SOURDOUGH BREAD!

I've made a lot of bread over the years, but have never made Sourdough. My friend, Brenna Reilly recently gifted me with some ancient Sourdough Starter dating back to her Mom. I had to "feed" the starter for 4 days 1/2 cup strong (or bread) flour and 1/4 cup water and then let it rest a day. I was very excited to embark on the Sourdough project!

Here's the bread right out of the oven. I found the recipe online from Odlums Flour, which is a very popular brand here in Ireland. I converted measurements from grams to cups so forgive me if I'm a little off, but bread, unlike most baking, is not an exact science. Depending on your altitude and other weather conditions more flour or a little more or less water may be needed. I used my stand mixer to pull the dough together and it seemed quite thick so added a few more drops of water while kneading. You don't need to use a stand mixer, but it sure did make it easier.

Ingredients:

800 grams strong (bread) flour (6 1/2 cups)

10 grams salt (1 fat Tbsp.)

460 ml. water (2 cups)

320 grams sourdough starter (1 1/3 cups)

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients to a large bowl. If using your stand mixer, using the dough hook, start by mixing slowly so the flour doesn't fly everywhere. Increase to medium speed and mix for 5-8 minutes. Using the machine also greatly reduces the need for a lot of kneading as the machine very effectively starts releasing gluten, which is the purpose of kneading so the bread rises. If doing this by hand mix with a fork until all ingredients are completely incorporated. 

Spill the dough out on a floured surface and knead for about 6-8 minutes if you've used the mixer and 10-12 minutes if doing by hand. 

Once kneaded place the dough in a bowl and let proof covered in a dry warm place for 4 hours.

There's something very satisfying about bread dough rising. It's almost magical and because this bread uses no yeast even more so. The leavening happens through the fermented sourdough causing the bread to rise. 

4 hours later, using your fist punch down the dough and knock the bread out of the bowl. Knead for 3-5 minutes. Shape the dough. I decided to make one giant loaf using the proofing basket that I use for making artisan bread. 

I bought this boule proofing basket from a very cool
Vietnamese company, MADE TERRA.
Check them out. They do business differently. 

The big round loaf is a boule, in France simply means ball. Flour the basket generously and shape the dough into a nice round ball and drop it into the basket. Press lightly so the bread will absorb the lines of the basket. You could also just free-form the dough or form it into two traditionally shaped loaves. 

Once your dough is shaped, cover with a dampened tea towel and let rest another 3 hours. 7 hours seemed like a lot of resting time, but the dough was dense so I figured it needed time to expand. Before you put it in the oven, slice the dough using a very sharp knife (or preferably a razor blade). This allows the moisture to escape as it bakes. I used a razor to make some leaf shapes on mine. 

Preheat oven to 230C or 445 Fahrenheit. You don't need a pizza stone to cook the bread, but that is what I used. Heat the stone accordingly and place a tray in the bottom of the oven as you will pour about a cup of boiling water into the tray as you put the bread in to bake. The steam helps form a beautiful crust on the bread. 

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until crust is nicely browned and has a hollow sound when tapped. 

Here is what my crumb (interior) looked like. Very happy with my first excursion into the world of Sourdough. I'm already feeding my next batch of Starter!

And here's the really fun part...In addition to excellent toast every morning for breakfast, I made many different things from this one, big loaf of Sourdough.

MONTE CRISTO

Soak the bread in beaten egg.  Fill sandwiches with ham, cheese and often either turkey or chicken. I had only ham and cheese so made these Monte Cristo's with ham and Emanthal swiss cheese. 

MY FAVORITE...PANZANELLA--TUSCAN BREAD SALAD

Traditionally this Italian Bread Salad contains: bread, tomatoes, oil, vinegar, salt and lots of fresh basil, but as with so many different "traditional" recipes there are huge variations. This is what I used:

Ingredients:

3 thick slices Sourdough bread, cut into cubes

6 small very ripe tomatoes cut into quarters

1/2 cup thinly sliced leeks

1 cup sliced cucumbers

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. marinated olives

1/2 cup freshly chopped basil

For the dressing:

1/2 cup good Olive Oil

1/4 cup aged Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tsp. Dijon mustard

Salt/Pepper

Whisk all together in a small bowl. It will begin to emulsify. Check for seasoning. 

My Nanna's colander, circa 1940. I love it!

Preparation:

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast in warm oven for 20 minutes. Cool completely. If you don't toast the bread the bread salad will totally consume the dressing and become a goopy mess. 

Salt the tomatoes. This is an important step as the salt enhances the tomato flavor and brings out the liquid. Use 2 tsp. of Kosher salt, sprinkle over the tomatoes and have a plate underneath to collect the drippings. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Assemble all the ingredients, including any liquid from the tomatoes and stir together with the dressing. 

When the bread has been thoroughly coated with the dressing, serve. Garnish with a big sprig of basil. 

STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

This is a decadent, but delicious breakfast. Cut 3 thin slices of Sourdough per serving. Soak in egg batter that has been enhanced with a tsp. of brown sugar and a big sprinkling of cinnamon. Let it sit for about 20 minutes so the bread gets absorbed. In the meantime, heat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat with 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Add slices of nectarines and carefully brown/caramelize on each side of the fruit slice. Because of the high sugar content the nectarine burns quickly so watch them carefully. Set aside.

Mix 1 cup of cream cheese with 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Stir until well combined. Set aside. 

Once the bread has absorbed the egg, cook quickly in a heavy bottomed skillet with lots of butter. 

TO ASSEMBLE:

Layer each slice of bread with the cream cheese mixture, nectarines and repeat. I served with some lovely local Irish breakfast sausage. I should have layered the slices so you could see the cream cheese and nectarines inside instead of stacking them all together...next time!

QUINTESSENTIAL BREAKFAST SANDWICH

No recipe necessary. I used Irish breakfast sausage sliced in half, cream cheese, aged cheddar cheese and a soft egg. Put all the ingredients inside the bread and fry gently. Yes, we are having potato chips for breakfast! Why not?!? Ham, bacon, any other cheeses would also work well. I think the key to this sandwich is the soft cooked egg inside!

I KNOW I PROMISED POTATOES FOR THIS BLOG, 

BUT GOT SO EXCITED ABOUT SOURDOUGH THAT I COULDN'T RESIST. 

KEEP ON COOKING, EATING, ENJOYING AND 

EXPLORING IN YOUR OWN KITCHEN!

I LOVE LIFE! I LOVE FOOD! I LOVE COOKING!

www.cookwithcindy.com

THANKSGIVING 2020!

 Here we are at another holiday during the time of Coronavirus. What a troubled and disturbing year it has been, but I remain hopeful that things on all fronts will improve and life will return to something that feels a bit more familiar, normal and safe. In the meantime, I am grateful for so much: My husband whose love and support is endless; the fact we live in a beautiful, rural area allowing me to walk and enjoy nature; and the love of friends and family who I continue to enjoy both near and far, and so much more! We just celebrated my husband Jerry's 76th birthday, which has come to be known as the "kick-off" to the holiday season. And now on to Thanksgiving. I'm going to start by sharing the soup we will have as a starter on Thanksgiving day.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH GREEN APPLE SOUP

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash, cut in half and seeded

1 onion, peeled and cut into thick slices

2 Granny Smith apples, cut in half and cored

Olive oil for drizzling.

Liberal Salt/Pepper

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup apple cider

Preparation:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare veg and apple. Drizzle with oil. Salt generously. Roast for about 30-40 minutes until veg is just starting to caramelize and squash is very tender.

Let the veg cool. Peel the skin off the butternut squash and put in a large soup pot. Smash up the squash with a large spoon. Scoop the apple out of the skin. It will be very soft. Add to the pot. Drop in the onion and add 4 cups chicken stock and 1/2 apple cider. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes. Cool slightly and blend either with an emulsion blender or add all to your blender and blend until very smooth. Taste for seasoning. Salt/pepper as needed. I also add a dash of white pepper to help counter the sweetness of the soup. Serve this soup, hot or cold, with a scoop of Greek-style yogurt and thinly sliced green apple. I really like it best cold! This soup tastes like Thanksgiving in a bowl!

RABBITT'S THANKSGIVING MENU

Smoked Chicken Liver Pate Garnished with Pomegranate seeds

    Served with Caramelized onion, Apricot/Shallot Jam and Smoky Bread toast points

Roasted Butternut Squash and Green Apple Soup

Applewood and Sage Smoked Turkey with Apple Cider Glaze

Traditional Herb Stuffing

Sweet Potato Puree with Pecan crust

Creamed Boursin Spinach

Cranberry Ginger Relish

Freshly Baked Rolls

Butternut Squash Pie with Ginger Pecan crust topped with Ginger-infused Whipped Cream

I think that meal should feed the two of us!

I will brine the turkey for 24 hours, then marinate, and finally smoke the bird brushing with an Apple Cider glaze. 

We celebrated Jerry's birthday, which was Friday, November 13, for the entire weekend. Birthday night we had a rack of lamb, gruyere scalloped potatoes and roasted asparagus. For dessert I made one of his favorites, a blueberry cheesecake! Here is Jerry on our birthday morning walk...Looking good Mr. Rabbitt!

Saturday night we made pizza's on the grill. Thank you to my old friend Trudy G. Silverman who suggested I put the pizza right on the grill! It will take me a couple times to perfect the grilling technique as I had a little trouble controlling the heat, but they were delicious!

THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY!

WISHING YOU THE HAPPIEST 

THANKSGIVING POSSIBLE!

WITH LOVE...

WWW.COOKWITHCINDY.COM

SWEET AND SALTY COCONUT RICE!

I served with Asian Carrots and an Asian influenced hamburger.

My good friend, Debby Vis, served this Coconut Rice at a dinner party she had a while back. It is just as the name says; perfect combination of sweet and salty. I cannot remember where she got the recipe. You can easily cut the recipe in half, but why would you want to?? It reheats beautifully and is quite addicting!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups Jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk, full fat, not light
1 1/4 cups water (which can be measured using the coconut milk can-exactly 1 1/4 cups!)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Preparation:
In a dry skillet toast the coconut over medium-high heat, stirring until lightly browned; about 4 to 5 minutes. Because of the high sugar content it "catches" quickly so watch to ensure you don't go from light brown to burned. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Do not leave in the pan as it may overcook. You can do this ahead of time and even the day before. The toasted coconut stores well on the counter in a glass container with tight lid.

In a saucepan combine rice, coconut milk, water, sugar and salt and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to barely a simmer, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is done; about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Re-cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with toasted coconut. So easy and such an incredibly wonderful combination of sweet, salty, crunchy and creamy. You will not want to stop eating it!

I served with hamburger patties that I marinated in a little soy sauce, Teriyaki, dried ginger, and garlic powder. Press about 2 Tbsp. per burger of sesame seeds into the meat, both sides. Grill to your preferred doneness. They are super juicy!

And finally served the dinner with Julienned Carrots cooked down with: 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, 3 Tbsp. Teriyaki sauce, 3 Tbsp. honey, 5 pieces candied ginger, sliced thinly, juice and zest of one clementine. Gently simmer, covered, on low heat for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and increase heat for the last 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. This also burns quickly. I made this a second time while also cooking some chicken on the grill and returned to the kitchen to find blackened carrots! Not so good!

WHAT ELSE IS COOKING?...

PIZZA!

Here's the funny story behind this pizza pie. My full-size oven is on the blink and because of Coronavirus I have hesitated to get a repair person in to check it out. I finally made an appointment and learned that the technician had Coronavirus so put the service off for another few weeks. I had been unable to buy yeast at the store, but finally found some with pizza in mind. My husband Jerry and I have been craving pizza so I put a meaty, cheesy pizza together. When I went to place the pizza pan in my little oven it did not fit. Fortunately I have a nice, big gas grill and the pan just barely fit in it. 

Here's the best news...the tech has fully recovered and will be down next week to fix my oven!

The pizza had a slightly smokey
taste like it just came from a pizza oven!

Click on this link to find the recipe for both red pizza sauce and Giada DeLaurentis's dough recipe. Keep scrolling all the way down to find the dough!
http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/search?q=pizza

THE ALTERNATIVE PIZZA...PORTOBELLO!

I would be lying if I said I like a Portobello Pizza as well as a real pizza, but they are a fairly good substitute if you are watching calories, which I always am! I grilled these, as well, on a piece of aluminum foil so the mushroom would not stick to the grill. Simply remove the stem from the Portobello, rinse and dry the mushroom thoroughly. Add a couple tablespoons of red sauce in bottom of the mushroom. Next add your favorite toppings-green pepper, onion, meat, alternating with parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Add another tablespoon of sauce and then top with more cheese. Either bake in the oven at 400 degrees until mushroom is cooked and toppings are bubbly; about 15-20 minutes, or grill over high heat for about same time.

CHILLED CELERY SOUP!

These 100+ degree days call for a cold cup of soup. This one is very celery-forward so if celery is not your favorite veg you probably want to skip this recipe.

Ingredients:
14 stalks celery, divided 10 and 4
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 onion, rough chopped
Salt/Pepper to taste
Optional: Greek style yogurt or sour cream for serving

Preparation:
Roughly chop 10 stalks of celery and bring to boil with the onion in the chicken stock. Cover and reduce heat to simmer and cook for another 3 hours.  Taste for seasoning. Cool completely and blend until very smooth. Finely dice the last 4 stalks of celery and return to the blended soup. Cook until the celery is just barley tender. Serve with yogurt.

MORE FRUIT PARFAITS!

I continue to make fruit parfaits with fresh fruit and yogurt. Here is one made with cooked strawberries, which were left over from the Red/White/Blue cheesecake I made for 4th of July! Here is the original recipe, which I made 2 years ago in Ireland: http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/search?q=cheesecake.

I also used Mango puree in the parfait, which was left over from the Decadent Mango Pie I made recently--http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/search?q=decadent+mango+pie.

Some refer to me as the "Left-Over Queen"! I do not like to waste food!

THAT'S GOING TO DO IT FOR TODAY. 

WISHING YOU LOTS OF FUN ADVENTURES 

COOKING BOTH INSIDE AND OUT!

TUNE IN AGAIN SOON FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF...

WWW.COOKWITHCINDY.COM

MANGIA ITALIANO!

I am in love with all things Italian and food is high up on the list. Here are a couple easy Italian goodies I made recently, which I hope you enjoy.

TRADITIONAL ROSEMARY AND GARLIC FOCACCIA

Previously I posted a recipe for Focaccia Bread (http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/search?q=focaccio), but I think this one is even better because it uses more olive oil and lots of fresh herbs. If you don't have fresh you can always substitute dried herbs. This ancient Italian bread dates back to the Estruscan period, although some believe it may have been invented by the Greeks. However, the Estruscans, Romans, and Greeks were so intertwined back in the 8th - 6th century BC it's hard to tell where recipes originated. It's also thought to be the precursor to modern-day Italian pizza as it is a flatbread with lots of leeway for toppings. As with so many recipes I find online I have doctored this one a bit with more herbs and more garlic.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil*
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme or 3 tsp. dried
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary or 3 tsp. dried
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 cup warm water
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
1 tsp. honey or a tsp. of sugar
2 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

*This time the extra-virgin is important as olive oil is a dominant flavor in this bread. You don't have to buy a super expensive oil, just one you really like the taste of.

Preparation:

MAKE THE DOUGH:
In a cold medium skillet, combine olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary and the black pepper. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 5-10 minutes or until aromatic, but before browning garlic. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Stir a few times then let sit for 5 minutes. If the yeast mixture does not begin to grow (foam up), then either your water was too cool, too hot, or your yeast is dead and you will need to start over. The water should be quite warm to the touch, but not scalding. 105 to 110 degrees is ideal.

Add 1 cup of flour and a 1/4 cup of the infused garlic/herb/olive oil mixture to the bowl with the yeast and honey. Stir 3 to 4 times until the flour has moistened. Let sit for another 5 minutes.
Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour and the salt. I like to use the dough hooks on my hand mixture as it shortens the kneading time necessary because the hooks act somewhat like the kneading process getting air pockets out and stimulating gluten process resulting in a light, fluffy dough. Because focaccia is a flatbread the crust becomes crisp and interior is moist and soft.
When the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board and knead 10-15 minutes until very smooth in texture. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl, cover with a warm, damp towel and let rise for 1 hour. You want to keep the dough out of drafts so consider rising in your oven (with no heat on).

This is the dough after rising for an hour.

After it has risen to about double in size, punch it down, knead for a couple minutes and transfer to a lightly greased 9x12 baking sheet or pan. Using your fingers spread the dough evenly pushing out to reach the edges of the pan, dimple the dough, pressing down into the pan with your fingertips.

Drizzle the top with remaining garlic/herb/olive mixture.

Let the dough rise until it puffs slightly; about 15-20 minutes. Bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and if you like sprinkle with course sea salt and a little freshly chopped rosemary. Cool baked focaccia on wire rack. Cut into 2 inch squares. This bread freezes well for up to a month.

Here's a twist on another Italian favorite...

ITALIAN MEATBALLS WITH HERBS AND RICOTTA

I also found this recipe online. It's from the Food Network with just a couple tweaks from me. Hard to improve on a Food Network recipe!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. ground turkey
4 oz. (1/2 cup)whole milk ricotta
1/3 cup minced flat-leaf parsley (I used curly as that's what I have growing.)
1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 medium onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
4 Tbsp. finely grated pecorino (I used parmesan.)
1 slice bacon, finely minced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. minced fresh basil (My addition.)
1 Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning (My addition.)
1 large egg
2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Freshy ground black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 cups homemade or jarred quality marinara sauce
Fresh basil for garnishing

Preparation:
Mix ground meats and diced bacon, ricotta, parsley, panko crumbs, onion, pecorino, bacon, garlic milk, thyme, egg, salt, Worcestershire and black pepper. Here is my trick. Meatballs become tough if they are overmixed so thoroughly mix all ingredients listed above, except the ground meats. Then add the ground meats and using your hands gently mix until just combined. The mixture is pretty soft.
Using your hands, gently form mixture into 1 Tbsp. small meatballs (make smaller balls if serving as an hors d'oeuvres or larger balls for a dinner entre). Put the raw meatballs on a large plate or tray.

Cover and refrigerate at least an hour or overnight. Bring the meatballs back to room temperature before cooking. Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1/3 of the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally until well browned on all sides; about 6 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs.

After removing the last meatball, drain the oil out of the skillet and wipe clean with a paper towel. Return the meatballs to the skillet and pour in the marinara sauce. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to low simmer, cover and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15-20 minutes depending on the size of your meatballs. Serve with toothpicks if using as an appetizer with a dollop of sauce over each meatball and freshly chopped basil. Serve either room temperature or warm.

I'm going to close today with the simplest Italian hors d'oeuvres you will ever make. Why I have not made these sooner I do not know, but recently had them at our annual tennis party made by my good friend and tennis buddy Claren Scott. They are fantastic.

Here's Claren off the tennis court!
She looks like a movie star!

PARMESAN CRISPS, aka FRICOS!

Frico in Italian literally means "cooked Montasio cheese', but frico is also a typical dish made in the North Eastern region of Italy--Friuli. It is made either as a 'Soft Frico', which generally includes roasted potatoes and onions cut into wedges to serve, or as a 'Thin Frico', which are little fried or baked crisps used as an appetizer. No recipe necessary for the crisps. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grate about 2 cups parmesan cheese or other well-aged Italian cheese. Originally the fricos, either Soft or Thin were made with Montasio cheese. Place mounded tablespoons of grated cheese on a sheet pan lined with a silpat silicone baking sheet, parchment paper or use a non-stick pan. This is very necessary as crisps will stick to the pan otherwise.

Spread the cheese out leaving about 1 inch in between. Bake in preheated oven until just golden; about 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool for about 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool completely. These store well in a tightly sealed glass container for 4-5 days.
I made my fricos totally plain since I've never made them before, but next time might try adding:

Lemon zest and fresh basil
Minced garlic
Finely chopped rosemary
Hot sauce or lots of black pepper
Claren added a small piece of salami in the center of each frico. Delicious!

That's it for today.

I'm getting very excited about the Easter holiday,

which is only a week away. I've been working on

my menu, which also has an Italian theme.

I will share it with you next week.

UNTIL THEN...BUON APPETITO!

www.cookwithcindy.com

PIZZA!

Making your own pizza dough is easy. It just takes a little time. Last week I made pizza dough with my good friend Dorita Pina. She is a fabulous home chef, but had not made pizza so we did it together. Seems to be a trend of late, which I enjoy tremendously. Cooking with friends is fun, especially when they share the same passion for food as I do...and Dorita definitely does!


Dorita punching down the first rising.

This recipe is from Giada DeLaurentis. I've made it before. Find the recipe here:
http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/search?q=pizza
One of the things I like about pizza dough is the simplicity of ingredients: flour, yeast, water, salt, a little oil for drizzling. That's it!

This recipe makes 3 very thin pizza pies. This time I doubled the recipe, but still made only 3 pizza pies. The pizza was more like a thick-crust Chicago-style pizza. I prefer a thinner dough so next time would make 5 pizzas from the doubled recipe. Once cooked, they freeze well. The day before Dorita and her husband Rudy arrived I made a pizza sauce.

 

TRADITIONAL PIZZA SAUCE

This was enough for 3 pizzas.

Ingredients:
1 12-oz. can tomato paste
2 Tbsp. Sun-dried tomato paste (optional)
12 ounces warm water (110 degrees or warm to the touch, but not scalding)
6 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. minced garlic
3 Tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more if you like it hot)
1/8 tsp. dried red pepper flakes (ditto)
Salt to taste. I used 2 tsp.

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Heat until cheese starts to melt. Will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Our appetizer was an antipasti platter featuring
the homemade Tuscan and Calabrese salami
I made with Jay Bileti and the homemade
pepperoni (top left).

Rudy and Jerry solving the world's problems.

Once your dough has risen a second time, using your hands spread it evenly over a pizza pan.

Dorita is a pro, instinctively
knowing just how to spread the dough.

I had also prepared a bunch of different toppings ahead of time so everyone could 'weigh in' on what they wanted.

Toppings included:
Pre-cooked Italian sausage
Pre-cooked Ground Beef
Pepperoni
Green Pepper, cooked slightly
Mushrooms, cooked slightly
Roasted Red Peppers
Caramelized Onion
Raw Onion
Red Pizza sauce
Basil Pesto Sauce
Various grated cheeses: Mozzarella; Parmesan; Provolone

 

 

 

DESSERT WAS A  BIG HIT, TOO!

TARTUFO!

This is Brian Boitano's recipe. He served his
Tartufo with a caramel sauce and also cut
the Tartufo's in half exposing the cherry.
I left them whole so the cherry would be a surprise!

 

 

Tartufo is an Italian ice cream dessert originating from Calabria. It usually consists of 2 or more flavors of ice cream, fruit or fruit preserve all wrapped in a chocolate shell. The shell is either formed by molding melted chocolate or you can simply crush chocolate cookies, which is what I did. 

You could also make this dish with homemade ice cream, but I used Haagen Dazs Vanilla Bean and for the fruit...these fabulous Amerena cherries.

For the chocolate crust I mixed a whole bag of Pepperidge Farm chocolate, chocolate chip crispy cookies with 1/2 of a Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet chocolate bar. Blend together in a mini-food processor until fine crumbs form.



Slightly soften the ice cream so it is easily scoopable. Fill the scoop and then carefully punch a hole into the scoop of ice cream using the handle of a wooden spoon and insert the cherry. Cover over with ice cream and gently roll in the chocolate crumbs. Refreeze until ready to serve.

What a fun dinner party we had! Jerry Vale was serenading us throughout the evening and we almost felt like we were in Italy.

Until next time...

 

BUONA MANGIATA!

 

www.cookwithcindy.com