 7, 2025

Pepperoni Jalapeño Pizza Quesadillas

Pepperoni Jalapeño Pizza Quesadillas make a great packable school lunch, full of flavor and easy to eat. No utensils needed! 

Food Lust People Love: Pepperoni Jalapeño Pizza Quesadillas make a great packable school lunch, full of flavor and easy to eat. No utensils needed!

If you are packing lunches for multiple people, quesadillas are super flexible. Just a couple of triangles might do as the main for younger children while older students or grownups might eat a whole quesadilla. Or more! 

Our jalapeños aren’t really spicy hot but they do add a little crunch and flavor. You can leave them out if you or your lunch eaters can’t do spicy at all. 

Pepperoni Jalapeño Pizza Quesadillas

As you might have read here before, my preferred tortilla is one I can buy at my local grocery store. They are called mitad y mitad because they're made from a combination of corn and wheat flour. Use your favorite fresh tortillas. 

Ingredients to make four quesadillas
8 tortillas
3 1/2 oz or 100g grated mozzarella
1/2 cup or 128g pizza sauce, homemade or store-bought
24-28 pepperoni slices
2 whole pickled jalapeños, sliced



Method
Use one tortilla to estimate how many slices of pepperoni you will need. My tortillas are about 5-6 inches or 12.7 – 15.3cm so seven pepperoni slices each looks about right. You don’t want to overcrowd the quesadilla.


Start by warming the tortillas in a nonstick frying pan. Set them aside.

Put one tortilla back in the pan then top with 1/8 of the pizza sauce and the pepperoni and jalapeño slices. 


Sprinkle on 1/4 of the grated mozzarella. 


Spread 1/8 of the pizza sauce on another tortilla and carefully set it, sauce side down, on the one with topping in the pan. 


Cook until the bottom tortilla is toasted and then carefully turn the quesadilla over to toast the other side. 


When both sides are toasted, remove the quesadilla to a cutting board and leave to cool briefly before cutting into triangles. 


Repeat the process until you've made four quesadillas, cut into triangles. 

Pack into lunch box containers. I love the flat ones I use also for salami and ham because, unlike the deeper containers, they don’t take up much room in a lunchbox or picnic basket. You can also wrap these in foil.

Food Lust People Love: Pepperoni Jalapeño Pizza Quesadillas make a great packable school lunch, full of flavor and easy to eat. No utensils needed!

These pepperoni jalapeño pizza quesadillas can be reheated by a quick zap in a microwave, if one is available, but they are just as tasty chilled or at room temperature. 

Food Lust People Love: Pepperoni Jalapeño Pizza Quesadillas make a great packable school lunch, full of flavor and easy to eat. No utensils needed!

Enjoy! 

It's Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing favorite lunch box recipes, easy to pack, great to eat. Many thanks to our host, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. Check out the links below. 


Pin these Pepperoni Jalapeño Pizza Quesadillas!

Food Lust People Love: Pepperoni Jalapeño Pizza Quesadillas make a great packable school lunch, full of flavor and easy to eat. No utensils needed!

.

Sunday, August 31, 2025

Blue Cheese Spinach Fig Tarts

Savory cheese, earthy spinach and sweet figs baked in puff pastry make these little blue cheese spinach fig tarts the perfect light summer meal. 

Food Lust People Love: Savory cheese, earthy spinach and sweet figs baked in puff pastry make these little blue cheese spinach fig tarts the perfect light summer meal.

When it’s fig season, my consumption of fresh figs is only hampered by my reluctance to pay the big prices often commanded in my nearby grocery store. But I do enjoy them so much that sometimes I succumb to temptation.

Mostly I just eat them plain, straight out of the little basket, especially if they are quite sweet. When they aren’t quite a sweet as they could be, I find baking them helps. And adding a savory element like cheese heightens their innate sweetness, like a sprinkle of salt on watermelon.

Blue Cheese Spinach Fig Tarts

If I have a choice of blue cheeses, my favorites are Roquefort, which is made with raw cow’s milk or Bleu d’Auvergne which is marbled with the same blue-green mold from the Penicillium roqueforti. Use your own favorite blue cheese! 

Ingredients
6 3/4 oz or 192g frozen spinach, thawed
1.1 lb or 500g puff pastry block
4 ripe but firm figs (about 7 2/3 oz or 216g)
3 1/2 oz or 100g your favorite blue cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Method
Drain the thawed spinach and squeeze as much excess liquid out of it as you can.

Trim off the stems then cut the figs into wedges.


Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C fan. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. 

Crumble the blue cheese in a mixing bowl. 


Add in the thawed spinach along with a few generous grinds of black pepper and toss lightly with a fork to combine. 


On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry out into a large square, then trim the edges. 


Cut the pastry into four equal squares. 


Fold the corners in and then up to create a short wall of pastry all around.


Divide the blue cheese spinach mixture into four equal portions. You can, of course, eyeball the portions and skip this step but I find it easier to use my scale and take the guess work out. 


Add half of the apportioned blue cheese/spinach mixture to one of the little tart shells. Top with 1/4 of the fig wedges. 


Finish with the other half of the blue cheese mixture. 


Assemble the other three tarts the same way and transfer them to your prepared baking sheet. 


Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven or until the puff pastry is golden and the cheese is melted. 

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before serving. 

Food Lust People Love: Savory cheese, earthy spinach and sweet figs baked in puff pastry make these little blue cheese spinach fig tarts the perfect light summer meal.

Or cool completely before storing in an airtight container, separated by baking parchment or wax paper. These individual tarts are great picnic food and absolutely taste better outdoors with a glass of chilled rosé.

Food Lust People Love: Savory cheese, earthy spinach and sweet figs baked in puff pastry make these little blue cheese spinach fig tarts the perfect light summer meal.

Enjoy!

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are celebrating Eat Outside Day with recipes perfect for your next picnic. Many thanks to our host, Camilla of Culinary Cam. Check out the links below. 

 
We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.



Pin these Blue Cheese Spinach Fig Tarts!

Food Lust People Love: Savory cheese, earthy spinach and sweet figs baked in puff pastry make these little blue cheese spinach fig tarts the perfect light summer meal.