I was recently provided with a mound of leftovers, including several pounds of cooked ham, providing me with an ideal opportunity to transform and transfigure these morsels into a portable ovoid comestible. Come along with me and learn how to make BugBuns!
0) Filling
Any semisolid leftovers will work. In this example I'll be using about 2 cups of cubed ham and sharp cheddar cheese. I recommend sticking with stuff that is already in an edible state, since we'll be baking the buns hot and fast; raw veggies or meat probably will not cook completely inside these bugs.
You can also make a hearty and tasty filling with dry beans and a few simple seasonings. The following bean filling makes enough for two batches of four buns:
Measure out 2 cups of your favorite dried beans (I'm partial to pinto; they're like tiny speckly-pink bugs) and carefully sift through them on a large cookie sheet, removing any small rocks or little dirt clods. Believe me, leaving one of these suckers in your beans can ruin your whole day.
Soak the beans for 6 hours or more; ideally overnight.
Drain and rinse the beans, cover with water, and bring to a boil, adding a generous palm of salt and a tiny pinch- say 1/4 teaspoon- of baking soda. Baking soda is the secret to cooking dried beans: it helps dissolve the skins and allows water to penetrate the bean more easily, producing creamier centers and faster results. Bring the beans to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 1-2 hours.
Drain the cooked beans. Reserve some portion intact (based on your textural preferences), reduce the remainder to a paste via food processor, blender, or going hog-wild with a fork, and combine. Season with a little salt and oil and whatever spices suit your preferences. I highly recommend smoked paprika and a few dashes of apple cider vinegar. Ideally you'll have a soft play-dough-like consistency; you can mix in bread crumbs or potato flakes to thicken the mixture if it's too liquid.
1) Dough
Combine the following in a large bowl, mixing thoroughly:
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 tablespoon yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 egg
Gradually add roughly 3 cups of bread flour until the dough comes together into a single mass that won't readily stick to your hands or a work surface.
Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until smooth. If you're feeling ambitious, reserve a very small piece of dough for decoration.
2) Assembly
Cut the dough into 8 uniform pieces. For each pair,
Roll the dough into small balls and then roll them out very thin to the footprint of a hefty hamburger. Place your fillings on one dough-circle, leaving a margin:
Stretch the second dough circle over the blob of fillings, pressing it against the margin to seal. Try to squish out any air bubbles around the filling:
Fold the margin up and around the little faux tide-pod you've created, tightening it up:
Finally, flip the whole thing over and massage it slightly to form it into a nice round shape, hiding our crimes beneath:
Place your finished buns on a silpat or a sheet of parchment paper. If you want, you can decorate your buns. Perhaps dust them with flour, shredded cheese, or a nicely colored seasoning, or glue on sesame seeds with a brush of egg white. For my buns I mixed some smoked paprika into the tiny dough ball I reserved to turn it a rusty color and attempted to capture eggbug's enigmatic smile. Your mileage may vary:
3) Baking
Let the assembled buns rise for 45 minutes in a warm place. I like to preheat my oven to 110F and then turn it off completely.
Once they've risen, bake at 425F for 12 minutes. If everything went well, you should have something like this:
You're done! While your tasty rewards cool, why not share your creations here with your fellow chosters?
