Your next Sunday brunch table needs these fun snacks

I moved to Nepal after my marriage and assimilated with my new surroundings, absorbing the new culture, language and cuisine. My husband being in the army, I travelled to countries around the world in the course of his military training. One of these courses led us to the UK from where we planned a holiday to see a few countries in Europe. Rome, Florence and Venice in Italy were a few of the towns we visited. Having studied English literature in college, I was a fan of The Merchant of Venice and had dreamt of walking on the Rialto and experiencing Antonio’s anguish. This dream materialized and I was transported back to Shakespearean times, seated in a gondola savouring delicious pizzas. On the subject of pizzas, this globally favourite dish has taken the world by storm and is consumed for every meal worldwide. My take on the pizza is rounding it up into a pizza ball with vegetarian and non-vegetarian fillings and serving it as a snack. Hoping this cheesy delicious ball of pure pleasure will transport you back to a gondola in Venice, like it did me!

PIZZA BALLS

Ingredients

pizza dough

2 cups refined fl our

2 tbsp. yeast

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. oil

1 cup lukewarm water

filling

500 grams mutton mince/paneer

Grated mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp. chopped garlic

¼ cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp. tomato purée

1 tsp. garlic paste

½ tsp. ginger paste

1 tbsp. oregano

1 tbsp. chilli fl akes

1 tsp. coarse pepper

Salt to taste

Method

Place the yeast in a small bowl of lukewarm water and wait for the bubbles to appear on top. In a bigger bowl slowly add the yeast, salt and sugar and oil to the flour and gently mix and knead to form a soft dough. Spread a little oil on the surface of the dough and in an air-tight container keep in a warm place for 2 hours. The dough should rise to double its size. Punch down and form small balls, cover and keep aside to rise for another 30 minutes.

filling

Heat the oil in a pan and add chopped garlic and onions and fry till translucent. Add the mince and cook till it changes colour to a dark brown, add the chopped tomatoes, purée and spices and cover and cook till the meat is cooked and semi dry. Place aside to cool. Roll out the pizza dough and with a cutter cut desired size rounds, place in your palm and add a tablespoon of the filling in the middle, add a cube of the cheese on top, wet the edges with a little water and bring the sides to gather to form a ball. Heat the oven and place the balls in a tray with the smooth side on top, brush with egg wash or milk, sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top and bake for 20 minutes till a golden brown colour. Serve hot! The paneer is substituted by the mince and sautéed in a similar way, only difference being, it cooks faster.

MATTRI TOPPED WITH VARIATIONS

Ingredients

mattri

1 cup wheat flour

½ cup refined flour

½ cup ghee/oil

1 tsp. chilli flakes

1 tsp. carom seeds

1 tsp. chopped coriander

Oil for frying

Salt to taste

guacamole

1 cup chopped avocados

2 tbsp. chopped onions

2 tbsp. chopped tomatoes, deseeded

1 tbsp. chopped coriander

1 tbsp. mayonnaise

2 tbsp. yogurt

½ tsp. chilli flakes

½ tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. lemon juice

Salt to taste

egg salad

4 boiled eggs

1 tbsp. finely chopped onions

½ tsp pepper

3 tbsp. mayonnaise

Salt to taste

Method

Place all ingredients, except the oil for frying, in a bowl and mix with your fingertips till it resembles breadcrumbs. Slowly add water and knead into a stiff dough, cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for half an hour. Dust the table top with flour and roll out the dough into ¼" thickness. With a small round mould cut out small circles and prick with a fork, then keep aside. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the mattris till golden brown on both sides. Keep on a kitchen paper to soak the extra oil.

guacamole

Chop the avocados and place in a bowl, add the finely chopped onions and chopped, deseeded tomatoes and the other ingredients. Mix gently and spoon onto the mattris just before serving. Garnish with a sprig of coriander.

egg salad

Cut the boiled eggs into fine pieces, add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix gently. Spoon out the egg mixture onto the mattri and serve immediately before the mattris get soggy.

QUAIL SCOTCH EGGS

Ingredients

500 grams chicken mince

12 quail eggs

3 tbsp. chopped onions

2 tbsp. chopped coriander

1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. pepper

Oil for frying

Salt to taste

Method

Boil the quail eggs for 10 minutes, place in cold water and after 10 minutes shell and keep aside. Place the chicken mince and all the ingredients, except the eggs, and oil in a blender and mix well. Take out the fi ne blended mince and place in a bowl. Oil the palm of your hand and place a heaped teaspoon of the chicken mince, make a dip in the centre and place an egg in the middle, cover well with the chicken mixture from all sides. Press and make a nice fi rm egg shape. Heat the oil and deep-fry to a golden colour on medium heat. Serve hot with a mint coriander chutney.

Excerpted with permission from ‘Memories on a Platter: My Fusion Cookbook' by Rohini Rana, published by Penguin Random House India.