Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Veal Roast [Rotolo di Vitello]

Ingredients:
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
2 T chopped fresh spinach
1 T fresh chopped parsley leaves
1 T fresh chopped oregano leaves
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup pine nuts
3/4 pound veal breast, in one piece, pounded thin by your butcher
4 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 medium celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
1 pound canned whole peeled plum tomatoes, crushed by hand, with their juices
salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparing the veal:
Slice the hard-boiled eggs into rounds. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg slices, spinach, parsley, oregano, garlic, raisins and pine nuts. Stir until well combined and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Lay the veal breast flat on a clean work surface and cover with some of the egg mixture. Starting from the horizontal end nearest you, begin rolling the veal breast over the filling, rolling fairly tightly much as you would a burrito. Using kitchen twine, secure the veal roll.

In a 12 to 14-inch saucepan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame until hot but not smoking. Brown the meat and remove from the pan. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook until the onion begins to soften and turn a light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking until the wine evaporates. Add the tomatoes and the veal, then season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let simmer gently for 1 hour. If necessary to keep the pan moist, add some water during the simmering process.

Remove the cooked veal roll from the pan, remove the twine and cut into equally sized slices. Serve immediately, topped with a generous spoonful of the pan sauce.

Serves 4

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White Bread

This is a basic white dough that can be shaped into oval or braided loaves or rolls.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons superfine sugar
2 cups warm water
2 1/2 teaspoons dried yeast or 3 1/2 ounces fresh yeast or .25 ounce fast-acting yeast
1 pound 10 ounces strong white flour (bread flour), plus extra for dusting
2 teaspoons salt
3 T butter or 4 T olive oil
1 egg, beaten, optional
poppy or sesame seeds, for the top of the loaf, optional

Preparing the bread:
In a measuring cup, mix the sugar with a 1/2 cup of the warm water and yeast and let stand in a warm place for 5 minutes, or until frothy. If using fast-acting yeast, there is no need to let the mixture stand.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Rub in the butter, and make a well in the center. If using olive oil instead of butter, pour the olive oil into the remaining 1 1/2 cups water. Pour in the yeast mixture and most of the remaining water (and the olive oil, if using). Mix to a loose dough, adding the remaining water if needed, plus extra if necessary.

Knead the mixture until the dough is smooth and springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. If kneading in an electric food mixer with a dough hook, 5 minutes is usually long enough. Put the dough in a large oiled bowl. Cover the top tightly with plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm to rise, until it is doubled in size. This may take up to 2 or even (on a cold day) 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

When the dough has more than doubled in size, punch down, and knead again for 2 to 3 minutes. Leave to relax for 10 minutes before you begin to shape the bread.

Shape the bread into loaves or rolls, and then transfer to a baking tray, and cover with a clean tea or dish towel. Allow to rise again in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes, until the shaped dough has again doubled in size. When the dough has fully risen, it should leave a dent when you gently press the dough with your finger.

The bread is full of air at this point, and therefore very fragile, gently brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds, if using, or dust lightly with flour for a rustic-looking loaf.

Bake in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes for a loaf, depending on its size, or 10 to 15 minutes for rolls. Turn the heat down to 400 degrees F, after 15 minutes for the remaining baking time. When baked, the bread should sound hollow when tapped on the base. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 2 loaves

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Zabaglione, Another Way (with Cream)

Ingredients:
6 large egg yolks
6 T white granulated sugar
6 T Vin Santo wine or Marsala
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup fresh fruit, like sliced strawberries and/or blueberries

Preparing the zabaglione:
Put the egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl. Whisk in the sugar, and Vin Santo wine or Marsala.

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Lower the heat and place the steel bowl over but not touching the water. Whisk the yolk mixture for 8 minutes, or until it becomes light and creamy. Monitor the heat, otherwise you'll end up with scrambled eggs. Set aside and let cool.

In another bowl, whip the cream with a hand mixer.

Gently fold the zabaione into the whipped cream with a rubber spatula, and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until ready to serve. Spoon over fresh fruits like strawberries or blueberries.

Serves 4

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AB's Pizza

The flake size of kosher salt differs from brand to brand. This could easily result in a too salty crust, so unless you've had success with the recipe in the past, cut the salt by one teaspoon, from a tablespoon to two teaspoons. So that the yeast doesn't go crazy, also cut back on the sugar by half a teaspoon.

Ingredients:
2 T sugar
1 T kosher salt
1 T extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup warm water
2 cups bread flour (for bread machines)
1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 teaspoons olive oil
olive oil, for the pizza crust
flour, for dusting the pizza peel

* * * * *

Topping Ingredients:
pizza sauce
1/2 teaspoon each of fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, etc.
combinations of grated cheeses, like mozzarella, jack, provolone, etc.

Preparing the dough:
Place the sugar, salt, olive oil, water, 1 cup of flour, yeast, and remaining cup of flour into a standing mixer's work bowl. Using the paddle attachment, start the mixer on low and mix until the dough just comes together, forming a ball. Lube the hook attachment with cooking spray. Attach the hook to the mixer and knead for 15 minutes on medium speed.

Tear off a small piece of dough and flatten into a disc. Stretch the dough until thin. Hold it up to the light and look to see if the baker's windowpane, or taut membrane, has formed. If the dough tears before it forms, knead the dough for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

Roll the pizza dough into a smooth ball on the countertop. Place into a stainless steel or glass bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the bowl and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.

Place the pizza stone or tile onto the bottom of a cold oven and turn the oven to its highest temperature, about 500 degrees F. If the oven has coils on the oven floor, place the tile onto the lowest rack of the oven. Split the pizza dough into 2 equal parts using a knife or a dough scraper. Flatten into a disk onto the countertop and then fold the dough into a ball.

Wet hands barely with water and rub them onto the countertop to dampen the surface. Roll the dough on the surface until it tightens. Cover one ball with a tea towel and rest for 30 minutes.

Repeat the steps with the other piece of dough. If not baking the remaining pizza immediately, spray the inside of a ziptop bag with cooking spray and place the dough ball into the bag. Refrigerate for up to 6 days.

Sprinkle the flour onto the peel and place the dough onto the peel. Using your hands, form a lip around the edges of the pizza. Stretch the dough into a round disc, rotating after each stretch. Toss the dough in the air if you dare. Shake the pizza on the peel to be sure that it will slide onto the pizza stone or tile. (Dress and bake the pizza immediately for a crisp crust or rest the dough for 30 minutes if you want a chewy texture.)

Brush the rim of the pizza with olive oil. Spread the pizza sauce evenly onto the pizza. Sprinkle the herbs onto the pizza and top with the cheese.

Slide the pizza onto the tile and bake for 7 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Rest for 3 minutes before slicing.

Makes 2 pizzas

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Chocolate Pignoli Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup toasted pine nuts, chopped
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chunks or chips

Preparing the cookies:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, pine nuts, and chocolate. Stir until just mixed.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out 1-inch balls of dough. Place on the cookie sheet. Bake until the tops look dry, about 18 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheets. Dust with powdered sugar and transfer to a serving plate.

Makes 40 cookies

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Mozzarella, Marinara and Prosciutto Tarts

Ingredients:
3 cups of marinara sauce (or 1 26-ounce jar marinara sauce)
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
2 slices prosciutto, finely chopped
4 pie crust recipes (or 4 storebought 9-inch pie crusts)
2 eggs, beaten, for egg wash
1/2 cup grated parmesan

Preparing the mozzarella bites:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the marinara sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until reduced to a thick, jam-like consistency, about 30 minutes. There should be 1 1/2 to 2 cups of reduced sauce. Let the sauce cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Stir in the mozzarella cheese and prosciutto.

Meanwhile, place 1 piece of dough on a work surface. Roll the dough out gently until you can cut an 8 1/2 by 9 1/2-inch rectangle. Press the scraps into a small rectangle and roll it out to the same thickness as the other rectangle. Cut 3 rectangles from the large rectangle and 1 rectangle from the small rectangle. Each should measure 8 1/2 by 3 inches. Continue rolling and cutting the remaining pie dough.

To form the tarts, place the rectangles on a work surface. Brush each rectangle with egg wash. Place a large spoonful of the marinara mixture in the middle of the bottom half of the rectangle. Fold the dough in half over the marinara mixture to make a 3 by 4-inch rectangle. Press the edges to seal. Using a scalloped ravioli cutter, trim the rectangles to make a decorative edge. Place the tarts on the baking sheets. Brush with egg wash and generously sprinkle with cheese. Bake until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 16 tarts

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Fish in Parchment or Foil

Ingredients:
1 lemon, zested
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 1/2 pounds sugar snap peas, stemmed
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 orange bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets, skinned, or other fish about 1/2-inch thick
8 thin slices lemon
1/4 cup fresh chopped mint leaves

Preparing the fish:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl mix together the lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Lay out the 4 sheets of aluminum foil. Place 1/4 of the sugar snap peas, 1/4 of the yellow bell peppers, and 1/4 of the orange bell peppers on each sheet of foil. Over each pile of vegetables drizzle 2 tablespoons of white wine, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and gently toss.
Top each pile of seasoned vegetables with a piece of fish. Sprinkle the fish with some of the reserved lemon zest mixture. Top each fish with 2 slices of lemon.
Fold up the foil into an air-tight packet. Place the foil packets in the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. Sprinkle the fish with mint just before serving.

Serves 4

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Fusilli with Tomatoes, Basil and Mozzarella

Ingredients:
1 pound fusilli pasta
3 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 pints)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)

Preparing the fusilli alla caprese:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist.

Serves 4 to 6

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Chocolate Saturn Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1/3 cup cream
7 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
3/4 cup sugar
1 recipe of sugar cookie dough or 1 (18-ounce) package sugar cookie dough

Preparing the cookies:
Place a small pan over medium heat. Add the cream and warm until almost boiling, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the chocolate melts. Place the chocolate mixture into a small bowl. Cool the chocolate until firm enough to roll into balls. (To cool quickly, place the chocolate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.)

Once the chocolate is firm, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the sugar in an empty pie dish. Roll the chocolate into teaspoon-sized balls and set aside. Roll a walnut-sized ball of cookie dough into a thin log about 3 inches long. Place a chocolate ball on a work surface and wrap a cookie dough log around the chocolate ball and press to adhere. It should look like a cookie version of the planet Saturn. Roll the cookie in the sugar to coat. Place the cookie on a large baking sheet and continue forming the remaining cookies and rolling them in sugar. Once all the cookie balls are on the baking sheets, use the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten the cookies to about 1/4 inch thick.

Bake the cookies for 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool, then serve.

Makes 40 cookies

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Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 T milk
powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Preparing sugar cookies:
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Makes about 36 cookies

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