GARLIC DOUGH BALLS

BY PAUL AINSWORTH

SERVES: 4 PREPARATION: 30mins COOKING: 20mins

Take a look at these Garlic Doughballs by the brilliant, Paul Ainsworth. These are so moreish you won’t be able to make enough of them.

A name that rolls off the tongue as one of the most famous chefs in Cornwall, Paul is the talent behind two of Padstow’s most applauded eateries – Paul Ainsworth at No.6 and Rojano’s in the Square. Southampton born, he made his way to Cornwall via the kitchens of Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing. In 2011 he trumped some of the nation’s top chefs when he made it to the final of BBC2’s Great British Menu, and he was awarded his first Michelin star by 2012. Recognised for his unique style of cooking, Paul’s dishes showcase the best Cornish produce sourced from local farmers, fishermen and artisan suppliers.

ingredients
method
beer pairing

For the bread dough

  • 450g strong plain flour
  • 4g caster sugar
  • 9g salt
  • 255ml tepid water
  • 12g fresh yeast
  • 14g olive oil

For the garlic butter

  • 2 bulbs of garlic
  • 200ml olive oil
  • 500g salted butter
  • (room temperature)
  • 100g flat leaf parsley
  • Salt and pepper

For the garlic butter:

  1. Peel the garlic cloves and place in a small pan with the olive oil, season lightly with salt and slowly cook the garlic until soft and tender.
  2. Once cooled, strain off the oil and blitz the garlic in a food processor until smooth.
  3. Add the soft butter to the garlic and mix really well.
  4. Add the chopped parsley (retaining a little for garnish), mix well and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Leave at room temperature.

For the dough:

  1. Add the yeast to the tepid water and olive oil, and mix to dissolve. 
  2. Put the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl, then slowly add the water and yeast mixture, making sure the dough is always working – ideally with a dough hook on a food mixer.
  3. Keep slowly working the dough until it is firm and not sticking to the outside of the bowl.
  4. When the dough is ready, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave to prove until double its original size.
  5. Now knock the dough back and roll into small balls (approx. 8-10g each). Pop these into an ovenproof dish and leave to prove once more until the dough has nearly doubled in size again.
  6. Place into a preheated oven at 200C for 7-8 minutes until light and golden on top.
  7. Remove from the oven and spread a good couple of tablespoons of garlic butter all over the baked dough, then return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
  8. Once the balls are coloured all over and have soaked up the butter, remove from the oven and finish by brushing over a little more butter, and sprinkling some chopped parsley and a good pinch of sea salt.

Try these awesome garlic dough balls with a Sharp's Doom Bar, King Cobra or just a strong lager. 

ingredients

For the bread dough

  • 450g strong plain flour
  • 4g caster sugar
  • 9g salt
  • 255ml tepid water
  • 12g fresh yeast
  • 14g olive oil

For the garlic butter

  • 2 bulbs of garlic
  • 200ml olive oil
  • 500g salted butter
  • (room temperature)
  • 100g flat leaf parsley
  • Salt and pepper
method

For the garlic butter:

  1. Peel the garlic cloves and place in a small pan with the olive oil, season lightly with salt and slowly cook the garlic until soft and tender.
  2. Once cooled, strain off the oil and blitz the garlic in a food processor until smooth.
  3. Add the soft butter to the garlic and mix really well.
  4. Add the chopped parsley (retaining a little for garnish), mix well and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Leave at room temperature.

For the dough:

  1. Add the yeast to the tepid water and olive oil, and mix to dissolve. 
  2. Put the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl, then slowly add the water and yeast mixture, making sure the dough is always working – ideally with a dough hook on a food mixer.
  3. Keep slowly working the dough until it is firm and not sticking to the outside of the bowl.
  4. When the dough is ready, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave to prove until double its original size.
  5. Now knock the dough back and roll into small balls (approx. 8-10g each). Pop these into an ovenproof dish and leave to prove once more until the dough has nearly doubled in size again.
  6. Place into a preheated oven at 200C for 7-8 minutes until light and golden on top.
  7. Remove from the oven and spread a good couple of tablespoons of garlic butter all over the baked dough, then return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
  8. Once the balls are coloured all over and have soaked up the butter, remove from the oven and finish by brushing over a little more butter, and sprinkling some chopped parsley and a good pinch of sea salt.
beer pairing

Try these awesome garlic dough balls with a Sharp's Doom Bar, King Cobra or just a strong lager.