This one is a no-brainer: it's a recipe from America's Test Kitchen (foolproof), it's easy (thankyouverymuch), and it is perfect for any sweet dough application, like sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, hot cross buns, or Entenmann's-like danish. Oh, the deliciousness.
This basic recipe makes enough dough for three Entenmann's-sized danishes. My favorites are cream cheese and cinnamon (additional recipes to follow).
But here's where it all begins...
Basic Sweet Dough
3/4 c. buttermilk (or clabbered milk), warm
6 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled until just warm
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp.) yeast
1 tsp. salt
Whisk together the buttermilk, butter, and eggs.
In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the buttermilk mixture and mix until the dough comes together. (I use a stand mixer for this, but if you don't have one, you can always do it by hand--it'll just mean more kneading)
Let your stand mixer mix the dough on medium-low for 10 minutes, or knead by hand for 10-15 minutes, adding flour as needed.
Knead the dough by hand on a floured counter top until it's smooth and elastic--about 1 minute. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
How you proceed depends on what you're making next; I divide it into three even portions when I'm making danishes/coffee cakes, but use the whole recipe of dough to make a 9x13 pan of sticky buns or cinnamon rolls.
Showing posts with label bread. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bread. Show all posts
Monday, November 15, 2010
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
The whole idea of biscuits and gravy used to repulse me. Of course, as a lactose-intolerant kid, I used to loathe any cream-based sauce of any kind. I remember going over to the Andrews' house and being served Chicken A La King and thinking that I was going to die if they made me eat it. Heck--I wouldn't even eat Mac and Cheese. How un-American was I? Given those things, it's probably understandable that I wouldn't go for a milk-based sauce served over soggy bread.
Then college came. You learn so many things when you're in college, don't you? How not to kill your messy roommate, how to sneak food out of the dining commons, how to write a senior thesis in under 72 hours...and, most importantly for this post, how to appreciate the beauty of gloppy white sauce.
I remember the first time I had sausage gravy: we'd gone to visit a friend of ours who had recently started waiting tables at Bob Evans. We went at breakfast, because that's when you eat at Bob Evans, and Nate, our friend, recommended the Sunshine Skillet. It consisted of an open-faced omelet topped with hash browns, sausage, country gravy, and cheddar cheese, and was served with one of their fantastic buttermilk biscuits. Hello--he had me at hash browns and cheese. I ordered it.
Sweet fancy Moses, it was good.
I thought I might die of heart disease right there, but my, my, it was good.
My affection only deepened when I sopped up the extra gravy on my plate with the biscuit. Suddenly, my eyes were opened to the glory of biscuits and gravy.
For years, unless I went to Bob Evans, I stayed away from that sausage gravy in particular. It just didn't seem prudent for my waistline to eat too much of it. But a couple of months ago, we went out for breakfast as a family and I revisited it at long last. The doctor had recommended that we feed Ruby all sorts of high-fat stuff, so I decided to take one for the team and order biscuits and gravy to share with my daughter. It was the least I could do.
Well, Biscuits and Gravy has since become a staple of my Saturday-morning eating-out experience. Thankfully, we don't do it that often. It has been a few weeks since I've had it, though, and I was getting a taste for it, so last night, I made it for dinner.
Sweet fancy Moses, it was good.
So I thought I'd share it with you.
Biscuits and Gravy
Biscuits (from The Complete Guide to Country Cooking)
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. shortening (sometimes I use margarine)
3/4 c. buttermilk (SEE NOTE AT BOTTOM)
Gravy
1 lb. bulk sausage
1/4 c. flour
approx 2 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. thyme (optional)
For the biscuits:
Preheat oven to 450. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in the shortening or margarine with a pastry blender or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times, just so it isn't too sticky. Roll to 1/2-3/4 in. thickness and cut out with a biscuit cutter (I used a thin-edged cup). Place 1-inch apart on a lightly greased baking sheet, and bake for 10-15 minutes.
Notes on successful biscuit making:
1) Don't overwork the dough. Use a very light hand.
2) Brush the tops with a little melted butter before baking to achieve a really beautiful brown crust.
3) If you don't have a suitable cutter or cup to cut the biscuits with, you can always just use a knife and cut the dough into uniform squares. Who cares what shape the biscuits are?
4) Buttermilk: I don't keep it on hand, but you can imitate it with 1 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice, and enough milk to make a cup. Let sit for five minutes, then use as the recipe requires.
Gravy:
Brown the sausage to a deep, caramelized brown. Remove the sausage, leaving behind the drippings in the pan. (If you don't end up with about 1/4 c. of drippings, add a bit of butter to the mix to equal about 1/4 c. total, when combined with the drippings.) Add flour to drippings, and whisk over medium heat for about a minute, or until the roux is the color of straw. Add milk 1/2-cup at a time, whisking continually over that same medium heat so the gravy thickens nicely, without lumps. Add the sausage to the white sauce, then season with salt and pepper to taste. I recommend lots of pepper. You can also add thyme here, if you wish to have a more savory sauce. And if the gravy gets too thick, just add a bit more milk. Serve over warm, split biscuits, then swoon.
Then college came. You learn so many things when you're in college, don't you? How not to kill your messy roommate, how to sneak food out of the dining commons, how to write a senior thesis in under 72 hours...and, most importantly for this post, how to appreciate the beauty of gloppy white sauce.
I remember the first time I had sausage gravy: we'd gone to visit a friend of ours who had recently started waiting tables at Bob Evans. We went at breakfast, because that's when you eat at Bob Evans, and Nate, our friend, recommended the Sunshine Skillet. It consisted of an open-faced omelet topped with hash browns, sausage, country gravy, and cheddar cheese, and was served with one of their fantastic buttermilk biscuits. Hello--he had me at hash browns and cheese. I ordered it.
Sweet fancy Moses, it was good.
I thought I might die of heart disease right there, but my, my, it was good.
My affection only deepened when I sopped up the extra gravy on my plate with the biscuit. Suddenly, my eyes were opened to the glory of biscuits and gravy.
For years, unless I went to Bob Evans, I stayed away from that sausage gravy in particular. It just didn't seem prudent for my waistline to eat too much of it. But a couple of months ago, we went out for breakfast as a family and I revisited it at long last. The doctor had recommended that we feed Ruby all sorts of high-fat stuff, so I decided to take one for the team and order biscuits and gravy to share with my daughter. It was the least I could do.
Well, Biscuits and Gravy has since become a staple of my Saturday-morning eating-out experience. Thankfully, we don't do it that often. It has been a few weeks since I've had it, though, and I was getting a taste for it, so last night, I made it for dinner.
Sweet fancy Moses, it was good.
So I thought I'd share it with you.
Biscuits and Gravy
Biscuits (from The Complete Guide to Country Cooking)
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. shortening (sometimes I use margarine)
3/4 c. buttermilk (SEE NOTE AT BOTTOM)
Gravy
1 lb. bulk sausage
1/4 c. flour
approx 2 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. thyme (optional)
For the biscuits:
Preheat oven to 450. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in the shortening or margarine with a pastry blender or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times, just so it isn't too sticky. Roll to 1/2-3/4 in. thickness and cut out with a biscuit cutter (I used a thin-edged cup). Place 1-inch apart on a lightly greased baking sheet, and bake for 10-15 minutes.
Notes on successful biscuit making:
1) Don't overwork the dough. Use a very light hand.
2) Brush the tops with a little melted butter before baking to achieve a really beautiful brown crust.
3) If you don't have a suitable cutter or cup to cut the biscuits with, you can always just use a knife and cut the dough into uniform squares. Who cares what shape the biscuits are?
4) Buttermilk: I don't keep it on hand, but you can imitate it with 1 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice, and enough milk to make a cup. Let sit for five minutes, then use as the recipe requires.
Gravy:
Brown the sausage to a deep, caramelized brown. Remove the sausage, leaving behind the drippings in the pan. (If you don't end up with about 1/4 c. of drippings, add a bit of butter to the mix to equal about 1/4 c. total, when combined with the drippings.) Add flour to drippings, and whisk over medium heat for about a minute, or until the roux is the color of straw. Add milk 1/2-cup at a time, whisking continually over that same medium heat so the gravy thickens nicely, without lumps. Add the sausage to the white sauce, then season with salt and pepper to taste. I recommend lots of pepper. You can also add thyme here, if you wish to have a more savory sauce. And if the gravy gets too thick, just add a bit more milk. Serve over warm, split biscuits, then swoon.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Challah
Any idea how many times I've started writing this post? LOTS. I'd sit down with a couple of spare minutes available, then realize a couple of spare minutes weren't enough to do a challah post justice. Because challah? It's more than a bread to me. It's a recurring theme.
The first time I ever heard of challah was in a book I read in 5th grade. The book was about a Jewish family with lots of girls, and I was so enamored of it, I read it about a dozen times. Then I did an oral book report about it which was supposed to last 2 minutes. I spoke for almost 10. I loved the book so much, I wanted to become Jewish, to break a symbolic loaf of bread every Friday night. I wish I could remember the book's title, because I suspect I'd still love it, even now. It was around this time that I learned that I am approximately 1/32 Jewish, but you better believe I CLUNG to that 32nd like Israel was my homeland. I told my father that if I ever had a son, I'd name him Schloimon. I couldn't understand why he didn't love the name as much as I did.
Then, my senior year in college, a friend invited me to make challah with her. We were both English Education majors, but we loved baking that challah so much that we made hypothetical plans to open a bakery. We figured we'd combine our refined use of the English language with our love for baking, and hypothetically called our shop "We Be Bakin"." People will always need bread, we reasoned. There will never be a time when people don't need bread. That's called job security, my friends, and when you're a senior English major staring a potentially job-less future full in the face, even hypothetical jobs sound pretty good.
After I graduated, I moved to live with my aunt and uncle in Newton, Massachusetts. I heard somewhere that the population of Newton is so overwhelmingly Jewish that the town's nickname is actually "Jewton." I don't know if that's true, but most of the people I came to be friends with there were, in fact, Jewish. The day that my friend Wendy invited me to have Sabbath dinner with her family was the day I realized my fondest wish. I felt so honored to be present as they broke challah together, and was even more honored that summer when my friends called me an "honorary Jew."
So. Challah. Not only do I love it when I'm pretending to be Jewish, it also makes great rolls, BLTs, and french toast. For ages, I baked it solely in its traditional braided form, but recently, I started braiding it and baking in a loaf pan for great sandwich bread. Then, for Thanksgiving, I baked it into dinner rolls. Any way you slice it (literally!), challah is a rich, tender, flaky, delicious bread. It is perfect with hearty favorites like stew and pot pie, but it also makes the best sandwiches ever. Give it a whirl! And see if you don't feel a smidge like singing Hava Nagila.
We Be Bakin'!!
Challah
from The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking
by Brother Rick Curry, S.J.
2 pkg. active dry yeast (about 4 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 c. warm water
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
Mix; set aside for 5 minutes to "proof."
In a large bowl, combine:
5 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/4 c. warm water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt
2 eggs
Mix thoroughly, then add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Beat for 10 minutes (by hand, or with a stand mixer), gradually adding additional flour until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. You'll end up using far more than the 5 c.--probably more like 7 or 8.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic, adding flour as necessary to prevent stickiness. Place bread in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat, and cover and let rise until doubled--45 minutes to an hour.
Punch down the dough. Work in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Divide into six pieces and shape pieces into 10-inch ropes. Braid into two loaves. You may bake this on a cornmeal-lined baking sheet or stone, or you may bake the braided loaves in greased loaf pans. Or, what the heck? Shape the dough into rolls. In any event, cover the dough with tea towels or plastic wrap, and let rise again until doubled.
Glaze with a mixture of:
1/2 c. water
1 egg
And sprinkle with poppy seeds, if desired. Bake loaves in a preheated 350-degree oven. Loaves will take 35-45 minutes, rolls will take less. You'll love the beautifully dark, shiny crust on these beauties!
The first time I ever heard of challah was in a book I read in 5th grade. The book was about a Jewish family with lots of girls, and I was so enamored of it, I read it about a dozen times. Then I did an oral book report about it which was supposed to last 2 minutes. I spoke for almost 10. I loved the book so much, I wanted to become Jewish, to break a symbolic loaf of bread every Friday night. I wish I could remember the book's title, because I suspect I'd still love it, even now. It was around this time that I learned that I am approximately 1/32 Jewish, but you better believe I CLUNG to that 32nd like Israel was my homeland. I told my father that if I ever had a son, I'd name him Schloimon. I couldn't understand why he didn't love the name as much as I did.
Then, my senior year in college, a friend invited me to make challah with her. We were both English Education majors, but we loved baking that challah so much that we made hypothetical plans to open a bakery. We figured we'd combine our refined use of the English language with our love for baking, and hypothetically called our shop "We Be Bakin"." People will always need bread, we reasoned. There will never be a time when people don't need bread. That's called job security, my friends, and when you're a senior English major staring a potentially job-less future full in the face, even hypothetical jobs sound pretty good.
After I graduated, I moved to live with my aunt and uncle in Newton, Massachusetts. I heard somewhere that the population of Newton is so overwhelmingly Jewish that the town's nickname is actually "Jewton." I don't know if that's true, but most of the people I came to be friends with there were, in fact, Jewish. The day that my friend Wendy invited me to have Sabbath dinner with her family was the day I realized my fondest wish. I felt so honored to be present as they broke challah together, and was even more honored that summer when my friends called me an "honorary Jew."
So. Challah. Not only do I love it when I'm pretending to be Jewish, it also makes great rolls, BLTs, and french toast. For ages, I baked it solely in its traditional braided form, but recently, I started braiding it and baking in a loaf pan for great sandwich bread. Then, for Thanksgiving, I baked it into dinner rolls. Any way you slice it (literally!), challah is a rich, tender, flaky, delicious bread. It is perfect with hearty favorites like stew and pot pie, but it also makes the best sandwiches ever. Give it a whirl! And see if you don't feel a smidge like singing Hava Nagila.
We Be Bakin'!!
Challah
from The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking
by Brother Rick Curry, S.J.
2 pkg. active dry yeast (about 4 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 c. warm water
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
Mix; set aside for 5 minutes to "proof."
In a large bowl, combine:
5 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/4 c. warm water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt
2 eggs
Mix thoroughly, then add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Beat for 10 minutes (by hand, or with a stand mixer), gradually adding additional flour until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. You'll end up using far more than the 5 c.--probably more like 7 or 8.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic, adding flour as necessary to prevent stickiness. Place bread in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat, and cover and let rise until doubled--45 minutes to an hour.
Punch down the dough. Work in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Divide into six pieces and shape pieces into 10-inch ropes. Braid into two loaves. You may bake this on a cornmeal-lined baking sheet or stone, or you may bake the braided loaves in greased loaf pans. Or, what the heck? Shape the dough into rolls. In any event, cover the dough with tea towels or plastic wrap, and let rise again until doubled.
Glaze with a mixture of:
1/2 c. water
1 egg
And sprinkle with poppy seeds, if desired. Bake loaves in a preheated 350-degree oven. Loaves will take 35-45 minutes, rolls will take less. You'll love the beautifully dark, shiny crust on these beauties!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Uncle Abe's Soft Pretzels
Okay, this one needs no story. This is just a recipe that is an amalgam of recipes claiming to be similar to "Mall" pretzels (you know the kind). I made these for the first time yesterday, and Abe thinks they're spot-on. I think they could use a bit more chewiness, so I've added in a bit of bread flour into the recipe. But if you don't have bread flour, don't sweat it--I used all all-purpose yesterday, and they still turned out really well. I ate four of them.
Soft Pretzels
4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. white sugar
1 1/4 c. warm water
1 c. bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
all-purpose flour *
1/4 c. baking soda
2 c. hot water
kosher or sea salt, or pretzel salt, if you've got it
3 Tbsp. melted butter
FIRST, mix together the yeast, 1 tsp. sugar, and 1 1/4 c. warm water, and set aside for 5 minutes to let the yeast get foamy. When it has, add in the oil.
Then, in a large bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, and salt. Mix in the yeast mixture, *and then continue to add all-purpose flour until it makes a soft dough. (approx. 3-4 cups.) Turn dough onto a well-floured counter top, and knead in more flour until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to an oiled bowl, turn to coat with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about an hour).
In a large bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the hot water.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Dump the dough out onto the counter top and flatten slightly. Then, using a knife or pizza cutter, cut off a strip that is approximately 1/12th of the total dough. Roll it on the counter until it is about 16 inches long. Then, twist into the classic pretzel shape, dunk in the baking soda/water mixture, and transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet, or a cookie sheet that is well-greased. Repeat until all of the pretzels are twisted. You'll need two cookie sheets.
Then, sprinkle lightly with the salt, and pop into the hot oven. Bake for 4 minutes, then rotate baking sheets top-to-bottom and front-to-back. Bake until the pretzels are golden brown.
Remove from oven and brush with lots of melted butter. Enjoy!
Makes 12 pretzels.
Soft Pretzels
4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. white sugar
1 1/4 c. warm water
1 c. bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
all-purpose flour *
1/4 c. baking soda
2 c. hot water
kosher or sea salt, or pretzel salt, if you've got it
3 Tbsp. melted butter
FIRST, mix together the yeast, 1 tsp. sugar, and 1 1/4 c. warm water, and set aside for 5 minutes to let the yeast get foamy. When it has, add in the oil.
Then, in a large bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, and salt. Mix in the yeast mixture, *and then continue to add all-purpose flour until it makes a soft dough. (approx. 3-4 cups.) Turn dough onto a well-floured counter top, and knead in more flour until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to an oiled bowl, turn to coat with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about an hour).
In a large bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the hot water.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Dump the dough out onto the counter top and flatten slightly. Then, using a knife or pizza cutter, cut off a strip that is approximately 1/12th of the total dough. Roll it on the counter until it is about 16 inches long. Then, twist into the classic pretzel shape, dunk in the baking soda/water mixture, and transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet, or a cookie sheet that is well-greased. Repeat until all of the pretzels are twisted. You'll need two cookie sheets.
Then, sprinkle lightly with the salt, and pop into the hot oven. Bake for 4 minutes, then rotate baking sheets top-to-bottom and front-to-back. Bake until the pretzels are golden brown.
Remove from oven and brush with lots of melted butter. Enjoy!
Makes 12 pretzels.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Naan (Indian Flatbread)
Generally speaking, I like to prepare things that my husband will enjoy eating. The kids, after all, are at that stage where they don't really care about food enjoyment--if it's not candy, it's only good to sustain life. (Unless we're talking about McNuggets, which is a different story.) Anyway, I happen to know that one of my husband's all-time favorite sandwiches is a Chicken Pesto sandwich from a local restaurant. I've had the sandwich, and it's good, but it's basic--nothing that couldn't be re-created at home. So this week, I sought out to do that very thing.
The sandwich consists of grilled chicken, pesto, salad greens, and diced tomatoes (which my husband skips), all sandwiched between two pieces of flatbread. Well, grilled chicken is easy enough. Salad greens? Just snip some from the garden. As for pesto? Well, see this other post. I added thin slices of fresh mozzarella, and sliced tomatoes (for me and for the kids), because you can't go wrong with the mozzarella/tomato/pesto combination. That left the flatbread.
I didn't want to purchase flatbread because HELLO, have you seen the prices on that sort of thing? Besides, how hard can it be to make? I remembered a recipe I had tried back in the day from a very old Fleischman's Yeast promotional recipe booklet--called "Arab Bread," it was the nearest thing I've ever had to a flatbread I ate while on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic in high school. It was good, but I thought that it might be a bit too thick and dense for a sandwich. Then I thought of Naan. I'd seen it in the grocery store, and I knew that it is traditionally served with Indian cuisine (which I don't like). It looked thin, but substantial enough to hold together for a sandwich--in short, perfect for this application. The main drawback, again, was that it was so blooming expensive, I couldn't justify purchasing it. I'd have to try to make it.
I went online to Allrecipes.com, my go-to for recipe basics, and sorted Naan recipes by rating. The recipe I chose to try was the highest rated recipe, which even readers from Naan-eating countries deemed closest to the real thing. I made the dough on Tuesday for Grilled Pizza and liked it so much, I made it again on Thursday for my Grilled Chicken Pesto Sandwiches. The long and the short of it is this: Abe actually thought this sandwich was better than its restaurant-originated counterpart, due in large part to the bread. As a matter of fact, as I was finishing up this post, Abe came home from work, rummaged furiously through the fridge and asked, "Do we have any more of that bread??"
I do not take a compliment from Abe very lightly. This recipe is a keeper! It's also EASY, even if you don't have a mixer suitable for making bread--the dough is very soft and pliable, very easy to work with. And the cooking time is brief--the bread cooks on the stove top, so there's no need to heat your oven or your house. For me, this is a big plus in summertime! So there you have it. I don't like Indian food, except for Naan. Please give this wonderful flatbread a try! It's super for sandwiches, for grilled pizza, or just for eating with spreads like hummus, if you like that sort of thing. Go forth with confidence.
Note: I've just looked over the instructions, and man, am I WORDY. But read through it, and you'll see that even though I used a lot of words to describe the process, it's still really simple. Don't be put off my my inability to self-edit.
Naan
adapted from Allrecipes.com
1 pkg. yeast (approx. 2 1/4 tsp)
1 c. warm water
1/4 c. sugar, divided (1 Tbsp. and 3 Tbsp.)
3 Tbsp. milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
approx. 4 1/2 c. bread flour*
melted butter
1 tsp. garlic powder
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the warm water and the sugar. Sprinkle yeast over surface of water to moisten, and wait about 5-10 minutes for it to "proof," or get foamy. If it doesn't get foamy, try again--this means your yeast has DIED. RIP.
In the meantime, whisk together the milk and the egg. Combine the remaining 3 Tbsp. sugar, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. When the yeast is done proofing, dump in the milk mixture and combine, then dump in the sugar mixture, and stir to combine. Then begin adding flour. *I don't even measure the flour at this point, because the important thing is just to add in flour until the mixture forms a dough and pulls away from the side of the bowl. I seriously doubt I use 4 1/2 cups, as the recipe calls for, but you'll want to have this much on hand just in case, I suppose.
When you've stirred in as much flour as it will incorporate, knead the dough a few times on the counter just to get it smooth and not sticky. Transfer to an oiled bowl and turn to coat (or just brush it with a little oil). Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until it's doubled in size. [I like to fill a 2 c. measuring cup with water and bring it to a boil in the microwave, then put the dough into the micro. with the hot water, and let it rise there--using this method, I only let it rise 45 minutes, and it's already doubled]
After it has doubled, turn it out on a floured countertop and flatten it, then divide it into 6-8 pieces (depending on how large you want your bread). Shape the pieces into balls, spray with a bit of oil or non-stick spray, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 30 minutes.
Right before you're ready to cook the bread, melt the butter and mix in the garlic powder.
Now, the fun part: heat up a griddle or a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Stretch your dough into flatbreads--make them very thin, because they'll puff up quite a bit! Toss the bread right onto the griddle or pan, cook for about 2-3 minutes, then flip, and cook for 2-3 more. Most of the dough will still be very light in color, but it will have darker spots where it bubbled and had contact with the pan. Remove from the pan and brush with the butter. Repeat as needed.
NOW. Last night, I only used half the dough, used the grill side of my griddle pan, and made four nearly dinner plate-sized breads, which I folded in half for the sandwiches. It took all of 10 minutes to cook the bread, and we served it warm. If you're using it for a crowd or for pizza, go ahead and use all the dough--even when I only used 3/4 of the recipe, it made 3 large pizzas. But it's so yummy, you may want to make it all, because then you can snack on it. It's that good.
The sandwich consists of grilled chicken, pesto, salad greens, and diced tomatoes (which my husband skips), all sandwiched between two pieces of flatbread. Well, grilled chicken is easy enough. Salad greens? Just snip some from the garden. As for pesto? Well, see this other post. I added thin slices of fresh mozzarella, and sliced tomatoes (for me and for the kids), because you can't go wrong with the mozzarella/tomato/pesto combination. That left the flatbread.
I didn't want to purchase flatbread because HELLO, have you seen the prices on that sort of thing? Besides, how hard can it be to make? I remembered a recipe I had tried back in the day from a very old Fleischman's Yeast promotional recipe booklet--called "Arab Bread," it was the nearest thing I've ever had to a flatbread I ate while on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic in high school. It was good, but I thought that it might be a bit too thick and dense for a sandwich. Then I thought of Naan. I'd seen it in the grocery store, and I knew that it is traditionally served with Indian cuisine (which I don't like). It looked thin, but substantial enough to hold together for a sandwich--in short, perfect for this application. The main drawback, again, was that it was so blooming expensive, I couldn't justify purchasing it. I'd have to try to make it.
I went online to Allrecipes.com, my go-to for recipe basics, and sorted Naan recipes by rating. The recipe I chose to try was the highest rated recipe, which even readers from Naan-eating countries deemed closest to the real thing. I made the dough on Tuesday for Grilled Pizza and liked it so much, I made it again on Thursday for my Grilled Chicken Pesto Sandwiches. The long and the short of it is this: Abe actually thought this sandwich was better than its restaurant-originated counterpart, due in large part to the bread. As a matter of fact, as I was finishing up this post, Abe came home from work, rummaged furiously through the fridge and asked, "Do we have any more of that bread??"
I do not take a compliment from Abe very lightly. This recipe is a keeper! It's also EASY, even if you don't have a mixer suitable for making bread--the dough is very soft and pliable, very easy to work with. And the cooking time is brief--the bread cooks on the stove top, so there's no need to heat your oven or your house. For me, this is a big plus in summertime! So there you have it. I don't like Indian food, except for Naan. Please give this wonderful flatbread a try! It's super for sandwiches, for grilled pizza, or just for eating with spreads like hummus, if you like that sort of thing. Go forth with confidence.
Note: I've just looked over the instructions, and man, am I WORDY. But read through it, and you'll see that even though I used a lot of words to describe the process, it's still really simple. Don't be put off my my inability to self-edit.
Naan
adapted from Allrecipes.com
1 pkg. yeast (approx. 2 1/4 tsp)
1 c. warm water
1/4 c. sugar, divided (1 Tbsp. and 3 Tbsp.)
3 Tbsp. milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
approx. 4 1/2 c. bread flour*
melted butter
1 tsp. garlic powder
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the warm water and the sugar. Sprinkle yeast over surface of water to moisten, and wait about 5-10 minutes for it to "proof," or get foamy. If it doesn't get foamy, try again--this means your yeast has DIED. RIP.
In the meantime, whisk together the milk and the egg. Combine the remaining 3 Tbsp. sugar, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. When the yeast is done proofing, dump in the milk mixture and combine, then dump in the sugar mixture, and stir to combine. Then begin adding flour. *I don't even measure the flour at this point, because the important thing is just to add in flour until the mixture forms a dough and pulls away from the side of the bowl. I seriously doubt I use 4 1/2 cups, as the recipe calls for, but you'll want to have this much on hand just in case, I suppose.
When you've stirred in as much flour as it will incorporate, knead the dough a few times on the counter just to get it smooth and not sticky. Transfer to an oiled bowl and turn to coat (or just brush it with a little oil). Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until it's doubled in size. [I like to fill a 2 c. measuring cup with water and bring it to a boil in the microwave, then put the dough into the micro. with the hot water, and let it rise there--using this method, I only let it rise 45 minutes, and it's already doubled]
After it has doubled, turn it out on a floured countertop and flatten it, then divide it into 6-8 pieces (depending on how large you want your bread). Shape the pieces into balls, spray with a bit of oil or non-stick spray, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 30 minutes.
Right before you're ready to cook the bread, melt the butter and mix in the garlic powder.
Now, the fun part: heat up a griddle or a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Stretch your dough into flatbreads--make them very thin, because they'll puff up quite a bit! Toss the bread right onto the griddle or pan, cook for about 2-3 minutes, then flip, and cook for 2-3 more. Most of the dough will still be very light in color, but it will have darker spots where it bubbled and had contact with the pan. Remove from the pan and brush with the butter. Repeat as needed.
NOW. Last night, I only used half the dough, used the grill side of my griddle pan, and made four nearly dinner plate-sized breads, which I folded in half for the sandwiches. It took all of 10 minutes to cook the bread, and we served it warm. If you're using it for a crowd or for pizza, go ahead and use all the dough--even when I only used 3/4 of the recipe, it made 3 large pizzas. But it's so yummy, you may want to make it all, because then you can snack on it. It's that good.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Best Ever Banana Bread
Here's another recipe that was the result of a years-long search for a recipe that was what I thought it should be. I can honestly tell you that I tried dozens of recipes for banana bread, ranging from easy, Bisquick-based recipes to more complicated, superlative-laden recipes. This is the first time I've ever made a recipe that labeled itself "Best Ever" and ended up believing that the recipe authors were telling the truth.
For me, banana bread has to meet a few criteria to make the grade. It must first of all be moist, because, hey--no one likes a dry bread, really. It should be dense, but light; nothing too fru-fru for me, please, but I'd prefer it not also be suitable as a doorstop. And it should be addicting.
I believe this last point is what made my banana bread quest so daunting: there are plenty of Just Fine banana bread recipes out there, but few Really Good, Really Addicting ones. There are so few breads that make you guiltily slink back to the loaf promising yourself just one more little sliver--for the third time. The ultimate test of the addiction factor comes when I put it in front of my family: if they all feel they must sneak a bite or two when I'm not looking and end up eating the whole thing in a day, well, that's a pass. Then there are recipes like the coffee cake I tried last week: it was okay, but it took us four days to finish the thing. That's a fail.
Now, I realize that most superlatives are subjective. And this banana bread might not fit the bill for your family. That's okay. All I'm saying is, this banana bread never lasts more than six or seven hours in our house, and that's something, when you consider that two of our family members weigh about 30 pounds and have stomachs the size of a walnut.
One more note before you try this recipe: Sometimes, I get a little decadent and mix up a streusel-type substance to put in the middle. It usually involves brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon, ground nuts, and melted butter, but I've never even attempted to write down any sort of recipe for it. So if streusel sounds good to you, find another recipe somewhere that has streusel in it, and just steal it away and insert it into this recipe. I'll never tell.
Oh, and I take back that other thing about that last paragraph being the last one. I have one more thing to say: use rrrriiiipppe bananas--I mean, bananas so ripe, they're nearly black and too smooshy to eat. They'll make the most flavorful bread for you.
Thank you. The End.
Best Ever Banana Bread
from The Complete Guide to Country Cooking, a Taste of Home book
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. mashed banana (2 or 3 medium)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. plus 1 Tbsp. buttermilk *
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease (I use cooking spray) and flour a 9x5x3 loaf pan. (Actually, I use a bundt pan, because it bakes up a bit more quickly and makes for a prettier bread. But use what you've got!)
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, banana, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture, and stir just until moistened. (Seriously, don't go overboard with the stirring.) Fold in the nuts, if you're using them.
Add batter to loaf or bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour (less--ore like 45 minutes--for a bundt), or until loaf tests done. (That's what they say in the recipe. Here's what I say: Insert a toothpick, and if it comes out clean, the bread is done. Also, if the edges of the loaf are pulling away from the sides of the pan, that's a good indication of doneness, too.)
Remove from oven, and cool for 10 minutes in pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
This bread is a better-the-next-day bread, so I usually bake it at night. When it's cool, wrap it in plastic wrap, and it'll be so moist and tasty the next day, you won't believe it. In fact, don't even try to eat it the same day, because you'll probably be disappointed, and you'll want to rename it Pretty Average Banana Bread and never make it again.
*Buttermilk: I never purchase buttermilk. Instead, for this recipe, I put a teaspoon of lemon juice in the bottom of a 1/3 cup measure, and then fill it not quite to the top with milk. Give it a good stir, let it sit for about five minutes, and you've got the thickness and tang of buttermilk without the added expense of it. For other recipes requiring more buttermilk, use this formula: 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar, plus enough milk to measure 1 cup total.
For me, banana bread has to meet a few criteria to make the grade. It must first of all be moist, because, hey--no one likes a dry bread, really. It should be dense, but light; nothing too fru-fru for me, please, but I'd prefer it not also be suitable as a doorstop. And it should be addicting.
I believe this last point is what made my banana bread quest so daunting: there are plenty of Just Fine banana bread recipes out there, but few Really Good, Really Addicting ones. There are so few breads that make you guiltily slink back to the loaf promising yourself just one more little sliver--for the third time. The ultimate test of the addiction factor comes when I put it in front of my family: if they all feel they must sneak a bite or two when I'm not looking and end up eating the whole thing in a day, well, that's a pass. Then there are recipes like the coffee cake I tried last week: it was okay, but it took us four days to finish the thing. That's a fail.
Now, I realize that most superlatives are subjective. And this banana bread might not fit the bill for your family. That's okay. All I'm saying is, this banana bread never lasts more than six or seven hours in our house, and that's something, when you consider that two of our family members weigh about 30 pounds and have stomachs the size of a walnut.
One more note before you try this recipe: Sometimes, I get a little decadent and mix up a streusel-type substance to put in the middle. It usually involves brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon, ground nuts, and melted butter, but I've never even attempted to write down any sort of recipe for it. So if streusel sounds good to you, find another recipe somewhere that has streusel in it, and just steal it away and insert it into this recipe. I'll never tell.
Oh, and I take back that other thing about that last paragraph being the last one. I have one more thing to say: use rrrriiiipppe bananas--I mean, bananas so ripe, they're nearly black and too smooshy to eat. They'll make the most flavorful bread for you.
Thank you. The End.
Best Ever Banana Bread
from The Complete Guide to Country Cooking, a Taste of Home book
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. mashed banana (2 or 3 medium)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. plus 1 Tbsp. buttermilk *
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease (I use cooking spray) and flour a 9x5x3 loaf pan. (Actually, I use a bundt pan, because it bakes up a bit more quickly and makes for a prettier bread. But use what you've got!)
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, banana, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture, and stir just until moistened. (Seriously, don't go overboard with the stirring.) Fold in the nuts, if you're using them.
Add batter to loaf or bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour (less--ore like 45 minutes--for a bundt), or until loaf tests done. (That's what they say in the recipe. Here's what I say: Insert a toothpick, and if it comes out clean, the bread is done. Also, if the edges of the loaf are pulling away from the sides of the pan, that's a good indication of doneness, too.)
Remove from oven, and cool for 10 minutes in pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
This bread is a better-the-next-day bread, so I usually bake it at night. When it's cool, wrap it in plastic wrap, and it'll be so moist and tasty the next day, you won't believe it. In fact, don't even try to eat it the same day, because you'll probably be disappointed, and you'll want to rename it Pretty Average Banana Bread and never make it again.
*Buttermilk: I never purchase buttermilk. Instead, for this recipe, I put a teaspoon of lemon juice in the bottom of a 1/3 cup measure, and then fill it not quite to the top with milk. Give it a good stir, let it sit for about five minutes, and you've got the thickness and tang of buttermilk without the added expense of it. For other recipes requiring more buttermilk, use this formula: 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar, plus enough milk to measure 1 cup total.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Christmas Morning Sticky Rolls
I got the idea for this one from my dear mother-in-law. She makes these delicious rolls every time we get together for Christmas (which, except for this year, is not usually Christmas Day). In fact, she usually makes at least two pans of them, because they go FAST. They are ridiculously easy to prepare, and perfect for Christmas morning, since you do all of the work (if you can call it that) right before you go to bed the night before.
The recipe calls for a bundt pan or a tube pan. Easy enough. The first year that I pulled my wonderful husband away from his family on Christmas morning so that he could celebrate with mine, I thought I'd bring a bit of home to him and make these rolls. The only glitch was that the pan that I found to use wasn't a bundt or tube pan, it was an angel food pan. With a removable bottom.
I didn't honestly think anything of it . . . until I smelled the acrid odor of burnt sugar and saw smoke billowing from the oven. Putting two and two together ("Get there FASTER!") I realized that using the angel food pan with removable bottom was misguided. The caramel syrup that had leaked out of the bottom of the pan and charred on the bottom of the oven was proof enough of that. My mom and I tried to salvage the rolls, but to no avail. So let this be a lesson to you: bundt or tube. Not angel food.
And now for the recipe, which is pretty darn similar to my mother-in-law's, with only a few modifications.
Land sakes, you're going to love this one.
Christmas Morning Sticky Rolls
1 pkg. frozen yeast rolls--use 12-14 (or 16; whatever) rolls
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1 3 oz. pkg or half of a 6 oz. pkg. cook-n-serve butterscotch pudding (instant pudding will not work)
1/2 c. brown sugar, tightly packed
3/4 c chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Spray a tube pan or bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle nuts in the bottom of the pan, if using.
Evenly distribute rolls in the pan, then sprinkle pudding mix evenly over them, followed by the brown sugar. Evenly.
Pour melted butter or margarine evenly over all. "Evenly" is a good word to make it seem like you're actually doing something which requires skill. Some versions of the recipe instruct you to mix the melted butter and brown sugar together, then pour it over. It’s up to you—I’ve done it both ways.
Cover pan with a cloth or plastic wrap and let the rolls rise (on the counter--you don't even have to put them in the refrigerator!) 6-8 hours or overnight. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Loosen rolls from the side of the pan with a knife and immediately invert onto a serving plate. Leave pan over the rolls for a couple of minutes to allow all of the caramel mixture (and nuts) to pour out. Remove pan and serve warm.
Serves shockingly few, because everyone will want to eat the whole pan. Move fast so you get some!
The recipe calls for a bundt pan or a tube pan. Easy enough. The first year that I pulled my wonderful husband away from his family on Christmas morning so that he could celebrate with mine, I thought I'd bring a bit of home to him and make these rolls. The only glitch was that the pan that I found to use wasn't a bundt or tube pan, it was an angel food pan. With a removable bottom.
I didn't honestly think anything of it . . . until I smelled the acrid odor of burnt sugar and saw smoke billowing from the oven. Putting two and two together ("Get there FASTER!") I realized that using the angel food pan with removable bottom was misguided. The caramel syrup that had leaked out of the bottom of the pan and charred on the bottom of the oven was proof enough of that. My mom and I tried to salvage the rolls, but to no avail. So let this be a lesson to you: bundt or tube. Not angel food.
And now for the recipe, which is pretty darn similar to my mother-in-law's, with only a few modifications.
Land sakes, you're going to love this one.
Christmas Morning Sticky Rolls
1 pkg. frozen yeast rolls--use 12-14 (or 16; whatever) rolls
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1 3 oz. pkg or half of a 6 oz. pkg. cook-n-serve butterscotch pudding (instant pudding will not work)
1/2 c. brown sugar, tightly packed
3/4 c chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Spray a tube pan or bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle nuts in the bottom of the pan, if using.
Evenly distribute rolls in the pan, then sprinkle pudding mix evenly over them, followed by the brown sugar. Evenly.
Pour melted butter or margarine evenly over all. "Evenly" is a good word to make it seem like you're actually doing something which requires skill. Some versions of the recipe instruct you to mix the melted butter and brown sugar together, then pour it over. It’s up to you—I’ve done it both ways.
Cover pan with a cloth or plastic wrap and let the rolls rise (on the counter--you don't even have to put them in the refrigerator!) 6-8 hours or overnight. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Loosen rolls from the side of the pan with a knife and immediately invert onto a serving plate. Leave pan over the rolls for a couple of minutes to allow all of the caramel mixture (and nuts) to pour out. Remove pan and serve warm.
Serves shockingly few, because everyone will want to eat the whole pan. Move fast so you get some!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Pumpkin Muffins
Here's another tasty, easy seasonal treat! I got this recipe from friends at church, Jon and Shea. (Whose daughter, incidentally, is promised as a bride for my son.)
A little disclaimer: one of my least favorite things in life is pumpkin pie. Pumpkin anything, really. So I first tasted these muffins just to be polite. Jon and Shea are my friends (and perhaps more importantly, fellow Waiting for Guffman fans), so I didn't want to be rude about their baked goods, even though I knew these muffins they made had pumpkin in them. More confusingly to me, I had been told by one person that they were pumpkin muffins, but then Jon himself told me that some of the muffins were spice and some were carrot. Huh?
I still didn't understand, but then I tasted the "carrot" pumpkin muffins. They were good. Really good. Dense, moist, flavorful...they had all the hallmarks of a perfect muffin. The next day, at a meeting at church, I tried the "spice"pumpkin muffins. Hey, I still didn't really get it, but I didn't care. A good muffin is a good muffin, no matter what it's called or what's in it.
I finally broke down and got the 411 from Jon. The muffins are really easy, he told me. You just combine a box of cake mix, a can of pumpkin, and water.
Suddenly things became clear.
Later that week, I went to the store to buy canned pumpkin (because heretofore, canned pumpkin had never had a purpose in my pantry) and a spice cake mix, and whipped some of these up for Abe. He ate three for breakfast the next morning.
So here's Jon and Shea's recipe...
Pumpkin Muffins
1 box cake mix of your choice (carrot, yellow, and spice apparently work very well--I've also heard that chocolate works great, too)
1 15 oz. can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling--just plain pumpkin)
Water*
Preheat oven to 350. Mix together the cake mix, pumpkin, and *the amount of water called for on the cake mix box.
Portion into a muffin pan whose cups have been greased or lined with muffin papers. A 1/4 c. measuring cup works perfectly for this task and creates uniformly-sized muffins.
Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Immediately remove from pan to a cooling rack.
I'm not a frosting girl, myself, and wouldn't normally put frosting on a muffin, but the carrot variety are quite good with a cream cheese frosting.
Yield: approx. 20 muffins
A little disclaimer: one of my least favorite things in life is pumpkin pie. Pumpkin anything, really. So I first tasted these muffins just to be polite. Jon and Shea are my friends (and perhaps more importantly, fellow Waiting for Guffman fans), so I didn't want to be rude about their baked goods, even though I knew these muffins they made had pumpkin in them. More confusingly to me, I had been told by one person that they were pumpkin muffins, but then Jon himself told me that some of the muffins were spice and some were carrot. Huh?
I still didn't understand, but then I tasted the "carrot" pumpkin muffins. They were good. Really good. Dense, moist, flavorful...they had all the hallmarks of a perfect muffin. The next day, at a meeting at church, I tried the "spice"pumpkin muffins. Hey, I still didn't really get it, but I didn't care. A good muffin is a good muffin, no matter what it's called or what's in it.
I finally broke down and got the 411 from Jon. The muffins are really easy, he told me. You just combine a box of cake mix, a can of pumpkin, and water.
Suddenly things became clear.
Later that week, I went to the store to buy canned pumpkin (because heretofore, canned pumpkin had never had a purpose in my pantry) and a spice cake mix, and whipped some of these up for Abe. He ate three for breakfast the next morning.
So here's Jon and Shea's recipe...
Pumpkin Muffins
1 box cake mix of your choice (carrot, yellow, and spice apparently work very well--I've also heard that chocolate works great, too)
1 15 oz. can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling--just plain pumpkin)
Water*
Preheat oven to 350. Mix together the cake mix, pumpkin, and *the amount of water called for on the cake mix box.
Portion into a muffin pan whose cups have been greased or lined with muffin papers. A 1/4 c. measuring cup works perfectly for this task and creates uniformly-sized muffins.
Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Immediately remove from pan to a cooling rack.
I'm not a frosting girl, myself, and wouldn't normally put frosting on a muffin, but the carrot variety are quite good with a cream cheese frosting.
Yield: approx. 20 muffins
Friday, October 5, 2007
Simple Garlic Croutons
First, an apology: the story accompanying the Baked Potato Soup recipe was terribly long and, I'm afraid, somewhat boring. Hopefully, that won't keep you from trying the recipe--it really is fantastic! In an attempt to redeem myself and keep you as a loyal reader (whoever you are...Mom), I offer this next recipe with a much briefer explanation.
Yesterday, I had scheduled Steakhouse Salad for dinner. Part of the joy of a steakhouse-style salad is the big, fat, garlicky croutons that adorn it. Knowing we don't enjoy boxed croutons (too hard; can't spear with fork), I thought I'd make my own.
I purchased day-old french bread from the grocery store, at a cost of only 77 cents, cubed it, and made a batch of fresh croutons. I ate a few and offered a few to Abe before I left to get my hair cut. When I returned, Abe held out the depleted bag of croutons. "There might be enough left for your salad. Sorry. They were a bit too tasty, and we ate them."
In desperation, I cut up five cheapo hamburger buns, used the same crouton-making method, and thereby supplemented our crouton supply for dinner.
By the end of the evening, we had polished off all but FOUR croutons. Which means that, between the four of us, in the span of three hours, we polished off an entire loaf of french bread and five hamburger buns. And also dinner.
So they're really tasty, and phenomenally easy. Try them! You might never go back to store-bought.
Simple Garlic Croutons
1 french baguette, or bread of your choice, cut into 1-in. cubes
4 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. bottled minced garlic
1/2 tsp. juice from the bottled minced garlic
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.**
Spread bread cubes onto a large jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides). (Line it with parchment paper to facilitate easy cleanup!)
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and garlic juice, and saute for a minute or two, stirring frequently to keep butter from separating.
Drizzle bread with the butter/garlic mixture, and toss with hands (or spoons, whatever) to make sure all the bread has butter on it.
Bake for about 7 minutes, stir, and bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the cubes reach your desired level of toastedness.
Enjoy!
Serves as a lovely snack for 2 adults and 2 toddlers, or as croutons (and then some) for a salad for 6.
**My new favorite way to preheat the oven is to crank the broiler to high for a few minutes, then switch the oven over to bake. In my gas oven, this method cuts preheating time in half or less, since the broiler typically heats more or less immediately.
Yesterday, I had scheduled Steakhouse Salad for dinner. Part of the joy of a steakhouse-style salad is the big, fat, garlicky croutons that adorn it. Knowing we don't enjoy boxed croutons (too hard; can't spear with fork), I thought I'd make my own.
I purchased day-old french bread from the grocery store, at a cost of only 77 cents, cubed it, and made a batch of fresh croutons. I ate a few and offered a few to Abe before I left to get my hair cut. When I returned, Abe held out the depleted bag of croutons. "There might be enough left for your salad. Sorry. They were a bit too tasty, and we ate them."
In desperation, I cut up five cheapo hamburger buns, used the same crouton-making method, and thereby supplemented our crouton supply for dinner.
By the end of the evening, we had polished off all but FOUR croutons. Which means that, between the four of us, in the span of three hours, we polished off an entire loaf of french bread and five hamburger buns. And also dinner.
So they're really tasty, and phenomenally easy. Try them! You might never go back to store-bought.
Simple Garlic Croutons
1 french baguette, or bread of your choice, cut into 1-in. cubes
4 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. bottled minced garlic
1/2 tsp. juice from the bottled minced garlic
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.**
Spread bread cubes onto a large jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides). (Line it with parchment paper to facilitate easy cleanup!)
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and garlic juice, and saute for a minute or two, stirring frequently to keep butter from separating.
Drizzle bread with the butter/garlic mixture, and toss with hands (or spoons, whatever) to make sure all the bread has butter on it.
Bake for about 7 minutes, stir, and bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the cubes reach your desired level of toastedness.
Enjoy!
Serves as a lovely snack for 2 adults and 2 toddlers, or as croutons (and then some) for a salad for 6.
**My new favorite way to preheat the oven is to crank the broiler to high for a few minutes, then switch the oven over to bake. In my gas oven, this method cuts preheating time in half or less, since the broiler typically heats more or less immediately.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Good Old Fashioned Pancakes
Pancakes are another food item I've experimented with a bit. I love a good pancake, but I think really good ones are hard to come by--sometimes they're too thick, sometimes too thin. Sometimes chewy, sometimes crumbly. Sometimes they taste like fried wallpaper paste. Mmm-mmm good.
The title of this recipe is Good Old Fashioned Pancakes, so I had high hopes. They were pretty good the first go-around, but I thought they could be improved, so I made a couple of adjustments. Just minor changes, really, but they really added a punch of flavor.
So tomorrow morning, when you're in the mood for pancakes, give these a shot!
Good Old Fashioned Pancakes
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg*
1 c. milk
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 egg
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and nutmeg*. (I just use a whisk or wire mesh sieve to accomplish this--no need for an actual sifter.)
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk, syrup, egg, and butter. Mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled pan or griddle over medium heat. Using a 1/4 c. measuring cup, scoop batter onto griddle. When bubbles come to the raw surface, it's time to flip.
To keep warm, place finished pancakes in a single layer in a warm (200 degrees) oven until all the pancakes are done. Serve hot.
Yields: 8 servings
*Nutmeg: why freshly ground? It really is a totally different flavor than bottled ground nutmeg. (Like the difference between fresh and dried cilantro, but that's a topic for another time.) Plus, while bottled ground nutmeg starts to lose its flavor after just a couple of months after opening, a whole nutmeg will keep more or less indefinitely, and be wonderfully flavorful every time. I use a Microplane grater or the really really fine grating side of my box grater to grind it.
I purchased a container of 16 whole nutmegs a year ago at an Amish store for $1.69, and even though I use nutmeg every time I make a cream sauce, these pancakes, or apple pie, I'm still on my first or second nutmeg. So not only is it more flavorful, it's cheaper, too!
The title of this recipe is Good Old Fashioned Pancakes, so I had high hopes. They were pretty good the first go-around, but I thought they could be improved, so I made a couple of adjustments. Just minor changes, really, but they really added a punch of flavor.
So tomorrow morning, when you're in the mood for pancakes, give these a shot!
Good Old Fashioned Pancakes
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg*
1 c. milk
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 egg
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and nutmeg*. (I just use a whisk or wire mesh sieve to accomplish this--no need for an actual sifter.)
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk, syrup, egg, and butter. Mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled pan or griddle over medium heat. Using a 1/4 c. measuring cup, scoop batter onto griddle. When bubbles come to the raw surface, it's time to flip.
To keep warm, place finished pancakes in a single layer in a warm (200 degrees) oven until all the pancakes are done. Serve hot.
Yields: 8 servings
*Nutmeg: why freshly ground? It really is a totally different flavor than bottled ground nutmeg. (Like the difference between fresh and dried cilantro, but that's a topic for another time.) Plus, while bottled ground nutmeg starts to lose its flavor after just a couple of months after opening, a whole nutmeg will keep more or less indefinitely, and be wonderfully flavorful every time. I use a Microplane grater or the really really fine grating side of my box grater to grind it.
I purchased a container of 16 whole nutmegs a year ago at an Amish store for $1.69, and even though I use nutmeg every time I make a cream sauce, these pancakes, or apple pie, I'm still on my first or second nutmeg. So not only is it more flavorful, it's cheaper, too!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Honey Oatmeal Wheat Bread
Back in the day, before I spent my time sorting through endless piles of laundry, cooking for the masses, and changing diapers (my current lot in life), I was the Publications Coordinator at a non-profit Christian ministry, serving as an editor, writer, and eventually, graphic designer. As a 9-to-5 kind of gal, my yen for cooking was shelved; I was positively too tired after a long day to do any real cooking, so dinner usually consisted of a bag of microwave popcorn or a bowl of instant stuffing. Fancy!
But working at a small Christian ministry has its perks--namely, potlucks. (It ain't the benefits, that's for sure.) Sweet, wonderful potlucks. Those magical days when everyone brings their best thing in, and you stuff yourself until there is just no more room, and then you hit the dessert table. Middle-American gluttony at its down-home finest. The brilliant part was that the men on staff didn't cook at all, so their wives would send something yummy in with them, and that's how I came to enjoy a variation of this tasty bread.
J.J., our IT guy, brought these "Heavenly Honey Oatmeal" rolls in to share. After one bite, I was hooked. With a delicate, tender crumb, just the right amount of chewiness, and a perfect hint of sweetness from the honey, this is the sort of bread you just keep going back for. His wife Christie was kind enough to share the recipe with me.
But I was still a Career Girl with no real time or energy to cook, so this recipe sat in my recipe file, dormant, for years. Years. Then I got married, left my job, settled in as a homemaker, and acquired a bread machine. Mostly, I made the loaves featured in the recipe booklet that came with the appliance, so this recipe still sat unused. But gradually, as I became more and more enamored of cooking and comfortable with basic techniques, I wanted to stretch my culinary legs a bit more, making more from scratch. Homemade bread seemed like a logical next step, so I retired the bread machine and started kneading.
Out came Heavenly Honey Oatmeal bread, which I turned into loaves, instead of rolls. And since I had become a bit more concerned with making food as healthy as we could palate (which is to say, just a tiny bit), I replaced some of the all-purpose flour in this recipe with whole wheat flour. Luckily, I think the wheat flour actually enhanced the already "heavenly" flavor of this bread, which, when toasted and spread with butter, tastes a whole lot like an Auntie Anne's pretzel. Swear. But if you don't have whole wheat flour on hand, you could use all all-purpose flour, and it will still be downright delicious.
It makes two loaves, so like the Brothers' Bread, it is perfect to make on a day when you can share the second loaf with someone. Or, you know, you could just tell everyone that it just makes one loaf and eat the other one in the front closet by yourself.
(But that's up to you.)
Honey Oatmeal Wheat Bread
1 c. quick-cooking oats
2 c. boiling water
1 package (or 2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1/3 c. honey
1 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. oats
Mix oats and boiling water. Let stand 15 min., or until the mixture has become lukewarm.
Sprinkle yeast over the warm water, and let sit 5 minutes, or until it has become foamy.
Add proofed yeast, honey, butter, and salt to the oatmeal mixture, and mix well.
Stir in the wheat flour, and then as much of the all-purpose flour as you can. (I use a Kitchen Aid mixer, which makes this oh-so-easy, but you can do it by hand, too. Especially if your name is Beth Culp.) Remove from mixing bowl and knead for 2 minutes. cover, let rest 10 minutes. Then knead again, adding flour as needed to combat stickiness, 12-15 times.
Transfer dough to a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour. Punch down, and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide in half, then shape each half into a loaf, placing each loaf into a greased loaf pan. Cover again with plastic wrap (this time, loosely), and let rise until doubled.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush each loaf with milk and sprinkle with oats. Bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven. Turn out onto wire rack to cool. Enjoy!
Yield: Two loaves, many happy tummies.
P.S. Beth, people will always need bread. We Be Bakin'.
But working at a small Christian ministry has its perks--namely, potlucks. (It ain't the benefits, that's for sure.) Sweet, wonderful potlucks. Those magical days when everyone brings their best thing in, and you stuff yourself until there is just no more room, and then you hit the dessert table. Middle-American gluttony at its down-home finest. The brilliant part was that the men on staff didn't cook at all, so their wives would send something yummy in with them, and that's how I came to enjoy a variation of this tasty bread.
J.J., our IT guy, brought these "Heavenly Honey Oatmeal" rolls in to share. After one bite, I was hooked. With a delicate, tender crumb, just the right amount of chewiness, and a perfect hint of sweetness from the honey, this is the sort of bread you just keep going back for. His wife Christie was kind enough to share the recipe with me.
But I was still a Career Girl with no real time or energy to cook, so this recipe sat in my recipe file, dormant, for years. Years. Then I got married, left my job, settled in as a homemaker, and acquired a bread machine. Mostly, I made the loaves featured in the recipe booklet that came with the appliance, so this recipe still sat unused. But gradually, as I became more and more enamored of cooking and comfortable with basic techniques, I wanted to stretch my culinary legs a bit more, making more from scratch. Homemade bread seemed like a logical next step, so I retired the bread machine and started kneading.
Out came Heavenly Honey Oatmeal bread, which I turned into loaves, instead of rolls. And since I had become a bit more concerned with making food as healthy as we could palate (which is to say, just a tiny bit), I replaced some of the all-purpose flour in this recipe with whole wheat flour. Luckily, I think the wheat flour actually enhanced the already "heavenly" flavor of this bread, which, when toasted and spread with butter, tastes a whole lot like an Auntie Anne's pretzel. Swear. But if you don't have whole wheat flour on hand, you could use all all-purpose flour, and it will still be downright delicious.
It makes two loaves, so like the Brothers' Bread, it is perfect to make on a day when you can share the second loaf with someone. Or, you know, you could just tell everyone that it just makes one loaf and eat the other one in the front closet by yourself.
(But that's up to you.)
Honey Oatmeal Wheat Bread
1 c. quick-cooking oats
2 c. boiling water
1 package (or 2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1/3 c. honey
1 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. oats
Mix oats and boiling water. Let stand 15 min., or until the mixture has become lukewarm.
Sprinkle yeast over the warm water, and let sit 5 minutes, or until it has become foamy.
Add proofed yeast, honey, butter, and salt to the oatmeal mixture, and mix well.
Stir in the wheat flour, and then as much of the all-purpose flour as you can. (I use a Kitchen Aid mixer, which makes this oh-so-easy, but you can do it by hand, too. Especially if your name is Beth Culp.) Remove from mixing bowl and knead for 2 minutes. cover, let rest 10 minutes. Then knead again, adding flour as needed to combat stickiness, 12-15 times.
Transfer dough to a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour. Punch down, and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide in half, then shape each half into a loaf, placing each loaf into a greased loaf pan. Cover again with plastic wrap (this time, loosely), and let rise until doubled.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush each loaf with milk and sprinkle with oats. Bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven. Turn out onto wire rack to cool. Enjoy!
Yield: Two loaves, many happy tummies.
P.S. Beth, people will always need bread. We Be Bakin'.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Brothers' Bread
This recipe is from The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking by Brother Rick Curry, S.J., a cookbook I plucked from the Barnes and Noble bargain racks many moons ago while I was in pursuit of a good recipe for challah. And for years, I've been making the challah recipe, and had tried a few other recipes out of this book, with some success.
Meanwhile, outside of the challah realm...
I have also for a long time been looking for a crusty, artisan-style bread that I could make at home that would taste like it was from a bakery. I tried dozens of recipes, but they all fell short--either their crusts were too hard or too soggy, or the rise didn't support the shape of the bread, or I simply didn't like the chew. I made this Brothers' Bread because the description in the book also called it "Peasant Bread," and I had an inkling that that was exactly the type of bread I was looking for--rustic, chewy, crusty and flavorful. It took only one bite of this bread, and I knew it was a winner. As a bonus, its preparation is more simple and less labor-intensive than many similar loaves, requiring only one rise and a very minimal amount of hand-kneading. And it makes two loaves, perfect for sharing.
But Abe will tell you that this is his favorite bread ever, and that's the real reason this recipe makes it onto this blog.
This recipe is paraphrased from the original book, and my personal notations are in parentheses.
Brothers' Bread
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2 1/4 c. warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt (I prefer kosher salt--it enhances the flavor without being overly salty)
6-7 c. all-purpose flour
Combine yeast and water in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stirring to dissolve yeast. Then add sugar and salt. Mix well; set aside for 5 minutes, allowing the yeast mixture to become foamy, or "proofed."
Beat in mixer for 10 minutes, gradually adding flour until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 6 or 7 cups total (but don't worry so much about precise measurement--just watch for the pulling-away-from-the-bowl phenomenon--the actual amount of flour required varies according to environmental factors like humidity, etc.)
Knead by hand until smooth and elastic, about 10-12 times, adding flour as necessary to combat stickiness.
Place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat with oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place 1 1/2 hours. (You can maximize the rise time by first boiling a couple of cups of water in the microwave. Push the steaming water to the back of the microwave, then put your dough in, close the door, and wait. The heat from the hot water creates an ideal rising environment)
Turn the dough out onto the counter and punch down. Divide in half, shape two round loaves by tucking the edges under repeatedly until you have a taut round shape. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or sprinkled with cornmeal.
Carve an x in each loaf with a clean razor blade, going all the way from side to side. Spray loaves with vinegar (promotes a brown, crisp crust--definitely don't skip this part, even if it sounds weird. You will not taste vinegar in the finished loaf.)
Place the loaves in a cold oven, and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.
Generally speaking, I've read that it's best to wait 45 min.-1 hr. after baking before cutting into a loaf of freshly baked bread. Cutting into it too early adversely affects the texture. But no fear, after 45 min., it will still be warm enough to slather with butter and jam.
Do plan to try this one. You won't believe how good it is, and how easy!
Meanwhile, outside of the challah realm...
I have also for a long time been looking for a crusty, artisan-style bread that I could make at home that would taste like it was from a bakery. I tried dozens of recipes, but they all fell short--either their crusts were too hard or too soggy, or the rise didn't support the shape of the bread, or I simply didn't like the chew. I made this Brothers' Bread because the description in the book also called it "Peasant Bread," and I had an inkling that that was exactly the type of bread I was looking for--rustic, chewy, crusty and flavorful. It took only one bite of this bread, and I knew it was a winner. As a bonus, its preparation is more simple and less labor-intensive than many similar loaves, requiring only one rise and a very minimal amount of hand-kneading. And it makes two loaves, perfect for sharing.
But Abe will tell you that this is his favorite bread ever, and that's the real reason this recipe makes it onto this blog.
This recipe is paraphrased from the original book, and my personal notations are in parentheses.
Brothers' Bread1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2 1/4 c. warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt (I prefer kosher salt--it enhances the flavor without being overly salty)
6-7 c. all-purpose flour
Combine yeast and water in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stirring to dissolve yeast. Then add sugar and salt. Mix well; set aside for 5 minutes, allowing the yeast mixture to become foamy, or "proofed."
Beat in mixer for 10 minutes, gradually adding flour until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 6 or 7 cups total (but don't worry so much about precise measurement--just watch for the pulling-away-from-the-bowl phenomenon--the actual amount of flour required varies according to environmental factors like humidity, etc.)
Knead by hand until smooth and elastic, about 10-12 times, adding flour as necessary to combat stickiness.
Place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat with oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place 1 1/2 hours. (You can maximize the rise time by first boiling a couple of cups of water in the microwave. Push the steaming water to the back of the microwave, then put your dough in, close the door, and wait. The heat from the hot water creates an ideal rising environment)
Turn the dough out onto the counter and punch down. Divide in half, shape two round loaves by tucking the edges under repeatedly until you have a taut round shape. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or sprinkled with cornmeal.
Carve an x in each loaf with a clean razor blade, going all the way from side to side. Spray loaves with vinegar (promotes a brown, crisp crust--definitely don't skip this part, even if it sounds weird. You will not taste vinegar in the finished loaf.)
Place the loaves in a cold oven, and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.
Generally speaking, I've read that it's best to wait 45 min.-1 hr. after baking before cutting into a loaf of freshly baked bread. Cutting into it too early adversely affects the texture. But no fear, after 45 min., it will still be warm enough to slather with butter and jam.
Do plan to try this one. You won't believe how good it is, and how easy!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Neapolitan Pizza Dough
In our house, we favor a thin crust pizza. Don't get me wrong, deep-dish, Chicago-style pizza holds a different sort of allure, no less magnetic, and we do enjoy a good one with all our hearts. In fact, speaking of Hearts, deep-dish pizza has been our traditional Valentine's Day meal ever since we enjoyed this sinfully wonderful treat together in Chicago for Valentine's Day 4 years ago. But that's a topic for another post.
No, for everyday, homemade pizza that has all of the flavor of a pizzeria pizza at a tiny tiny fraction of the cost, we prefer thin crust.
I tried Who Knows how many pizza dough recipes before I had the aha moment--the moment Abe and I looked at each other with rapturous smiles and sighed, "This is The One." Up until that moment, I had been obsessive in my pursuit of great pizza, using umpteen recipes, flours, and baking methods, and I can unequivocally say that this recipe and method, while time-consuming, rewards every minute of waiting with exceptional chew and flavor, and you won't for a second wish you'd spent all your hard-earned cash on takeout pizza. This recipe makes 4 8" pizzas.
First, you'll need:
A heavy-duty stand mixer (like KitchenAid--you really can't make this without it)
A pizza stone (I have a Pampered Chef stone that I use, and also a cheapo pizza stone I bought on Ebay)
A pizza peel or cookie sheet without sides
The ingredients are simple:
First, you combine, and let sit for 5 minutes:
1 1/2 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
In the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. cake flour
1 Tbsp. sea salt or kosher salt
Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, and knead at low speed for 30 minutes.
Shape dough into a round, place in a large, lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise for 4 hours in a warm place.
Punch down dough, divide into 4 pieces, and shape the pieces into balls. Brush these lightly with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise another 2-4 hours.
Preheat the oven and pizza stone to 550 degrees.
Shape dough by pressing fingertips into ball and flattening from the center out. Grab the dough near the edge and rotate the round, allowing the dough to stretch as you turn (harnessing the power of gravity), stretching dough to desired circumference.
Brush pizza with olive oil, assembling your pizza on a well-floured (or you could use cornmeal)pizza peel or cookie sheet without sides. Slide onto the preheated stone, and bake for 5-8 minutes.
from Cuisine At Home magazine
A few notes:
I acquired this recipe from Cuisine at Home magazine, and this recipe is approved by the DOC, which is the Italian regulating board that governs pizza (!!!). I suppose DOC stands for "Official Pizza Rulers of the World," and according to them, authentic pizza can have only four ingredients: flour, water, yeast, and salt. In Italy, their flour has a different makeup, which is why this recipe calls for two types of American flour--this mixture approximates the amount of gluten in Italian flour.
I know the rise time seems excessive, but it really creates a much better depth of flavor than doughs that rely on sugar or honey to feed the yeast and speed up the rising process. Plus, even though you must start the dough 6-8 hrs. before you need it, it requires very little actual effort on your part.
That said, I know it is a commitment. But I cannot stress this enough: it is worth it!
To accompany the pizza, may I offer my very favorite pizza sauce recipe? Here it is:
Pizza Sauce
1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed well (either use your hands or a food processor or blender)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano (or more--use according to preference)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes (be careful not to scorch the garlic). Add the tomatoes, and season with kosher salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add oregano before you apply to pizza--the oregano can get bitter if you add it too early.
I also like to let the sauce cool before I use it. Very often, I will make it while I am letting the Kitchen Aid do that first half-hour knead. Then it's done, and I can stash it in the fridge until I need it. Then, when it's pizza-making time, I have one less thing to do.
Can you make pizza with a quicker dough and bottled pizza sauce? Sure. In fact, if you use the preheated stone, it will probably not be bad. But for a truly great pizza experience, give this recipe a try sometime!
As a bonus, here's my favorite pizza variation--Abe doesn't like tomatoes, so Charis and I eat an entire one of these pizzas by ourselves. Oh, pizza needs to go on my Menu Plan soon!
Margherita Pizza
(first made in honor of Queen Margherita, it was intended to showcase the colors of the Italian flag--red tomatoes, white cheese, and green basil.)
Pizza Dough, stretched to desired size and shape
Fresh tomatoes, sliced thin and drained on paper towels
Fresh mozzarella
Basil, dried, or fresh basil, chopped finely
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Brush pizza dough with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Arrange tomatoes in a single layer. No need to be precise.
If using dried basil, sprinkle over the tomatoes now. (If you're using fresh, wait...)
Cover with fresh mozzarella (or you can use pre-shredded, it's just not quite as good)
Bake at 550 for 6-8 minutes.
If using fresh basil, scatter over the pizza immediately after you remove it from the oven.
No, for everyday, homemade pizza that has all of the flavor of a pizzeria pizza at a tiny tiny fraction of the cost, we prefer thin crust.
I tried Who Knows how many pizza dough recipes before I had the aha moment--the moment Abe and I looked at each other with rapturous smiles and sighed, "This is The One." Up until that moment, I had been obsessive in my pursuit of great pizza, using umpteen recipes, flours, and baking methods, and I can unequivocally say that this recipe and method, while time-consuming, rewards every minute of waiting with exceptional chew and flavor, and you won't for a second wish you'd spent all your hard-earned cash on takeout pizza. This recipe makes 4 8" pizzas.
First, you'll need:
A heavy-duty stand mixer (like KitchenAid--you really can't make this without it)
A pizza stone (I have a Pampered Chef stone that I use, and also a cheapo pizza stone I bought on Ebay)
A pizza peel or cookie sheet without sides
The ingredients are simple:
First, you combine, and let sit for 5 minutes:
1 1/2 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
In the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. cake flour
1 Tbsp. sea salt or kosher salt
Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, and knead at low speed for 30 minutes.
Shape dough into a round, place in a large, lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise for 4 hours in a warm place.
Punch down dough, divide into 4 pieces, and shape the pieces into balls. Brush these lightly with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise another 2-4 hours.
Preheat the oven and pizza stone to 550 degrees.
Shape dough by pressing fingertips into ball and flattening from the center out. Grab the dough near the edge and rotate the round, allowing the dough to stretch as you turn (harnessing the power of gravity), stretching dough to desired circumference.
Brush pizza with olive oil, assembling your pizza on a well-floured (or you could use cornmeal)pizza peel or cookie sheet without sides. Slide onto the preheated stone, and bake for 5-8 minutes.
from Cuisine At Home magazine
A few notes:
I acquired this recipe from Cuisine at Home magazine, and this recipe is approved by the DOC, which is the Italian regulating board that governs pizza (!!!). I suppose DOC stands for "Official Pizza Rulers of the World," and according to them, authentic pizza can have only four ingredients: flour, water, yeast, and salt. In Italy, their flour has a different makeup, which is why this recipe calls for two types of American flour--this mixture approximates the amount of gluten in Italian flour.
I know the rise time seems excessive, but it really creates a much better depth of flavor than doughs that rely on sugar or honey to feed the yeast and speed up the rising process. Plus, even though you must start the dough 6-8 hrs. before you need it, it requires very little actual effort on your part.
That said, I know it is a commitment. But I cannot stress this enough: it is worth it!
To accompany the pizza, may I offer my very favorite pizza sauce recipe? Here it is:
Pizza Sauce
1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed well (either use your hands or a food processor or blender)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano (or more--use according to preference)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes (be careful not to scorch the garlic). Add the tomatoes, and season with kosher salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add oregano before you apply to pizza--the oregano can get bitter if you add it too early.
I also like to let the sauce cool before I use it. Very often, I will make it while I am letting the Kitchen Aid do that first half-hour knead. Then it's done, and I can stash it in the fridge until I need it. Then, when it's pizza-making time, I have one less thing to do.
Can you make pizza with a quicker dough and bottled pizza sauce? Sure. In fact, if you use the preheated stone, it will probably not be bad. But for a truly great pizza experience, give this recipe a try sometime!
As a bonus, here's my favorite pizza variation--Abe doesn't like tomatoes, so Charis and I eat an entire one of these pizzas by ourselves. Oh, pizza needs to go on my Menu Plan soon!
Margherita Pizza
(first made in honor of Queen Margherita, it was intended to showcase the colors of the Italian flag--red tomatoes, white cheese, and green basil.)
Pizza Dough, stretched to desired size and shape
Fresh tomatoes, sliced thin and drained on paper towels
Fresh mozzarella
Basil, dried, or fresh basil, chopped finely
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Brush pizza dough with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Arrange tomatoes in a single layer. No need to be precise.
If using dried basil, sprinkle over the tomatoes now. (If you're using fresh, wait...)
Cover with fresh mozzarella (or you can use pre-shredded, it's just not quite as good)
Bake at 550 for 6-8 minutes.
If using fresh basil, scatter over the pizza immediately after you remove it from the oven.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Authentic Garlic Bread
I first tried this when Judah was a brand-new baby. I was nursing, and Judah had developed quite an intolerance for dairy--in fact, I couldn't so much as butter a piece of toast without having to endure hours of uncomfortable wailing (and that was from Abe). Well, Giada di Laurentiis showed me how to do this, and while I was dubious about its "amazing flavor," I decided to give it a try.
Its only ingredients are bread, oilve oil, and a whole garlic clove, so I doubted it would taste as good as its butter-soaked couterparts. It is, indeed, a very different breed, but no less tasty. And as testament to that fact, I am happily enjoying a couple of slices of this toasty beauty for breakfast this morning.
Authentic Garlic Bread
Good, crusty bread
Olive Oil
1-2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
Preheat the oven to 375.
Slice the bread about 1/4-1/2 in. thick. Arrange on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil. Bake for about 7 minutes, then flip the bread so both sides will have a chance to get crusty. Bake for another 7 minutes, or until the bread has reached your desired level of toastiness.
Remove from the oven, and immediately begin rubbing the garlic cloves on the toasted bread.
Then devour.
It's that easy! For an even easier trick, I have also found the rub-with-garlic trick to be effective after toasting bread in a conventional toaster, so if you're short on time or energy and don't have a whole loaf to toast, a toaster works just fine--no need to heat up your oven.
Its only ingredients are bread, oilve oil, and a whole garlic clove, so I doubted it would taste as good as its butter-soaked couterparts. It is, indeed, a very different breed, but no less tasty. And as testament to that fact, I am happily enjoying a couple of slices of this toasty beauty for breakfast this morning.
Authentic Garlic Bread
Good, crusty bread
Olive Oil
1-2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
Preheat the oven to 375.
Slice the bread about 1/4-1/2 in. thick. Arrange on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil. Bake for about 7 minutes, then flip the bread so both sides will have a chance to get crusty. Bake for another 7 minutes, or until the bread has reached your desired level of toastiness.
Remove from the oven, and immediately begin rubbing the garlic cloves on the toasted bread.
Then devour.
It's that easy! For an even easier trick, I have also found the rub-with-garlic trick to be effective after toasting bread in a conventional toaster, so if you're short on time or energy and don't have a whole loaf to toast, a toaster works just fine--no need to heat up your oven.
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