Mini Khorasan baguettes with rocket and walnut pesto

This is one of the recipes that I prepared for reviewing the extra virgin olive oil ("Nettare Umbro" produced by "1 Minute srl") sent me from Sfoodle.

As always I wanted to try it in both a cooked and a raw recipe to savour completely its taste.

I then prepared a pesto and since I really enjoyed the rich flavour of this oil I used the rocket in place of the most common basil to have a more delicate flavour that wouldn't cover the oil aroma.

Rocket                          100 grams

Walnuts                        50 grams

Extra virgin olive oil    100 grams

Coarse salt                    5 grams

Parmesan cheese          100 grams, freshly grated

To finish:

Smoked salmon           100 grams, sliced

Slightly beat 1 egg with the salt using a fork.

Put the flours in a big bowl with the sugar and the oil, mix a little with the hand and pour in the egg and salt. Slowly start to add the water and continue to mix with the hand.

When the mixture will be enough wet add the yeast, crumbled, and continue to add the water until you'll finish it and the dough will be sticky. Then transfer it on a worktop lightly floured and knead it vigorously until it will be smooth and soft but not sticky.

Roll it to form a ball and put it in a bowl brushed with some oil. Cut the top to form an "X", cover the bowl with cling film or a tea towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes or until the ball will double.

Then knead again on the worktop (remember to use just a little flour while kneading otherwise the dough will dry and it will be really hard to form the baguettes) and form 6 balls the size of a tennis ball then pressing lightly on the edges give them an oval shape and place on a tray, previously lined with parchment paper. Cover again and put in a warm place until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Once risen make 3 oblique cuts on the top of each baguette using a sharp knife,

brush with the second egg (beaten) and bake for about 10/15 minutes until golden.

While the baguettes are cooling down prepare the pesto.

Wash and dry thoroughly the rocket then put it into a food processor (reserve some leaves for the final decoration) with the walnuts and pulse few times to blend the 2 ingredients a little, add the Parmesan and the salt, pulse again and scrap the side of the food processor with a rubber spatula.

While the blades are running pour in slowly the oil and stop when you will have a nice and smooth pesto.

Now cut the baguettes in halves, spread a spoonful of pesto on each part and arrange some smoked salmon slices and a few rocket leaves, close the sandwich and...enjoy!