Definitely not mouldy old dough

Malt wheat dough balls with wild garlic salsa

Most of the crocuses have appeared and the bright yellow daffodils are swaying in the breeze giving some colour to our gardens. For me the start of the seasons changing is when I can collect wild garlic with its pungent leaves, flowers and seed pods. This month is best for the leaves which can be shredded into soups, made into pesto or as in this recipe for a salsa. If you can’t get any wild garlic then crush a few cloves of normal garlic and liquidise in oil with basil leaf.

Ingredients, serves 4 Salsa

2 shallots finely chopped; 20 wild garlic leaves; 100 ml olive oil; pinch sea salt.

Dough balls

280g malt wheat flour; 10g fresh yeast; 25ml olive oil; pinch salt; 180ml water

Method

1. Make the dough by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl until you get the dough together.

2. Knead on a worktop for 10 minutes and return to the bowl. Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.

3. Whilst you wait for the dough to double make the salsa. Fry the shallots in olive oil until softened.

4. Put half the shallots into a blender add the olive oil, garlic leaf and salt. Blend until you get a puree and mix into the remaining shallots. If the mixture is too thick add a little more olive oil.

5. Once the dough has doubled knead it back to its original size and cut into small pieces.

6. Roll each piece into balls (about the size of a walnut) and place on a baking tray.

7. Allow the dough to prove again until just under double its size and bake in a pre heated oven 200C/gas 6 for 12 to 14 minutes.

8. Eat warm with the garlic salsa.

■ Lawrence’s