Pepper & spring onion flatbread 胡椒餅 - AFF Taiwan Aug 2014

Several years ago when I went to Taipei for holiday, I noticed this very interesting street snack called 胡椒餅 pepper and spring onion flatbread and was very curious about the taste. Unfortunately I was too full and had to give it a miss. Hence, AFF Taiwan offers the best opportunity for me to finally give it a try even though it may not be exactly the same.

The video provided by Joanne on Taiwan Duck is really useful and I was able to make the flatbread quite easily. The dough used is sort of like a master recipe for many Taiwanese street snacks such as spring onion/scallion pancakes, minced beef cake etc. The filling here is essentially spring onion/scallions, minced beef (or pork) and lots of black and white pepper.

I love how the flatbread turned out! It's crunchy on the outside and chewy inside with fragrance of the spring onion/scallions and juiciness from the beef and most important, the filling packs a fiery punch coz of the liberal amount of black and white pepper used. I could imagine the Taiwanese enjoying this flatbread during the cold winter nights. It could certainly warm up the body because I started sweating after eating a piece! Next time if I were to visit Taiwan during winter, I must buy one to try =D

Steps are easy.

Quick fry the minced beef with salt, black and white pepper. Mix with spring onion/scallion and add melted butter and sugar.

Add boiling water to flour, stir well and add more water to form dough. Knead till smooth and shiny. Rest for 15-20 mins and dough is ready to use.

Flatten dough into disc, scoop 1.5-2 tbsp of filling into centre of disc. Fold the disc in circular motion, pitch to make sure the dough is tightly closed up. Flatten the dough slightly. Not too much else the skin might break.

These flatbread could be frozen till ready to use.

Finally pan fry with a bit of oil, till both sides of the flatbread are golden brown.

Pepper and spring onion flatbread 胡椒餅
(makes 10 pieces - about 7cm each; reference Taiwan Duck)

Ingredients

• 140g spring onion/scallion (I use 4 stalks local spring onion and 1 stalk China scallion)
• 200g minced beef
• 1.5 tbsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 10g melted butter (I use unsalted butter)
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 250g plain flour
• 75ml boiling water
• 75ml tepid water (I use 70ml)
• Vegetable oil

Steps

1. Heat up a frying pan on medium fire and quick fry the minced beef till beef colour changes. Add black pepper, white pepper and sea salt, stir well with the beef. Dish and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
2. Chop up the spring onions and add to the minced beef. Add melted butter and sugar and mix all the ingredients well. Set aside.
3. Place plain flour in large mixing bowl, add 75ml boiling water and use a chopsticks to stir the mixture.
4. Gradually add the tepid water and stir till a dough forms.
5. Turn the dough onto a non-stick mat and knead the dough till non-sticky, soft and shiny (takes a few minutes, texture feels like ear-lobe). Cover and rest dough for 15-20 mins.
6. Roll the dough into a log and cut into 10 pieces (total weight of my dough is 389g, each piece of flatbread dough is about 38-39g).
7. Flatten dough into disc, fill with about 1.5-2 tbsp of minced beef filling, close up the dough, flatten slightly.
8. In a frying pan, heat up about 1 tsp of vegetable oil and pan fry the flatbread on both sides till golden brown. Drain on kitchen towel.
9. Best serve hot.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest #10 Aug 2014 : Taiwan hosted by travelling-foodies.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Bake for Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Diana from the Domestic Goddess Wannabe