Pampushky #cooking for Ukraine

Here they come again, probably the most  cooked and photographed food of these past few weeks .Soft, pillowy, dreamy, garlicky, herby Ukrainian buns.I dont know whether all the specimens I have seen posted on instagram have been filtered, or if everybody has more powerful ovens than myself. I have to say I was more than happy with my lightly golden no filter crust,and boy were they scrummy, so thank you Oliah Hercules from your book Mamushka. I will be making these over and over again and have already received requests, but listen guys this is about fundraising for Unicef and just to like  these recipes is not enough, you need to donate, without donations there is no point in me putting on my fund raising toque blanche!!!. As I post this the community has raised 258.000 pounds.Now more than ever, as this humanitarian crisis accelerates and more children are displaced, more money is needed. Even Nigella has been making them. The word pampushka can be used to describe a gorgeous plump woman so no wonder it is one of Nigella´s favourite words. Pam-poo-shka!

These pampushky (plural) are traditionally served with red borshch above ( more on that story later). In Ukraine, they would use regular garlic, so if you can’t find wet (new) garlic don’t worry – it will still be delicious, as I myself learnt. Every Ukrainian knows that borsch is not a real borsch without pampushky buns made of yeast dough and brushed with garlic sauce. 

Pampushky
Makes: 8 breads

15 grams fresh yeast or 7g (¼ oz) dried active yeast
1 teaspoon caster sugar
225 millilitres warm water
400 grams strong white flour , plus extra for dusting
8 grams fine sea salt
3 tablespoons sunflower oil , plus extra for oiling
20 grams wet (new) or regular garlic , crushed
½ bunch fresh parsley , finely chopped
1 duck egg (or chicken egg), beaten, to glaze

First make a ‘sponge’, which is a type of yeasty starter. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the measurement water (make sure it’s blood temperature – hot water would kill the yeast!). Add 200g (7oz) of the flour and mix roughly. Cover with clingfilm and leave to prove in the refrigerator overnight.
The next morning, add the rest of the flour and fine sea salt to the starter and knead on a well-floured work surface until the dough is smooth and comes away from your hands easily.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape into round buns. Put them side by side in an oiled round ovenproof dish or a 24cm (9½ inch) round cake tin, cover and let them prove again, this time in a warm place, until doubled in size. They will join together just like hot cross buns do.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7. To make the basting oil, simply stir the crushed garlic through the oil with a small pinch of sea salt and the parsley, then let it infuse.
When the pampushky look plump and ready, brush them generously with some beaten egg to glaze and bake for 20–25 minutes or until they form a glistening golden crust. Take them out and baste them with the garlic oil. Serve immediately.