The Hirshon Ukrainian Pampushki with Garlic Sauce – пампушки з часником

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15g fresh yeast
1 tsp caster sugar
400g strong bread flour
8g fine sea salt
2 tbsp sunflower oil
15 grams minced wild ramps when available in the early Spring – or just use crushed garlic
5 grams “water pepper” leaves – or, replace with ramps, wild garlic or crushed garlic
1 egg (preferably duck), lightly beaten, to glaze

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First make a “sponge”, which is a type of yeasty starter. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 100ml of warm water (blood temperature, as hot water would kill the yeast!).
Add 200g of flour and mix roughly, cover with clingfilm and leave to prove in the fridge overnight.
The next morning add the rest of the flour and the salt to the starter and knead on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and comes away from your hands easily.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape into round pampushki. Put them side by side in an oiled, round ovenproof dish or a cake tin, cover and let them prove again in a warm place until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Meanwhile, make the basting oil by simply stirring ramps or wild garlic through the sunflower oil with a small pinch of sea salt and letting it infuse.
When the pampushki look plump and ready, glaze them with some beaten egg (you can use chicken egg, but duck does produce an incredible crust) and bake them in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until they are brown all over. Take them out and baste them in the wild garlic oil. Serve immediately.