My diary of Greek, Italian, German, French and .. cuisine

All the dishes are cooked and eaten by us, I try to give the references for the recipes or the inspiration to make it. Some are my own creation, probably based on or later developed by somebody else's idea, I apologize if I didn't reference you.

February 21

Pasta Bolognese

Wine Pairing: F. Stephan Millier, 2021 Black Label Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi

Bolognese Ragu is one of my favorites to make. It goes with many pasta, including lasagne,although when I was cooking it at the Seminar for complex systems in Klosters, Ch., in 1983, Annelise, an Italien student, asked what I am making. I said "Spaghetti Bolognese", and she respondet "I don't know Spaghetti Bolognese, but there is macceroni Bolognese.". The closest to Italian macceroni (long tubes, not the horns used in macceroni and cheese) I could find in the US (or make) is bucatini.

The Accademia Italiana Della Cuchina recently updated the recipe for Ragu Bolognese, it now allows up to 20 % of pork in the minced meat, pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes and tomato paste, red or white wine, and the addition of chicken liver, Salsiccia, cooked peas, mushrooms, and only nutmeg, pepper and salt as spices. (https://www.accademiaitalianadellacucina.it/it/ricette/ricetta/rag%C3%B9-classico-bolognese ). I always like to be more creative, using what's in the fridge. Items not allowed are marked with a *

Ingredients

About 450g (1 lb) ground beef with some pork (I’ve also used some veal in there*). You can also use some Salsiccia (Italian sausage) meat instead of pork.
240 g (8 oz) pork pancetta, finely chopped (can be skipped too)
About 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
1-2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1-2 celery stalks or celery roots (or parsley roots*), trimmed and finely chopped
250 ml (1 cup) of red or white wine
250 ml (1 cup) of vegetable or chicken broth (or just water)
800g (1 lb 12 oz, a large can) crushed (San Marzano) tomatoes (I like the tomato taste; the original uses less tomatoes, or even passata, the strained tomatoes)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped*
2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped*
1-2 bay leaves*
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sugar*, salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Add olive oil and the pancetta to a heavy pan or cast-iron pot and cook over medium heat until the pancetta has melted.
Add the finely chopped root vegetables ( I prefer onions first) and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and caramelized.
Some just add the meat, I prefer to remove the pancetta and vegetables with a slotted spoon, up the heat a little, and cook the meet (preferable in small portions) until sizzling and browned, about 10 minutes making sure you break up all the lumps with a wooden spoon. You could do this forst as well, setting the meat aside.
Add the vegetables back in, together with the garlic, oregano, 1-2 bay leaves, and tomato paste, cook a few minutes while stirring.
Pour in the wine and cook until its almost evaporated, stirring to make sure everything from the bottom is dissolved.
Now add the broth as well as the tomatoes, stir and bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes.
7Add pepper and salt, and probably some sugar to break the tomato acid to taste (don’t burn your mouth) and continue to let it simmers for another 1-2 hours.
If you use it as a ragu for pasta, or for pre-fab lasagna sheets, you can add chicken broth or water to make it more liquid. For home-made lasagna pasta, keep it more solid without it burning or drying up.

As pasta, you can use 450 g / 1 lb (for 4-6 people) spaghetti, tagliatelle, bucatini, or penne. Serve it with grated Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese.

February 20

Quiche with Leeks and Goat Cheese

Quiche is a great " what to cook, do we have any veggies ?" recipe, anything can be a quiche as long as you have eggs, butter and flour. And the quiche dough, (I compared at least 6 recipes), is pretty easy. Don't use eggs in the dough! This one is with leeks (traditional) and goat cheese.

Wine pairing: Scott Peterson ROX of the Andes 2022 Cabernet Savignon

Ingredients

For the crust:

1.5 cups (200 g) flour
1 cup (100 g) butter
4 tablespoons (60 ml ) water
salt

For the topping:

3 large leeks, cut into thin slices

1 cup pancetta, cubed

1 cup goat cheese

3 tbsp olive oil

Preparation

After comparing the quiche dough recipes, I found that the perfect ratio is 1.5 cups of flout to 1 cup of butter (= 1 stick) or 200 g flour to 100 g butter (that's not to be taken too accurate). Don't use egg (we tried, doesn't become crispy) , and be careful on the water, 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) for 1.5 cups of flour at the max.

I like to cut the butter, fresh from the fridge, into small cubes , within the flour so they don't stick to each other, then incorporate the water and knead until its a smooth dough, about 5 min.

Butter a French quiche dish ( 9", might need more dough for a larger) , and roll the dough, on a floured surface, until its about 1" above the diameter of the dish. Lay the dough plate into the dish, knead the edgo to the edges , and cut the parts above the dish's edges off with a kife. Use some of the cut-offs to repair the parts when it didn't reach the edge. Use a fork to make 10 - 15 fork stitches into the bottom.

Many recipes call for the dough to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge before you do that. Its easier to do it the otherr way around, let the dough in the dish rest in the fridge for 30 - 60 minutes, or what I found even better, put it in teh freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).

Once the resting time is over and the oven is hot, blind bake the dough for 10 - 15 minutes: cover the crust tightly with aluminum foil or parchment paper and fill it with dry beans. We found that blind baking makes the quiche so much better.

Now for the "topping", any vegetable works, endive, fennel, onions, peppers, asparagus, you name it. Add some pancetta or ham, choose some cheese (or not) and you have a quiche.

Cut the leeks into thin slices (discard the leaves where they separate, wash it very well).

In a hot frying pan, fry the the pancetta in a (nonstick) pan in olive oil until crisp, 5- 10 minutes. Set aside and, in the same pan, saute the leeks for about 10 minutes. Add the pancetta. (I crumbled the goat cheese into the pan and mixed, which mixes it with the leek. If you want the goatchees crumbles, you can add them later).

Beat the eggs with the cream and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Arrange the topping on the pre-baked crust, and top it with crumbles of the goat cheese (are any other cheese you like).

Pour in egg-cream mixture (you could also add some gratedcheese li ke parmeggiano here) and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown

February 19

Lohikeitto (Finnish Salmon Soup)

We had this soup (the first time for me) at the Gumbostrand Konst & Form (https://konstoform.fi/) , an art center near Helsinki which includes an art gallery, a design store and a bistro focusing on Scandinavian classics.

We cooked this following the (almost identical) recipes of Sue (https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/finnish-salmon-soup-lohikeitto-recipe/) and Geraldine (https://lacuisinedegeraldine.fr/en/finnish-salmon-soup-lohikeitto).

Ingredients

- 1 lb ( 400-500 g) skin-on salmon filet
- 1 lb (400-500 g) russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1-3 leeks, trimmed, sliced, and well rinsed
- 1-3 carrots, sliced
- 5 cups (1.2 l) of fish stock (see preparation)
- 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup/ bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- about 1/4 tsp allspice, some lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Remove the skin (reserve) from the salmon and cut the salmon into largish chunks.
Melt the butter in a soup pot and sauté the leeks for about 10 minutes until soft.
Add the fish broth to the pan with the leeks, along with the potatoes, carrots, and half of the fresh dill. Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes until the potatoes are just tender.
10 minutes before serving, add the salmon chunks and cream. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until the salmon is cooked. The cream should not boil. Close the lid and wait another 5 minutes.
Finish adding the fresh dill, black pepper and a drizzle of lemon juice to taste.

If you don't have fish broth:

The easy way is to boil the reserved fish skin in a saucepan with water, simmer for 10-15 minutes, and strain.

Or you make it by getting some fish bones at the store, saute leek, carrots, celery, degalce with white wine, add the fish bones, cook for about an hour, and strain (https://www.seriouseats.com/fish-stock-fumet-recipe ).

February 16

Orecchiette alla Lorenzo

I cooked this for the first time with my friend Lorenzo from Trento, It., at the Seminar for complex systems in Klosters, Ch., in 1984 . It is a recipe from Puglia, and it became popular in the US in the last few years. Orecchiette is Italian for "little ears", referring to the shape of the past .

Ingredients

400 g / 1 lb Orecchiette (best made by hand, see below, or bought as fresh pasta)
1-2 bunches of Broccolini (shown here), Baby Broccoli, or (best) Rapini
1 onion, peeled and cut into coarse stripes
1 red, orange or yellow pepper, cut into thin stripes
2-4 Hot Italian pork sausages (salsiccia), optional
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 pepperoncino, finely chopped, or hot pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine or vegetable or chicken broth
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Shaved or grated Parmigiano or Pecorino to serve

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to boil, and add 2 tbsp. of salt.
In the meantime, wash and clean the vegetables, cut the thicker stems into ¾ inch pieces, and separate from the flowery parts.
I like salsiccia (italian sausage), so I usually add it. There are different ways, all good. Since I like the taste of the cooked Salsicca better than when fried raw, I add the Salsiccia to the boiling water and let cook for 10 min. In case you use a frozen Salsiccia (I often do), cook for 15 minutes. Take the Salsiccia out , rinse under cold water, remove the skin and cut into ¼ inch slices. If you use a raw Salsiccia, you also can peel it and cut it into slices, or just use the crumbled meat itself .
If you use raw salsiccia, add olive oil to a large pan or cast-iron pan, add the sausage slices or minced meat and fry for 10-15 minutes over medium heat until crispy. Transfer the salsiccia with a slotted spoon into a bowl and discard the oil.
In the meantime, blanch the vegetables in the boiling water, first the thicker stem parts for 3 minutes, then add the leaves and flower, let cook for about 5-8 minutes until bright green and not wilted. Remove the vegetables and keep them in a bowl.
Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta, about 1-2 minutes less that what the package says, in the green vegetable water. They will be finish cooking in the sausage-rapini sauce.
Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan and heat at medium heat. Add the onions, let saute for 3 minutes, then add the peppers, garlic, and pepperoncini and cook, stirring constantly, until softened. Add the salsiccia and stir.
Deglaze with the wine or broth a few minutes before the pasta are done.
Once the pasta are done, return the vegetables to the pasta water and transfer pasta and vegetables to the pan with a skimmer. Add some Pasta water and let cook for another 2-5 minutes until you have a creamy layer of sauce on the pan floor.
Serve with shaved or grated Parmigiano or Pecorino

Homemade Orecchiette

From 400 g (1 3/4 cups) fine Semolino flour, 200 ml (3/4 cup) warm water, and a teaspoon of salt make a smooth dough bu kneading it for about 5 minutes.

Let it rest in the covered bowl for 20-30 minutes.

Divide it into 6-8 pieces and roll them into 1 cm thick (pinky finger) rolls. Cut these into 1 cm wide pieces.

Press a knife down the far edge of a piece and drag it at a 45 degree angle towards you, so it curls over the knife. Gently pull the dough off the knife and push your thumb inside, and turn it inside out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-FhKlzPvdI

Vicki Bennison ,Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook: The Secrets of Italy's Best Home Cooks, 2019

February 15

Timballo alla Terramano

Wine Pairing: F. Stephan Millier, 2021 Black Label Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi

Timballo alla Terramano was my favorite food at an Italian place in a strip mall in Laurel, MD, called Pasta Plus (don’t let the name deceive you). A neighbor in the marina, Salvatore from NYC, recommended Pasta Plus, claiming it was the best Italian food on the east coast, and we agree. Unfortunately, they closed over Covid, but you can still watch them making Timballo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqO5riRIpUI&t=111s). It took me many views of the video and quite some research to copy the recipe.

There are many variations of pasta pies such as Timballo. The name comes from the Italian word for drum, since some were made in a round shape that looked like a kettle drum. This uses crepes instead of pasta.

The ingredients I used were the crepes (scrippelle), a very basic beef ragu (just fried ground beef), a tomato sauce, an egg wash (bagnata), mozzarella, and grated parmigiano or pecorino.

Scripelle (Crepes)

According to Nonna Igea: 1 egg, 1 egg-shell of water, 1 tbsp flour, salt.

For about 12 scipelle:

6 eggs
6 Tbs / 3/8 cup / 50 g flour
1.5 cups / 373 ml water
A pinch of salt

These crepes , scripelle, are different from french crepes, as they are more egg-crepes, with little flour. The recipe here is from Nonna Igea (https://www.vincenzosplate.com/how-to-make-homemade-crepes/), but most recipes are very close, with more liquid and/or a little more flour. Nonna Igea uses an empty eggshell to measure the water, since most eggs have about 1/4 cup of volume, I used that as a reference. Some scripelle recipes, for scripelle m'busse in broth, use less egg, more flour, and milk, more like french crepes.

Beat the eggs for about 5 minutes, and then add salt as well as the flour, slowly while beating to make it smooth without clumps. Then slowly add the water, stop if the batter seems to liquid.

Heat a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Poor some olive oil in a small plate and use a kitchen towel to wipe the skillet with the olive oil and spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into the center of the pan as you swirl the pan in a circular motion to make a very thin pancake. When the batter starts to bubble, use a thin spatula or knife to lift it up at the edges and then turn it over with your fingers. The cook a little more until you see it becoming lightly browned.

Tomato sauce:

1 onion
1 large can of crunched tomatoes
olive oil

The ‘ragu’:

1lb / 500 g of ground beef, olive oil:

Bagnata:

2 eggs, 4 tbsp of milk

Assembly

8 oz/250 Mozzarella Cheese (fresh), 1 cup Grated Parmigiano

In a saucepan, sauté the minced onion in abundant olive oil until soft and translucent.
Add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt.
Simmer for about 15 – 30 minutes

In a large pan, heat 3- 4 tbsp of olive oil
Fry the ground beef, making sure there are no larger clumps, until it's crispy.
Add some pepper and salt

In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together until smooth

Directions

I (as well as the chefs at Pasta Plus) cut the Mozzarella cheese into small (1/4”/5 mm) cubes (if you don’t use grated mozzarella) and mix it thoroughly with the cold ground meat – this. way you get a homogeneous distribution of cheese.

Start by coating a casserole (7.5"x10" or 8.5 x12") with butter, and spread some of the tomato sauce on the bottom.
Then lay the scrippelle to cover the bottom, and have them hang over the sides , you will use them at the end to “close” the package.
Spread some of the mozzarella/beef mixture, tomato sauce, and a few tablespoons of the bagnata
Cover with scrippelle (just the sauce) and repeat until your ingredients are used up, at least 5 layers
Leave some of the tomato sauce for the top and to serve.
Before you cover the last layer, flip the sides from the start back in, cover the top, and cover with tomato sauce. Spread some grated Parmigiano on top.
Bake the timballo at (180C/350F) for about 45 minutes to an hour, until golden brown on top. Let it rest for about 15-20 minutes before serving. Serve with the rest of the tomato sauce.

February 14 (Valentines Day)

Green Pepper Tenderloin Sous Vide

Crepes Grosseille

Wine Pairing: Francis Lechauve, 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin

Beef Tenderloin Sous Vide with Green Pepper Sauce

For the Tenderloin, the important number is 2 hours in the sous vide , at 130 o F. This will give you an perfect medium-rare steak.

When done, open the bag and collect the liquid in a skillet, fry the tenderloin in butter at high heat for tens of seconds, take the meat out, deglace with Cognac (or something like that), add cream and green peppercorns and let simmer for a few minutes.

Sides of smashed potatoes (didn't cook the potatoes enough) and green beans.

Crepes Groseille

I used the left-over crepes from the day before (wrapped in plastic foil , kept in the fridge).

Heat a tablespoon of butter in a skillet. Spread some apricot jam on the crepes, put them in the skillet (jam up), and let them worm up for 30 s. Pour a shot of orange liqueur (Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or just Triple Sec like I did) into the pan, and when it boils light it with a lighter (don't have to) . Fold in half twice to make it a triangle.

In a small pan, caramelize a tbsp of sugar, add the red currants ( grosseile rouge in French- Maya just happened to find at the store), pour in 2 tbsp of the orange liqueur, let cook 30 s and then pour over the crepes.

February 13

Crepes with Spinach, Cinnamon Apple Bread

French Crepes

Crepes , or the German " Pfannkuchen" or Austrian "Palatschinken" are made from 4 ingredients, eggs, water and/or milk, flour and salt (and sometimes some liquid butter) , but the distribution of them varies. I like the one from Anina (https://lechefswife.com/easy-french-crepes-recipe/) who says it's as easy as 1,2,3: 1 cup flour, 2 cups milk, 3 eggs. That makes about 10-12 crepes, and its easy to remember. In my research for the best crepe recipe, I found that this ratio for the liquid (milk, maybe some sparkling water) is close in every recipe, while the flour can go from 1 to 1.5 cups up to 2. You can add 1-2 tbsp. of liquid butter, some nutmeg , lemon zest, or some vanilla extract and sugar for sweeter crepes).

Now for the German " Pfannkuchen" or Austrian "Palatschinken", they tend to use less milk and more flour. Alfons Schubeck, a Bavarian chef, uses 1.5 cups of milk, 1 cup of flour, and 2 tbsp. of liquid butter for 3 eggs. Most other recipes use the same or a little less amount of milk, or a milk/sparkling water mixture with 1 - 2 cups of flour.

I like to beat the flour with either some eggs or some liquid first to make it a smooth batter with no clumps, and the add the butter (if) and the rest of the eggs and milk to make it a smooth batter.

Important is some quiet time for the batter, at least 1/2 hour at room temperature (cover it) or even longer up to a whole night in the fridge. This allows the gluten to connect and make the crepes to hold together.

Heat a nonstick skillet on medium heat, butter it -I like to use a kitchen towel that i rub in butter (or olive oil for savory ) to coat the skillet - and spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into the center of the pan as you swirl the pan in a circular motion to make a very thin pancake. When the batter starts to bubble, I use a thin spatula or knife to lift it up at the edges and then turn it over with my fingers. The cook a little more until you see it becoming lightly browned.

For the spinach, Maya melted some butter in a large pot on medium heat, added some diced garlic and the spinach leaves, poured some cream over them, and let it sautée for 3 -5 minutes until all the spinach is soft and fully cooked.

I did heat some butter in a skillet at medium heat, added some chopped onions and sliced white mushrooms and let the sautée until the were lightly brown, the poured some cream over them an dlet them cook a little longer.

For dinner, just put the spinach or mushrooms on your crepes and roll them up

Cinnamon Apple Bread

(From https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/maggie-austins-apple-bread/)

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated sugar (It's too much, less next time)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cup (180 milliliters) vegetable oil
2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose (I used whole wheat) flour
4 medium apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced, then cut into pieces (I ended up using 5 medium apples)
1 1/2 cups (180 grams) coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

It was excellent, but a little too sweet

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I used a small french baking dish (6"x8") which I buttered up, and a silicone muffin pan. It's enough for 2 81/2x41/2 loaves
In the mixing bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, allspice, salt, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs and oil until well incorporated. Stir in the flour just until no dry spots remain, to form a stiff batter, then fold in the apples and nuts; the mixture will look more like coated apples and nuts than like cake batter.
Fill the dish and the muffin pan and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each loaf comes out clean. The tops will be firm and browned.

February 11

Pizza

Wine Pairing: 2022 Hugl Zweigelt

Flatten the dough on parchment paper

Stretch the dough with the fists to about 10 " diameter

Add the toppings and the cheese and put on the pizza stone

Perfect Pizza

The pizza dough from yesterday turned out perfect: I let it go over night, split it and put it in the fridge in the morning, took it out at 2 pm, back in the fridge for 30 min at 60 pm. was able - look at the pics - to stretch the dough with my fist, got two perfect round 10" pizzas.

For the tomato sauce I melted a medium size finely sliced onion, use a large can of san Marzano crushed tomatoes which I had strained before adding it to the onions, cooked it (don't forget salt and pepper) for 30 min.

I put the dough on flowered parchment paper and started adding the pizza toppings.

On the pizza we put sauce, and a half each of tomato slices and mozzarella slices; pepperocini , red bell pepper slices, artichoke hearts , onion rings, and grated Italian cheese; jamon serrano ham, sliced white mushroom and grated Italian cheese; and jamon serrano ham, artichoke hearts , pepperocini, onion rings and grated italian cheese.

We heated to stove to 550 F with the pizza stone, after it was hot, we waited 30 minutes. We put in the pizza for 7 minutes (2 more than recipe asked for) , and added 2 minutes of broil (which I think you can skip). You see the results above, turned out very good.

February 10

Caramelized Fennel Pasta

Overnight Pizza dough according to Ken Forkish (Flour Water Salt Yeast)

Caramelized Fennel Pasta

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025581-caramelized-fennel-pasta

Ingredients

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
3 whole fennel bulbs, trimmed, bulbs and green stalks thinly sliced, fronds finely chopped
Salt
1 cup pinot grigio
12 ounces long pasta, such as spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine
1⅓ cups/ 5 ounces finely grated Parmesan

Source: NYT

Preparation

In a large pot over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Adjust heat to high and add the thinly sliced fennel bulbs and stalks. Season with a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is soft and golden brown with dark brown edges, for 25 minutes. As you’re cooking the fennel, deglaze the pot with ¼ cup of wine every 6 minutes or so, whenever you see dark spots developing on the bottom of the pan. Adjust heat as needed.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta for 3 minutes less than what the package directions call for, until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water then drain the pasta.

When the fennel has thoroughly caramelized in the pot, add the chopped fennel fronds, the pasta and 1 cup of pasta water over medium heat. Sprinkle half of the grated Parmesan over the pasta. Toss everything to combine, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 cup of pasta water and the remaining grated Parmesan. Toss everything for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta. Serve immediately.

I did add 1/2 Italian sausage, shredded and fried after 2/3 ds of the time, and replaced pinot grigio with Vermouth Dry, Grappa and some Water

Was ok, tasted good, had it caramelize too long which took out the Fennel taste totally

Overnight Pizza dough according to Ken Forkish (Flour Water Salt Yeast)

https://the-cooking-of-joy.blogspot.com/2013/06/ken-forkishs-same-day-straight-pizza.html

250 g (about 1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour

175 g (about 3/4 cups) warm water, 90-95°F

5 g (about 2 teaspoons) kosher salt

0.5 g (about 1/8 teaspoon) instant dried yeast

Images 1 to 6 clockwise from top left

Preparation

Place the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the warm water in a small bowl and set aside (Img 1)
Combine the flour and remaining warm water in a large bowl
Mix by hand until just incorporated. (Img 2)
Cover and let rest for 20-30 minutes.
After it has rested, sprinkle the salt over the dough.
Stir the yeast mixture with your finger, then pour over the dough. Use a small piece of dough to wipe the remaining yeast goop from the small bowl, then add it back to the rest of the dough. (Img 3)
Mix by hand, wetting your working hand before mixing so the dough doesn't stick to you (Img 4) . I used a stand up mixer to knead the dough, it really only takes me a few minutes. Once all the ingredients have been fully incorporated, and you can't feel the grains of salt in the dough, cover and let rest.
After 30-60 minutes, apply a fold to the dough to help develop the gluten (Img 5) and lightly coat the dough and the bottom of the bowl with olive oil to help prevent sticking (Img 6)
Cover and let rest until the dough is about double its original volume, about 6 hours after mixing.
Moderately flour a work surface. With floured hands, gently ease the dough out of the bowl onto the work surface in a somewhat even shape.
Dust the entire top of the dough with flour, then cut it into 2 equal-size pieces.
Cradle the dough in both hands and gently stretch the dough from the top towards the sides and then under, rotating several times so that there is a nice, tight, even tension around the dough ball. Try not to degas the dough while doing this.
At this point I transfer each ball of dough to its own sandwich bag, dribble in a little olive oil to coat, and let it rest in the fridge overnight, up to 2 days. If you want to use it that day, let it rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes and then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to make the dough easier to shape.
When you're ready to use the pizza dough, place a pizza stone in the upper portion of your oven (about 8" below the broiler) and preheat to 600°F or as high as your oven can go (mine only goes to 550°F). After it has preheated, continue heating the pizza stone for another 30 minutes.
Cover a peel or cutting board with parchment paper and lightly flour. Remove the dough ball from the fridge and put it on the floured parchment paper. Gently pat it down a bit to coat the bottom with flour. Leaving about 1"of the outer rim undeflated, punch down the middle, then flip the dough over and repeat.
Using both hands, grab the rim and lift the dough so it hangs down vertically. Let gravity pull the rest of the dough down and stretch it. Run the rim between your hands, working all the way around the circumference of the dough several times. Start stretching the rim between your hands while continuing to turn the dough, still letting the bottom of the dough pull down, expanding the surface. Keep a close eye on the thickness of the dough; you want it thin, but you don't want it to tear or develop holes.
Spread the dough on the floured parchment paper and run your hands around the perimeter to shape it into a round and work out the kinks. Top the pizza with your desired toppings.
I had it rest (after Img 6) for more like 12 hours (overnight), in the morning it was doubled and I cut it in two and continued as suggested.

February 9 - Super Bowl LIX

Buffalo Wings and Gorgozola Dressing

(https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/buffalo-wings/)

This is just the best recipe for buffalo wings, we make them every year the same way

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken wings (drumettes and flats)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch
Neutral oil, for frying
3/4 cup Frank's RedHot Cayenne Pepper Sauce
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Blue cheese dressing (see below) for serving
Carrot sticks for serving (Celery sticks optional)

Home-made Blue-Cheese Dressing

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 ounces (60g) crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch fine sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Milk, optional, to thin out the dressing

Directions

Pat the wings dry. In a large bowl, toss together the wings, garlic powder, salt and pepper until the seasonings are evenly distributed. Add the potato starch or cornstarch, and toss until the wings are evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to help the coating adhere.
Meanwhile, add enough oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot to come 2 inches up the sides and set it over medium-high heat. Heat until a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer registers 350 degrees. Place a wire rack over a sheet pan or line a tray with layers of towels and set it near your work area.
Give the wings another toss or two to refresh the starch coating, shake off any excess starch from the wings, carefully add them to the oil in 2 batches.
Fry, occasionally turning the wings with a spider to promote even cooking, and adjusting the heat as needed so that the oil doesn't drop below 325 degrees, until the wings are cooked through and have started to get crispy, about 12 minutes.
Transfer the wings with a spider to the prepared wire rack or tray. Repeat with the remaining wings.
Starting with the first batch, return them to the oil and fry until extra-crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a spider, return the wings to the wire rack or tray. Repeat with the remaining wings and let the last batch rest for 2 minutes before saucing.
While the wings are frying, in a small or medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the hot sauce and butter and heat until the butter has melted, about 2 minutes; whisk until combined.
In a large bowl, toss the wings with the sauce until evenly coated. Transfer to a platter along with the dressing, carrot and/or celery sticks, if desired, and serve.

Blue-Cheese Dressing

(https://www.inspiredtaste.net/38290/blue-cheese-dressing/)

Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, blue cheese, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and stir until well blended and creamy. Use the back of a spoon to press some of the blue cheese crumbles into the sauce for even more flavor.

February 8

Bayerischer Nusszopf

This is something we had almost every weekend when we grew up (without the nuts). I've made King Cake once with Sam's Sweet Bread Dough (https://sugarspunrun.com/king-cake-recipe/#recipe), and it came out wonderful, since then that is the sweet-bread dough recipe I use.

Ingredients

1 cup (236 ml) milk
⅓ cup water
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
5 Tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter melted
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons table salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
5 cups (625 g) all-purpose flour plus additional as needed

Filling

2 cups (300 g) roughly ground Walnuts (or Hazelnuts)
1 cup raisins
½ cup (100 g) light or dark brown sugar
3/4 cup (150 ml) heavy cream
2 tbsp of vanilla extract
1 tbsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Egg wash

1 large egg
1 teaspoon water

Lemon glaze

1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

Combine milk and water and heat in the microwave until the temperature reads between 105-115F (40-46C) with an instant read thermometer
Pour liquid into a the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, add yeast and a teaspoon of the granulated sugar and stir until combined. Allow to sit until yeast is foamy (5-10 minutes). Note that if your yeast doesn't foam you will need to start over.
Add remaining granulated sugar, melted butter, egg, egg yolks, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 2 cups (250g) of the flour and stir until all ingredients are well-combined.
Gradually stir in additional flour until your dough is well-combined and clinging to itself as you mix. It should be slightly tacky to the touch but not so sticky that it’s sticking to your fingers. You may not need all 5 cups of flour, or you may need more.
Turn dough out to a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes or until you have achieved a smooth, elastic dough. Add additional flour as needed if dough is sticking to your hands.
Place dough in a clean, lightly oiled large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm, draft-free space until doubled in size (about 1-2 hours).
Prepare the Filling: In a bowl, mix the nuts, raisins, sugar, cream,and vanilla extract to a smooth paste.
Gently deflate dough and turn out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Split into 3 even parts

Do the following for each part:

Roll each into a neat 10×7” rectangle.
Spread 1/3 of the filling evenly over the surface of the rectangle, leaving a ½” (1 cm) perimeter around all sides.
Roll the rectangle lengthwise tightly into a rope and pinch the edges to make a seam.

Once all 3 are done, twist the three ropes together at one end and start braiding them. Twist them together at the end as well.
Transfer the braid to a buttered baking dish.
Cover with a towel and allow to rise until increased in size, about 45 minutes.

Baking

While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare an egg wash by whisking together 1 egg and a teaspoon of water.
Once dough has risen, remove towel and lightly brush all over with egg wash. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until bread is golden brown, or preferably when a thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 190F (87C).
Prepare glaze by whisking together powdered sugar and lemon juice, making sure that the glaze is not too liquid. With a baking brush, coat th worm bread with the lemon glaze.

February 7

Orecchiette con le Cime di Rapa

https://www.seriouseats.com/orecchiette-con-le-cime-di-rapa

Very similar to Orecchiette alla Lorenzo, using anchovies instead ot salsiccia.

Ingredients

For the Breadcrumbs:

- Breadcrumbs
- 1 garlic clove (5g), minced
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Pasta:

- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 4 anchovy fillets (5g)
- 3 garlic cloves (15g), minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 12 ounces (340g) dried orecchiette
- 1 pound (450g) broccoli rabe (rapini), leaves and florets picked from stalks, stalks discarded

Directions

- For the Breadcrumbs: Combine breadcrumbs, garlic, and 2 tablespoons (30ml) oil in a large skillet, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring and tossing occasionally, until crisp and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer toasted breadcrumbs to reserved rimmed baking sheet, spread into an even layer, and set aside to cool to room temperature. Wipe out skillet.
- For the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup (60ml) oil, anchovies, and garlic in now-empty skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring and breaking up anchovies occasionally with a wooden spoon, until anchovies have dissolved and garlic has softened and is just beginning to turn lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and continue to cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat.
- Add broccoli rabe to boiling water and cook, stirring frequently to keep submerged, until floret stems are barely tender and leaves have softened, about 1 minute. Using a spider skimmer, fine-mesh strainer, or large slotted spoon, drain rabe while keeping boiling water in the pot; transfer rabe to a plate and set aside.

- Add orecchiette to boiling water and cook, stirring frequently for first 30 seconds to prevent pasta from sticking. Once pasta has cooked for 5 minutes, transfer 1 cup (240ml) of pasta cooking water to skillet; continue cooking pasta. Return skillet to high heat and bring to a boil, swirling pan and stirring constantly until cooking water emulsifies with olive oil-anchovy mixture, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low while pasta finishes cooking to prevent liquid from over-reducing.
- Meanwhile, continue cooking pasta until it is softened on the exterior, but well shy of al dente and still uncooked in the center (about 3 minutes less than the package directions). Using a spider skimmer, transfer pasta to skillet along with reserved broccoli rabe. Alternatively, drain pasta using a colander or fine-mesh strainer, making sure to reserve at least 2 cups (475ml) pasta cooking water.
- Increase heat to high and cook, stirring and tossing rapidly, until pasta is al dente and sauce is thickened and coats noodles, 2 to 3 minutes, adding more pasta cooking water in 1/4 cup (60ml) increments as needed. At this point, the sauce should just pool around the edges of the pan; it will continue to tighten up in the time it takes to plate and serve, so make sure it's a little looser than the ideal serving consistency. Season with salt to taste.
- Remove from heat, divide pasta between individual serving bowls, drizzle generously with olive oil, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and serve right away.

February 2

Torta Caprese

https://giadzy.com/blogs/recipes/torta-caprese-giada-de-laurentiis

Ingredients

5 large eggs separated
1 cup / 230 g granulated sugar
1.5 cups / 10 oz / 280 grams bittersweet chocolate, about 1.5 cups if chips
1 cup/ 8 oz / 230 g softened unsalted butter
1.5 cups / 340 grams super-fine almond flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
powdered sugar for dusting

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Put the chocolate and the butter into a glass or metal bowl and cook over a double boiler until completely melted. Set aside and let cool.
Add the egg whites and 1/4 of the sugar to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whip on high speed until stiff peaks are formed, about 2-3 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator.
Add the yolks and remaining sugar to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until light, pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the almond flour until combined, then fold in the chocolate and vanilla extract until combined.
Lastly, in 2 batches, fold in the chilled meringue until combined.
Prepare a 10” springform pan with butter and cocoa powder (The recipe asks for a 9" springform, my 9" french tarte dish turned out a little too small for the amount of batter)
Pour the batter into the buttered pan and bake at 350° for 40 to 42 minutes.
Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar.

Giadzy also has a white chocolate Caprese I should try: https://giadzy.com/blogs/recipes/lemon-torta-caprese-giada-de-laurentiis

Leipziger Apfelkuchen

One of the standards of my childhood, known also as "Apfelkuchen sehr fein (Dr. Oetker)" or "versunkener Apfelkuchen" (sunken apple cake). This recipe is translated from Emmi (https://emmikochteinfach.de/einfacher-apfelkuchen-gelingt-immer/#wprm-recipe-container-23173 )

Ingredients

4-5 apples, peeled, cored and quartered
2 tbsp lemon juice (for the apples)
150 g (10 tbsp or or 1 1/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
150 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
150 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 175C or 350F.
Butter an 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper - I like to take a french baking dish, doesn't require paper
Place the granulated sugar, the lemon zest, and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, beating until light and increased in volume.
In the meantime, thinly slice the apple quarters almost to the core, taking care not to cut through, leaving the quarter intact.
Toss the apples with the lemon juice from the same lemon you just zested. Cover and set aside.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter and sugar mixture, scraping down the sides after each addition.
Add the vanilla extract and the lemon juice.
Reduce the speed and fold in the flour in two additions.
Pour the batter into the pan, and place the apple quarters, sliced side up around the perimeter and in the centre.
Bake for 55-65 minutes until it passes the skewer test.
While warm, run a small offset spatula or a knife around the sides to release the cake if needed.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar

Best Tart Apples for Baking:

Granny Smith (in my opinion, this is the best overall apple for baking)
Braeburn (a sweet-tart variety)
Jonathan
Pacific Rose
Cortland (slightly tart)

Best Sweet Apples for Baking:

Jazz
Pazazz
Honeycrisp
Pink Lady
Jonagold
Fuji
Rome

Corzetti Pasta

Corzetti Pasta with Osso Bucco sauce

We had sauce left from osso bucco the day before, so we used it to try the Corzetti pasta stamps I just had gotten.

For the corzetti pasta

300 g all purpose flour ('00' flower is too fine)
50ml white wine (1/4 cup) If your dough seems dry add a bit of tepid water. You can also use only water.
3 egg yolks
1 pinch salt
Recipe is from my favorite pasta blog: https://www.the-pasta-project.com/homemade-corzetti-pasta-with-marjoram-pine-nuts/

Preparation

I learned pasta dough is easier made by hand:

Sift the flour on a pastry board, make a large well in it and put the egg yolks and wine. Mix the ingredients a little with a fork, bringing a little flour towards the center and then knead for about ten minutes.

Form your dough into a ball and let it rest for at least half an hour at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap.

Use the pasta machine to generate the pasta plates, not too thin (1 mm).

Use one of the stamps to cut out the circles from the pasta dough. Now put the circle on the bottom stamp, and press the stamp with the handle on top. Remove the pasta from the stamp onto a floured kitchen towel.

Cook the pasta medallions in a pot of boiling water (with some salt and a tbsp of olive oil) a few at a time ( Don’t put more than 20 corzetti in the pot together and aim for 10- 12 per person). Once they rise to the surface let them continue cooking for 3-4 minutes. Make sure you check the pasta before you remove it from the water. Once it’s ready, remove with a slotted spoon and add to the sauce.

Place a pasta disc on the stamp

Press the stamps together

This is what they look like

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse