A Crusty Loaf Primer
In spite of all the new bread shops appearing across the country, breadmaking at home remains a most satisfying--almost passionate--exercise. Nothing beats the aroma of freshly baked bread permeating the house. Letting it cool only slightly, then slathering it with butter isn’t bad either.
Keep in mind, too, that homemade bread is much less expensive than loaves purchased in bakeries. After all, you need only flour, water and yeast.
It’s so easy to mix up a loaf of bread dough and have all this satisfaction at home. Consider my version of sourdough bread, which gives you some of the tang and texture of a more traditional sourdough loaf without putting you through the steps of preparing a starter. For the best flavor, the bread dough should be refrigerated at least two days--and no longer than four days. For the pizza, use the dough right out of the refrigerator without letting it rise again.
The technique of pouring boiling water into a preheated pan on the lower oven shelf creates great steam in a home oven. However, you must do this carefully, as the water can spatter; best to wear rubber gloves or long sleeves. The steam helps develop a crisp crust on a loaf or pizza.
The food processor continues to be my equipment of choice for bread making, although a mixer fitted with a dough hook works very well, just not as quickly and neatly. Actually, I prefer a sticky, almost wet, dough, because the extra moisture gives more lift to the finished loaf, but this would involve kneading by hand, which is more time-consuming.
FOCACCIA WITH 2 OLIVES
This delicious flatbread is perfect for serving with cocktails or bowls of hearty minestrone. The egg white works better than oil to keep the olives and onion in place when it comes time to cut and serve the bread.
Cornmeal
Easy “Sourdough” Bread dough, risen 2 to 4 days
1 large egg white, frothed with whisk or fork
20 green olives, pitted
20 Kalamata olives, pitted
1/2 cup thin-sliced onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 tablespoons grated imported Parmesan cheese
Dash salt
Dash red pepper flakes
Oil
Put rack in center of oven. Arrange pizza stone or 3 to 4 quarry tiles on center rack. Put second rack in lower area of oven. Place 9-inch square pan on lower rack. Set oven at 450 degrees. Put kettle of water on to boil. Grease 2 pizza pans, preferably black steel. Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Set aside.
Divide dough in half. On well-floured board, gently roll 1 piece into 12-inch-diameter round. Transfer to prepared pizza pan. Repeat with remaining piece. Pierce rounds with fork. Lightly brush rounds with egg white up to edges.
Combine green olives, Kalamata olives, onion, garlic, oregano and oil in bowl. Toss until combined. Divide evenly between pizza rounds to within 1/4 inch of edge. Gently press topping into dough with back of spoon. Sprinkle topping evenly with Parmesan cheese, salt and red pepper flakes.
Transfer 1 flatbread to pizza brick in oven, leaving other at room temperature. Pull out lower oven rack. Carefully pour boiling water into 9-inch square pan, about 2/3 up sides. Set under pizza. Bake just until lightly browned on surface and on undercrust, about 11 to 13 minutes. Repeat with second flatbread.
To serve, use kitchen shears or pizza cutter to cut into wedges. Serve warm.
Makes 2 (12-inch) rounds, about 8 servings.
Each serving contains:
324 calories; 1119 mg sodium; 45 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 0.97 grams fiber.
PIZZA MARGHERITA
It’s difficult to improve on this basic pizza, given good-quality cheese, tomatoes and just the right seasonings. Pepperoni, garlic and onion are easy additions, if that’s how you like pizza. When tomatoes are flavorful, substitute two cups diced, seeded tomatoes for the canned variety suggested in the recipe.
Cornmeal
Easy “Sourdough” Bread dough, risen 2 to 4 days
1 large egg white, frothed with whisk or fork
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can pasta-style tomatoes, drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt
Red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons basil, julienned
Oil
Put rack in center of oven. Arrange pizza stone or 3 or 4 quarry tiles on center rack. Put second rack in lower area of oven. Place 9-inch square pan on lower rack. Set oven at 450 degrees. Put kettle of water on to boil. Grease 2 pizza pans, preferably black steel. Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Set aside.
Divide dough into 2 equal parts. On floured board, gently roll 1 piece into 12-inch-diameter round. Transfer to prepared pizza pan. Repeat with remaining half. Pierce rounds with fork. Combine egg white and garlic in small bowl. Brush rounds with egg white mixture to edges.
Scatter tomatoes evenly over pizzas, then sprinkle mozzarella evenly over tomatoes. Lightly press ingredients into crust. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes. Transfer 1 pizza to pizza brick in oven. Pull out lower oven rack. Pour boiling water into 9-inch square pan, about 2/3 up sides. Set under pizza.
Bake just until lightly browned on edges and undercrust, about 11 to 13 minutes. Remove first pizza from oven. Repeat baking process for second pizza.
To serve, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon basil. Use kitchen shears or pizza cutter to cut into wedges. Serve pizzas warm.
Makes 2 rounds, about 8 servings.
Each serving contains:
299 calories; 731 mg sodium; 58 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 0.54 grams fiber.
EASY “SOURDOUGH” BREAD
This recipe makes a great, robust loaf. The bread dough should ripen at least two days--and no more than four days--in the refrigerator to develop some tang. You can bake it the day it’s made, it just won’t have the nuance of flavor. The rosemary-walnut variation is delicious served with salads and cheese courses.
1 1/4 cups warm water, 105 to 115 degrees
1 package dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/3 cups bread flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup rye flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons safflower oil
Cornmeal
1 large egg plus 1/2 teaspoon salt, frothed with whisk or fork
Combine water, yeast and sugar in small bowl. Allow to stand until foamy, about 15 minutes.
To mix and knead dough in food processor fitted with metal blade or in mixer with dough hook, put bread flour, whole-wheat flour, rye flour and salt in bowl. Turn machine on and slowly add yeast mixture. When incorporated, add oil. Mix until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl. If dough is too wet, add more flour by tablespoons, working in before adding more. If dough is dry and crumbly, add more water by tablespoons, working in before adding more. When dough is very sticky but not adhering to sides of bowl, mix dough until well kneaded, uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds in food processor or 6 minutes in mixer.
To mix and knead by hand, put flours and salt in large mixing bowl. Make well in center and pour yeast mixture into well. Work into ingredients in bowl. Add oil. Knead dough on floured board until elastic and smooth, about 10 minutes.
Put dough in plastic food bag. Seal tightly. Allow to rise in warm spot until doubled, about 2 hours. Punch down. Refrigerate at least 2 days, up to 4 days.
When ready to bake, grease baking sheet, preferably of black steel. Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Set aside.
On floured board, shape dough into ball by pulling edges of dough together onto top. Pinch edges tightly to seal. Place on prepared pan, smooth side up. Drape loosely with greased plastic wrap. Let rise in warm spot until doubled, about 2 hours.
About 15 minutes before baking, place rack in center of oven. Arrange pizza stone or 3 or 4 quarry tiles on center rack. Put second rack in lower area of oven. Place 9-inch square pan on lower rack. Set oven at 450 degrees. Put kettle of water on to boil.
Use serrated knife to slash square design with extended lines across top of risen bread. Lightly brush with egg mixture. Transfer bread to oven. Pull out lower oven rack. Carefully pour boiling water into 9-inch square pan, about 2/3 up sides.
Bake until loaf is deep brown and sounds hollow when rapped on bottom, about 22 minutes. Immediately remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
* Variation
Rosemary-Walnut Bread: When shaping dough, add 1 cup toasted chopped walnuts and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary to dough.
Makes 1 round loaf, or 8 servings.
Each serving contains:
227 calories; 525 mg sodium; 42 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0.29 grams fiber.
