Mica-Jade Loft

Hello! My name is Mica-Jade Loft.

I am a 26 year old food lover, who rides a motorcycle. I have been a chef for four years and worked as a sous chef. I’m now helping behind the deli here at Macknade!

The top five ingredients on my Macknade shopping list are...

‘Nduja – It has to be spicy!

Fresh oregano – The fresher the better!

Maneresi Coffee – A coffee classic.

Sourdough Bloomer – This bread has the perfect texture.

Summer Special Italian Watermelons – Juicy & sweet!

An interesting fact about myself is...

My boyfriend and I like to go travelling on our motorbikes!

My last meal would be...

My last meal would be a massive bowl of authentic calamari (tentacles and all)…

My food hero is...

My food hero is my favourite chef, Yotam Ottelenghi, for his passion and drive against all the hardships he faced and his authentic Mediterranean cooking.

Recipes I want to share...

My famous stromboli bread recipe

Ingredients
2 balls buffalo mozzarella
300g various salami (my favourites are spianata picante, finocchiona, Milano salami)
1 bunch of fresh basil leaves
500g strong white bread flour (Shipton Mill is my choice)
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of Maldon sea salt
25g freeze dried yeast or live
Lukewarm water (enough to get the dough the right consistency)
2 pointed red peppers
1 tbsp syrupy balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Sieve the flour into a bowl. On one side add the salt and the other add the yeast.

Mix together then make a well in the centre and add your oil, then a little water and mix with your hands until it forms a sticky dough. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water.

Turn out onto a lightly floured worktop and knead for 10 minutes. Don’t add extra flour, it will eventually form a smooth ball. Grease a glass bowl with the extra virgin olive oil and place the dough in it, covering with cling film. Leave somewhere warm to rise for one hour.

Whilst the bread is proving, thinly slice your red peppers and fry in a pan. Once they start to char, add the balsamic and allow it to cook off.

Once the bread has doubled in size, turn it out onto a work top and roll out to a large rectangle.Scatter the different salamis followed by the red peppers, then the mozzarella. Top off with the basil leaves and some pepper.

Fold the ends in, then roll up so it’s a log shape. Pierce the dough with a fork several times, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 35 minutes. Once baked, allow 5 mins to cool, slice and serve!