Focaccia

7 Sep

This was my first time tackling bread made with yeast.  While it was initially intimidating- it was much easier than expected.  Though it is time consuming- most of the time is just spent waiting for the dough to rise.  I made mine with sea salt and rosemary topping- but feel free to be inventive.

Rosemary Focaccia
adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

Dough
1 medium baking potato (about 9 oz), peeled and quartered
1-1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
3-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling bowl and pan
1-1/4 teaspoons salt

Topping
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
3/4 teaspoons coarse seal salt or 1-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1. For the dough: Bring 1 quart water to a boil in a small saucepan: add the potato and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes.  Drain the potato well, cool, and grate through large holes of a box grater.  Reserve 1-1/3 cups lightly packed potato.
2. Meanwhile, using a standing mixer of food processor, mix or process the yeast, 1/2 cup of the flour, and 1/2 cup of the warm water until combined.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap (or put the work bowl lid on) and set aside until bubbly, about 20 minutes.  Add the remaining dough ingredients, including the reserved potato. If using the mixer, attach the paddle and mix on low speed until the dough comes together.  Switch to the dough hook and increase the speed to medium; continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic- about 5 minutes.  For the food processor, process until the dough is smooth and elastic- about 40 seconds.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat with oil and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until the dough is puffy and doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
4.  With wet hand, press the dough flat into a generously oiled 15-1/2 by 10-1/2- inch rimmed baking sheet.  If the dough resists going into the corners (and it probably will) cover it with a damp cloth and let it relax for 15min before trying to stretch again.  Or, if making rounds, halve the dough and let it relax for 15 minutes before trying to stretch again.  Or, if making rounds, halve the dough and flatten each piece into an 8-inch round on a large (at least 18 inches long– or can split onto two pans), generously oiled baking sheet.  Either way, cover the dough with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm, draft-free until the dough is puffy and doubled in volume, 45 min to 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees.  With wet two fingers, dimple the risen dough at regular intervals.  The dimples (about 2 dozen- or one dozen in each 8 inch round). should be deep enough to hold small pieces of topping, herbs and pools of olive oil.
6. For the topping: Drizzle the dough with the oil and sprinkle evenly with rosemary and coarse salt, landing some in pools of oil.
7. Bake until the bottom crust is golden brown and crisp, 23-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.

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Zucchini Risotto

31 Aug


Adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Risotto gli Zuchinni

4 medium zucchini or 6 small ones
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped yellow onion
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
salt
5 cups homemade meat broth OR 1 cup canned chicken broth mixed w. 4 cups water
3 tablespoons butter
1- 1/2 cups raw Italian arborio rice
Freshly ground pepper, about 4 twists of the mill
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1.  Carefully wash or scrape the zucchini clean and slice into disks 1/2in. thick.  Set aside.
2. In a medium sized skillet (9-inch) saute the onion w. 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat.  When the onion becomes translucent, add the chopped garlic, and as soon as it colors lightly, add the sliced zucchini and turn the heat down to medium low.  Add a tiny pinch of salt after 10 to 12 minutes.  The zucchini are done when they turn a rich golden color, usually 30 min. (you can prepare them a day ahead of time, several hours or a few days, if you refrigerate them tightly covered in plastic wrap.)
3. Bring the broth or the canned broth and water to a slow, steady simmer.  Transfer the zucchini to a heavy-bottomed casserole, leaving behind in the pan as much of the cooking fat as possible.  Add 2 tablespoons butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the casserole and turn the heat to high.  When the fat and zucchini begin to bubble, add the rice and stir until it is well coated.  Saute lightly for about 1 minute, then add a ladleful, 1/2 cup, of the simmering broth.  Proceed as basic risotto technique: add 1/2 cup simmering broth and stir while cooking, until the rice absorbs the liquid and wipes the sides of the pot as you stir.  When the rice dries out, add another 1/2 cup of simmering broth and continue to stir-cook  You must be steadfast and tireless in your stirring, always loosening the rice from the entire bottom surface of the pot; otherwise it will stick.  Add liquid as the rice dries out, but don’t “drown” the rice.  Remember, risotto is not boiled rice.
4.  Correct heat is very important in making risotto.  It should be very lively, but if the liquid evaporates too rapidly the rice cannot cook evenly.  It will be soft outside and chalky inside. If the heat is too slow, the rice becomes gluey, which is even worse.  Regulate the heat so that, if you are using Italian rice, it will cook in about 30 mins time.  The risotto is done when the rice is tender but al dente, firm to the bite.  You must be able to judge when the rice is close to doneness, so that as it finished cooking you won’t swamp it with excess liquid. Until you acquire experience w. risotto, it is safer, after 20 mins cooking to reduce the dose of broth to 1/4 cup at a time, at frequent intervals.  When cooked, the rice should be creamily bound together, neither dry or runny.
5. When the rice is done, tender but al dente, taste for salt.  (if the broth was salty, you might not need any.  Bear in mind too that the Parmesan cheese you will add is salty.)  Turn off the heat, add a few twists of pepper, the tablespoon of butter, the chopped parsley, and the grated Parmesan and mix thoroughly.  Spoon onto a hot platter and serve immediately with a bowl of freshly grated cheese on the side.

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