By request, Pizza Crusts

Barbara has requested my recipe for pizza crusts.
Sorry, I don't really have an exact formula for crusts. I don't measure anything and each batch is different than the last.

For the basic crust I start with about a cup of sourdough starter.
Then I combine a cup of warm water, yeast and a teaspoon of sugar. When the yeast is nice and bubbly I add it to the starter with about 1/4 C of olive oil.
I combine the liquids with a cup of flour and a teaspoon of salt. I'll work the dough, adding additional flour a 1/2 C at a time until it "feels right." Then I turn it out onto the kitchen counter to knead for 15 minutes.
Then the dough goes back into an oiled mixing bowl to rise for two hours.
Knead again, divide and roll into balls (size is dependent upon how wide and thick I want) that I'll roll out and under-bake on a preheated stone @425 degrees.
I'll freeze the underbaked crusts and pull them out when I want a quick meal or a snack. They thaw in 5 minutes.

Variations:
Sometimes I'll add a cup of grated Kraft Parmesan or Romano cheese with ¼ C of dried basil to the first cup of flour.

Recently I've started using whole grain flours. They tend to be “thirstier” than white flour. I use about a 60/40 ratio of whole grain to white flour and I've found that it comes out better if I leave the dough “wetter” when I set it aside to rise. I'll use olive oil on my hands to knead rather than flour which makes it easier to work with the sticky dough plus it finishes with a nicer texture and flavor.

I've also been making crusts with rye flour and 2 tablespoons of caraway seeds to make Reuben Pizzas. Use the Zingerman's Russian Dressing for sauce and top with sauerkraut, corned beef or pastrami, and swiss cheese.

SICILIAN MEATBALLS

Everyone I share this recipe with agrees:
THE BEST MEATBALLS EVER

2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 large egg
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons dried currants

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil baking sheet. Mix crumbs and milk in medium bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Mix in Parmesan, onion, basil, egg, garlic and pepper. Add sausage, pine nuts and currants; blend well. Using wet hands, form mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place on baking sheet. Bake until meatballs are light brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Simmer meatballs in your favorite sauce and serve over your favorite pasta. Or make a monster meatball sub sandwich. They're also great on pizza.

From Bon Appetit

Asperges Roties Poudrees de Parmesan

Glazed Cooked and Raw Asparagus with Butter And Parmesan
from Alain Ducasse, Flavors of France

This is a rich yet exquisitely simple dish that can be at its best only if every ingredient is of top quality. The asparagus must be fresh and in season, firm, brightly colored, and crisp, with almost a glow in the center of the stalk.If you can find butter from Normandy, use it; for Parmesan, use only Parmigiano-Regianno, with its full, ripe flavor. The asparagus is not actually rotie, or roasted, but rather sauteed in butter until it has a gilded, roasted appearance. The sprinkling of chopped, raw asparagus at the end adds crunch and a slightly nutty taste to a dish of silken textures and flavors.

40 medium green asparaguys spears (about 2 pounds), trimmed to about 5 inches and peeled, plus tips only of 4 medium asparagus spears, coarsely chopped
½ C freshly grated Parmigiano-Regianno
1 T fine sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
6 T unsalted butter
4 t fruity extra-virgin olive oil, chilled

TO COOK THE ASPARAGUS:
Using kitchen string, tie the asparafus spears together in bunches of five. Bring a large pot of water, with the salt, to rapid boil. Plunge in the asparagus bunches and cook until the tip of a knife can pierce a stalk without resistance, about 4 minutes. Remove the asparagus and pat the bunches dry, then carefully untie the strings.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in each of two large skillets over medium heat (if you have just one large frying pan, cook in two batches). When the butter is white and bubbly, lay the asparagus in the pan in a single layer. Roll the stalks around so that each gets well covered with butter and cook for 2 minutes or so, until they take on a shiny, “gilded” look. Sprinkle on the Parmesan and remove from the heat.

TO FINISH THE DISH:
Divide the asparagus among four warmed serving dishes, then scatter the chopped asparagus tips over the cooked asparagus. Sprinkle a pinch of freshly ground black pepper over each serving, then drizzle 1 teaspoon of chilled olive oil in a thin filament around the edge of each plate. Serve immediately.

VARIATIONS:
Instead of drizzling olive oil onto the serving plates, substitute a thin filament of highly reduced pan drippings from a roast, punctuated around each plate by 6 tiny Nicoise olives. Or garnish each plate with 4 fresh morel mushrooms that have been sauteed in butter with minced shallots.

Black Bean Soup with Chipotle Crema and Tomato Salsa

Serves 8

This soup came from a local Denver restaurant and must be served with the salsa and chipotle crema. I keep the chipotle crema on hand for omelettes, burritos, carne asada, carnitas, chili.....
4 ounce chopped bacon
1 onion chopped
1 rib of celery chopped
4 cloves of chopped garlic
1 pound dry black beans soaked in water overnight
8 ounces chicken stock
1 teaspoon Ezpazote
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Render bacon, add celery, onions, and garlic and carmalize. Add black beans, chicken stock, Epazote, and cumin- cook until beans are tender. Puree until smooth and season to taste with pepper and salt. garnish with drizzled Chipotle Crema and a dollop of fresh tomato salsa.

Chipotle Crema
one 7 ounce can chipotle pepper in adobo sauce-
1 cup sour cream
Blend chipotle peppers and sour cream in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Tomato Salsa
2 vine ripened red tomatoes, seeded and diced to 1/4"
1 shallot diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, pith removed, diced
1/2 clove garlic minced
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.

ZINGERMAN'S DELI RUSSIAN DRESSING

Essential for killer Reuben and Rachel sandwiches.

3/4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup plus 2 to 3 tablespoons chili sauce
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons chopped curly parsley leaves
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced Spanish onion
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced dill pickle
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce, sour cream, parsley, onion, pickle, lemon juice, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and mix well.
Yield: 2 cups

Marinara Alla Tomaso

This came out so good.

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 lb roma tomatoes, chopped
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (4oz) can tomato paste
1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
4 oz can olives, diced
1 cup assorted mushrooms, sliced
4 dried bay leaves
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 ½ cups red wine
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes


In a large stock pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add the carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, roasted peppers, olives, wine, oregano, basil, parsley, pepper flakes, sugar and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 2 hours.

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

Makes about 3 quarts.


Copyright © 2005 Kitchen Of Doom Laboratories