Posted By Lindsay on January 12, 2009
Pizza again! We’ve definitely been exploring the nearly-cheeseless pizzas lately, as they satisfy both of our constant cravings for pizza. My cravings because pizza is something I can’t have unless it has very little or no cheese (rare), and Taylor craves it because I can’t have it he doesn’t get it often and goes through withdrawal. Poor guy. All he wants is his pizza. Lucky for him, I found this recipe, which is mozzarella free, only boasting a sprinkling of my favorite, goat cheese. And while there are no eggs on this one, it’s still a feast for the eyes and the stomach.
My favorite pizza of all time just might be Pizza Bianca from this recipe. Seriously, the best pizza ever. But it has slightly too much cheese for me, the mozzarella really puts it over my cheese tolerance level. But, I did steal one thing from that recipe and have adapted and claimed it as my own: the crust. It’s perfect. Delicious. Crisp. And with the addition of some fennel and thyme, this is not your plain old pizza crust. If you’ve got the time, definitely give the from-scratch crust a go. It’s well worth the extra effort.
Bell Pepper, Red Onion, and Goat Cheese Pizza
Makes 2-4 servings (depending on how hungry you are and how big you roll it). Recipe adapted from Epicurious.
Ingredients:
Crust:
3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast (from 1 envelope)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (about) unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Topping:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves (1 1/2 to 2 ounces)
1 1/2 cups thickly sliced mushrooms (5 to 6 ounces)
1/2 cup drained roasted red peppers from jar, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup paper-thin red onion slices
8 large fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
5-ounce package soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled
Directions:
For crust:
Pour 3/4 cup water into large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over; stir to blend. Let stand 10 minutes to dissolve yeast. Add oil, salt, and herbs, then 1 1/2 cups flour. Stir until well blended (dough will be sticky). Turn dough out onto generously floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding just enough flour to prevent dough from sticking, about 5 minutes (dough will be soft). Shape dough into ball; place in large oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with kitchen towel. Let dough rise at cool room temperature until almost doubled, about 2 hours. Punch dough down; form into ball. Return to bowl; cover with towel and let rise until doubled, about 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Punch down dough. Form into ball; place on floured work surface. Cover with kitchen towel; let rest 30 minutes. Sprinkle rimless baking sheet with cornmeal. Roll out dough on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to baking sheet.
Mix olive oil, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic in small bowl, and set aside.
Bake crust for 5-7 minutes or until just set. Remove from oven and brush 2 tablespoons garlic oil evenly over crust. Top with spinach leaves, then sprinkle with sliced mushrooms, roasted red peppers, red onion slices, fresh basil, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle pizza evenly with remaining garlic oil.
Bake pizza until crust is crisp and cheese begins to brown, 15-18 minutes. Transfer pizza to board. Cut into wedges and serve warm.
Posted By Lindsay on January 11, 2009
It happened again. I had one of my cupcake visions. And I couldn’t shake it. I kept thinking about these cupcakes, constantly, even dreamed about them multiple times. And much like the last ones, the only way to stop obsessing was to hunker down and make them.
So I did.
What’s odd about this is I don’t usually like lemon-flavored sweets. Don’t let any fruit get in the way of my chocolate is my usual sentiment. So the fact that I was focusing so much of my thought and attention on some lemon cupcakes makes no sense at all.
And you know what? These were surprisingly good! Very refreshing. Even for a lemon-dessert-skeptic like me. I enjoyed them very much. We made two variations, one all lemon, with lemon cake and lemon buttercream, and then another variation I’m calling Strawberry Lemonade, lemon cake with lemon strawberry buttercream. The later won in our very non-scientific not so blind taste test.
I used a variation on the tropical cupcake base I’ve used previously, with all coconut milk rather than soymilk (I thought the coconut would play nicely with the lemon). Upped the lemon zest and added some juice as well. The cake came out moist and lemony, but not too much so.
The frosting was tricky. I used a variation on the Swiss Meringue Buttercream I’d actually succeeded in making earlier (unlike the Mousseline Buttercream that I failed at so miserably). I’d be interested in hearing others’ thoughts on this frosting recipe. I felt like the buttercream was nice and fluffy until the addition of the lemon juice and strawberry – it got very greasy and sloppy. It didn’t ‘break’, but it wasn’t fluffy like it had been prior to these additions. It still piped on the cupcakes reasonably well, and tasted rich and buttery, it just didn’t behave like I thought it should. Ideas? Thoughts? I’m wondering what would happen if I tried almost a ‘hybrid’ buttercream – started with the meringue base, but then added some powdered sugar in at the end to fluff it and to cut the butter a bit. Would that work or would I kill it?
Nevertheless, another cupcake for the books. These are definite contenders for the wedding cupcakes, we’ll have to see what else comes out of my head between now and June that might pass these by, but for now, definite contenders!
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup oil
1 cup full fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Frosting:
2 ounces of fresh strawberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
6 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately 1 large lemon)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350?F.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add sugar and brown sugar and mix. Whisk together oil, coconut milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth. Fill cupcake liners with a scant 1/4 cup of batter (should be just under 2/3 of the way full). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
To make frosting, first wash and hull strawberries and toss them into a food processor. Puree strawberries and set aside.
Add sugar and egg whites into a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat.
Using the whisk attachment on a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.
Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. Don't freak out if your buttercream curdles or separates, keep beating and it will come together again.
Once the buttercream is thick and smooth, gradually beat in the lemon juice on medium speed, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla. By this point you should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. You can stop at this point if you want to stick with lemon buttercream. For strawberry buttercream, gradually add in strawberry puree, beating on medium speed until well incorporated.
Posted By Lindsay on January 10, 2009
This was a quick and refreshing dinner. And by quick, I mean quick. In the time it takes to cook the pasta, this meal is done and delicious. A summery meal in the middle of winter is always a nice change. Especially if, by some miracle, the basil plant that you came so close to killing is still hanging on for dear life. Don’t ask me how – this is the same basil plant that turned a lovely shade of greenish yellow earlier in the summer. Only after a long talk with the plant-guru at the farmers’ market nursery and a soil change per his recommendations did this plant begin to thrive. And by thrive I mean explode. It definitely slowed down when we brought it inside this winter, and I was expecting it to last a few weeks and slowly die off. But nope. It’s still going, still growing, and even threatened to flower on us a few times. Go figure.
Needless to say, fresh basil makes this recipe. It’s a twist on the typical pesto, with the addition of almonds and tomatoes. One pot, a food processor, 15 minutes, and you’re done. Aren’t those the best kind of meals?
Linguine with Pesto Trapanese
Makes 4 servings. Recipe from Gourmet.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1 large handful fresh basil leaves
1 to 2 large garlic cloves
Several sprinkles of sea salt
6 ripe plum tomatoes
Handful of grated Pecorino cheese (about 1/2 cup)
A generous splash of olive oil (about 1/3 cup)
1 pound linguine
Directions:
Saute the almonds in a little olive oil until tan.
Put basil, garlic, and salt in food processor and chop. Put aside.
Put in almonds and pulse until size of orzo.
Put tomatoes, almonds, basil garlic, cheese, and olive oil back in food processor and whir briefly. Add some fresh-ground coarse pepper.
Boil linguine. If you are Sicilian, become hysterical at the prospect of overcooked pasta. Break open a strand every 60 seconds, and when there is one tiny white speck at the center, drain instantly. Save a cupful of pasta water.
Put pasta in with pesto and mix quickly. Add a little pasta water if necessary. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature.
Posted By Lindsay on January 9, 2009
I’ve done battle with the puff pastry. Not sure if I can claim victory or not, but these were a nice refreshing dessert (if one needs a retreat from chocolate, if that’s even possible, these are a good option). We added a bit of cinnamon to the recipe, I think it needed it, and next time might substitute brown sugar for white. Doing so probably makes these less french, but oh well.
We made half the recipe, which gave us enough puff pastry for 4 turnovers, but probably enough filling for 6 or more. So the recipe is a little ‘off’ in that regard. Though I do have to say that the filling is plenty delicious on it’s own, almost like a rustic applesauce, eaten with some vanilla ice cream, you don’t really even need the puff pastry part!
French Apple Turnovers
Ingredients:
Filling:
3/4 pound Granny Smith apples
3/4 pound Golden Delicious apples
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons white or brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For pastry:
1 14- to 16-ounce package all-butter frozen puff pastry (1 or 2 sheets, depending on brand), thawed
1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)
Superfine sugar (optional)
Directions:
For filling:
Peel, core, and cut apples into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups). Place apples in medium saucepan; add 1/4 cup water, 3 tablespoons sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until apples are very tender, stirring frequently, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Gently mash apples with fork or potato masher until mixture is very soft but still chunky. Cool completely. DO AHEAD: Filling can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
For pastry:
If using 14-ounce package (1 sheet), roll out pastry on lightly floured surface to 15-inch square. If using 16-ounce package (2 sheets), stack sheets together and roll out on lightly floured surface to 15-inch square. Cut pastry into nine 5-inch squares. Place 1 generous tablespoon filling in center of each of 8 squares (reserve remaining square for another use). Lightly brush edges of 1 pastry with beaten egg. Fold half of pastry square over filling, forming triangle. Press and pinch pastry edges with fingertips to seal tightly. Lightly brush pastry with beaten egg. Sprinkle lightly with superfine sugar, if desired. Repeat with remaining squares. Using thin, sharp knife, make 3 small slits on top of each triangle to allow steam to escape. Place triangles on prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
Bake turnovers until beginning to color, about 15 minutes. Reverse baking sheets from top to bottom. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F; continue baking until turnovers are firm and golden, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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