Olive & Sun-dried Tomato Fougasse

Olive & Sun-dried Tomato Fougasse

I love making bread.  I find it therapeutic – especially kneading the warm dough – as well as rewarding – the whole kitchen smells wonderful while baking (thank you, yeast!).  Additionally, the activity of kneading will give the baker a chance to work the upper body muscles, and gain some physical conditioning from the process as well!  OK - so there are a few more steps to making bread...but it really can be done!  So - give it a try.  It is worth it!!!

Pour 2/3 C warm water (105-115 degrees F) into a measuring cup, sprinkle 2 tsp instant yeast*, then 1 tsp sugar and stir.  Let stand until the yeast dissolves and mixture bubbles…about 10 minutes.  Add 1 C warm water and 4 Tb extra-virgin olive oil.

Bubbling yeast

Mix 4½ C Bread Flour** and 1½ tsp kosher salt in mixing bowl. Pour in yeast mixture.  If using a stand mixer, attach the dough hook; beat at med-low speed until flour is moistened but looks shaggy, about 4 minutes.  Increase speed to medium; beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and climbs the hook, for a minimum of 10 minutes. I usually use my mixer for 5-6 minutes of this time and do the rest by hand – I love the feel and texture of making bread. Sprinkle your work surface area with flour to knead. (It can be any smooth surface – but wood, marble or granite work best)

Dough hook and mixer with dough

Whether by machine or hand, kneading is one of the most important steps in bread making of any kind. This step more than any other will determine the outcome. It develops the flour’s gluten, or protein, into long, stretchy strings and traps the carbon dioxide bubbles released by the yeast as the dough rises. As the flour that makes up the dough is moistened and stirred, the gluten begins to form and also gains in strength as the dough is subjected to the kneading process. Gluten can be thought of as the binding agent within the dough, allowing the loaf to take on a cohesive texture that will allow the substance to not fall apart during baking. This also helps to make the bread fluffy. If you don’t knead enough then the bread will be too dense. If you knead too much then the gluten will get too tough which will make your bread tough.

Mix ½ C oil cured black olives (for example, kalamata olives), pitted and quartered, ½ C drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, 2 tsp grated lemon peel and 1 Tb minced fresh rosemary in a medium bowl. Add to dough and mix for 1 min.  Then, mix again, but only by hand, until thoroughly mixed throughout dough.

Dough with olives and sun-dried tomatoes

Lightly oil a large bowl with olive oil, put dough inside, brush top with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with bread flour.  Brush plastic wrap with oil, cover bowl, oiled side down, and let dough rise in a warm draft free area until at least doubled in size. (1-2 hours)

Rising dough and oil brushed pan

Gently turn dough several times with a spatula to deflate. Re-cover the bowl with oiled plastic, chill overnight.  Alternatively, line a 17x12-inch sheet pan with parchment paper and brush with olive oil. When you turn dough out – form into a rectangular shape, spray with olive oil on top, add sprinkling of bread flour and cover with oil sprayed plastic wrap. It is often easier to store a sheet pan in the refrigerator than a large bowl.

The next day, remove from the refrigerator. Divide dough into two equal pieces. Place one piece on a floured work surface; sprinkle with flour. Roll out dough to 12x8 or 12x9-inch rectangle, sprinkling with flour to keep it from sticking. Transfer dough to a baking sheet, which has been brushed with olive oil. Repeat with other piece.  Allow dough to sit and rest in draft-free area for 2-3 hours.

Dough in pans

Using a very sharp knife cut four 2-inch-long diagonal slashes just to the right of center of rectangle and 4 more just to left of center to create a pattern resembling leaf veins.  Pull slashes apart with fingertips to make ¾ to 1-inch wide openings. Repeat with remaining dough.  Cover both with warm towel. Let them rest 30 min or more. Beat 2 tsp water and 1 Tb olive oil in a small bowl to blend to make the glaze.

Dough with knife cuts

 Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 450 degree F. Gently brush fougasse with glaze; sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and pierce all over with a fork.

Bake fougasse 10 minutes. Can you smell it!!??  Reverse position of baking sheets and turn around.  Bake fougasses until golden, about 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with good quality finishing olive oil when it comes out of the oven.  Transfer to racks, cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.  It freezes beautifully if by some miracle it is not consumed immediately.

*Instant yeast = I prefer instant yeast as it is more concentrated than fresh or active dry yeast, and has a longer shelf life.  It can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for months or in the freezer for a year.

** Flour = Flour is the core of the bread – the body containing its heart and spirit. Wheat is the grain of choice, from which flour is milled. This is because wheat contains more gluten than other grains. In the US, cake flour has 6-7% gluten, pastry flour has 8-9% gluten, all-purpose flour has 10-11.5 % and bread flour has 11.5 – 13.5% gluten. Gluten is what determines the texture and taste of the bread. For those of you thinking about gluten free diets, please note that the illness caused by immune responses to gluten (celiac disease) is INCREDIBLY rare! Don’t worry about gluten unless your doctor tells you to avoid it.

Zucchini Patties with Feta

Zucchini patties with feta

A simple and tasty Mediterranean vegetarian entrée, side dish or appetizer can be assembled in less than an hour and cooked in 10 minutes.  Who wouldn’t love it?  Even those who are iffy with zucchini will find this flavor combination delectable.  I love to serve it with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt – so creamy and healthy to boot. Tzatziki, sour cream or crème fraiche would also work. You can adjust the size of the pattie and it becomes an entrée or a bite sized appetizer.  So versatile!

Cut off the two ends of 3-4 medium sized green zucchinis. Using a simple box grater, large hole side, coarsely grate the zucchinis. Toss with about 1 tsp of salt and let it rest in a colander in your sink or over a bowl.  Probably the most important part of this recipe is to get all the ingredients as dry as you can so it will quickly fry later (and not boil instead !) Let the grated zucchini stand in colander for at least 15 min – 30 is better.  Press out excess liquid.  I roll it up in a kitchen towel – which, of course, will need to be washed after but it sure gets that last bit of moisture out.

Grated zucchinis

 Place zucchini in a dry bowl, gently mix in 1 large whole egg, 1  large egg yolk, ½ C (or more) of fine bread crumbs or panko, ½ C crumbled feta cheese, 1 C chopped parsley, ½ C finely chopped green onions, and 1½ Tb chopped fresh dill. Other optional additions (which I love to add) are 2-3 minced garlic cloves, 2 -3 Tb chopped sundried tomatoes, and/or toasted pine nuts. If the batter is very wet, add more breadcrumbs or panko.

It is often useful to fry up a small amount at this time to test seasoning. Feta cheese is highly variable on its saltiness and you may need to add additional salt to the mixture before the final frying. (See below for discussion of the various feta cheeses)

Heat 2 Tb olive oil and 2 Tb corn oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop the batter by rounded tablespoons into skillet. Hint: Use a small ice cream scoop to get even measured spoonfuls. Fry the patties until golden, about 5 minutes per side, adding more olive oil and corn oil as needed.  Transfer to paper towels.  Keep it in a warm oven until served. Serve with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, Tzatziki, sour crème or crème fraiche.

Frying the patties to a golden brown

 This can be made one day ahead. Once fried, place on a baking sheet, cover and chill. Rewarm uncovered in a 350-degree oven for 12 – 15 minutes.

This would be excellent served with a Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Rose – or best yet, Champagne Rose!!!  But, then, everything goes with Champagne.

Regarding Feta: We have access to a wide variety of feta cheeses. Feta is salted and cured in a brine solution for several months.  When removed from the brine, it dries out rapidly.  The degree of saltiness relates to its preparation as well as source. It was initially made with goat or sheep’s milk. However in the US, much is often produced commercially with pasteurized cow’s milk.  Look carefully at the label and taste the feta so you will know its saltiness.

Greek Feta would be most authentic here.  To be Greek, is must be made from at least 70% sheep’s milk, often with a little goats milk blended in. It is often the saltiest as well as tangy, rich and creamy.  My favorite is French feta which is usually made with sheep’s milk – is less salty, mild and creamy.  My least favorite, American feta, can be made with sheep, goat or even cow’s milk – often tangy but usually less creamy and more crumbly.  (usually promoted as a salad addition)

Cannellini Fresca

Cannellini Fresca

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Cannellini Fresca

People are amazed that simple white beans can taste so very good. This is an old and simple Tuscan recipe. It requires prior planning in that one must start with high quality dried cannellini beans and soak them overnight before cooking. I adore them as is – warmed or at room temperature.  Italians use them often in soups, as a side dish, or pureed as a topping for bruschetta.  They have a creamy texture and mild flavor that are perfectly suited to carry the flavors of fresh herbs and a finishing olive oil.  Give this simple recipe a try – you will not be disappointed and will have a wonderful new healthy protein source in your diet.

I recommend getting your dried cannellini beans from a source where you have confidence that they are not too old. Rancho Gordo beans are the best and becoming more available all the time. (www.ranchogordo.com). Or try an Italian market or organic health-food store as the turnover is likely greater so the beans will be freshly dried. Pick through 2 C dried cannellini beans and discard any discolored or broken ones and any stones. Rinse the beans gently but thoroughly under cold running water.  Place in a large bowl or pot with enough cold water to cover by several inches. Let them soak overnight or for at least 6 hours.

Soooooo…if you did not soak overnight, you can do the quick soak method. Put the beans in a large pot, cover with at least 2 inches of water.  Bring the beans to a boil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Cover the pot and let them stand for 1 hour.

Drain the beans and place in a medium saucepan. Add 4 C water, 2 Tb chicken or vegetable bouillon, 3 sprigs of fresh sage, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 2 Tb olive oil.  Bring to a boil.  Then, lower heat, cover and gently and slowly simmer until beans are tender, about 1 hour. As beans do not all cook at the same rate, pull out 5-6 beans from random parts of the pot. If they are all soft, then they are done. Allow them to cool in their liquid.

Once cool, drain beans, reserving about ¼ - ½ C cooking liquid, and transfer to a bowl.  Add the reserved cooking liquid, 2-3 fresh sage leaves, minced, 2 Tb minced green onions, 2 TB olive oil and 2-3 tsp. salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.  Toss gently.

Drizzle a wonderful finishing olive oil over the beans before serving. Sublime!  Give this a try – you will not be disappointed and let me know your thoughts!

 Larue

Fried Egg with Squash and Tomatillo

Fried egg with squash and tomatillo

 Fried Egg with Squash and Tomatillo

This taste explosion of this entrée comes as a surprise – the tangy tomatillo sauce creates the bed for the caramelized squash with the egg providing both a protein source and sauce to bathe the dish.  The recipe is surprisingly simple, taking less than 40 minutes to prepare – add a green salad, some bread and you are done. It will serve 4 and provide an elegant entrée.

Turn on the broiler.  Place 1-2 jalapenos halved lengthwise, ½ lb tomatillos and 2 peeled garlic cloves in an ovenproof dish and broil until the tomatillos are charred, about 7-10 minutes.

Tomatillas

Roasted tomatilla, jalapeno, and garlic

 Swirl 2 Tb olive oil in a large skillet, heat.  Add 4 ½ C one inch diced yellow and green squash. (About 1-¼ lbs).  Add squash in a single layer in skillet – if necessary do 2 batches.  Salt and cook 4-5 minutes or until caramelized.  Stir and cook 4-5 min more, or until tender. Remove from heat; stir in 3 Tb chopped fresh cilantro. Season as needed with additional salt. Cover to keep warm.

Carmelized squash

Transfer tomatillo mixture from broiler to blender with 4-5 sprigs of cilantro. Blend on high until smooth.  Slowly add 2 Tb olive oil to blender.  Season to taste with salt and 2 tsp fresh lime juice.  Set aside, cover to keep warm.

Using a nonstick frying pan, add 1 ½ Tb olive oil and heat.  One at a time, crack 4 eggs into a small bowl. Tip the bowl gently, sliding the egg into the heated pan. Repeat with all 4 eggs.  Keep the heat low so you can control the cooking. Season with salt and fry 3-4 minutes, or until the whites are cooked and the yolks just begin to set (if you cook too long, you lose the “sauce” for the dish).  It is sometimes useful to put a lid on the pan to encourage the whites to set up.

To serve, spoon 4-5 Tb warm tomatillo sauce in 4 shallow dishes. Mound roasted squash in center. Top with fried egg. Garnish with cilantro sprig and lime wedge and serve immediately.  Sit back and take in the praise.  Really.

Larue

Turkey Soup

Popeye Soup

Popeye Soup = Turkey Soup

While it is possible that neither Popeye nor Olive Oyl made this soup, we sure used the reference to encourage our kids to eat the green leafy vegetable.  The popularity of Popeye the Sailor helped boost the sales of spinach with consumption reportedly increasing 33% is the US in the early 1930’s when Popeye was popular.  A more recent study in 2010 continues to show increased consumption after watching the cartoon.  I never had this experience and had to find a way to disguise the spinach to encourage consumption by our kids.  Popeye soup was our answer.  And, they loved it!

Sauté 2 chopped onions in ¼ C butter until translucent but not browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 Tb flour and 1 ½ tsp curry powder and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 3 C chicken broth, 1 C chopped potatoes, ½ C thinly sliced peeled carrots, ½ C sliced celery, 2 Tb chopped fresh parsley, and ½ tsp dried sage or poultry seasoning. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Add 2 ½ C cubed cooked turkey, 1 C ½ & ½, 10 oz. package frozen peas and/or 10 oz. package chopped frozen spinach. Simmer 15 minutes.  Season to taste with salt & freshly ground pepper. Serve hot, perhaps with some garlic toast, and watch the kids (and husbands) unknowingly devour a healthy serving of spinach!

Larue