CIABATTA, A CLASSIC ITALIAN BREAD

Posted in Breads by sallybr

I’ve made it before during the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge, but was not very happy with the way it turned out. Hard to believe that it took me 17 months to bake another batch, but time tends to fly by me. November? Are we in November already? What happened to 2010, that started just the other day? 😉

Ciabatta, take two: the recipe from “The Italian Baker” calls for a mixture of flour, water, and yeast made the day before (the “biga“), and used as part of the final dough. A total fermentation time of 3 hours allowed us to have the bread in time for lunch, as it bakes very quickly, less than 25 minutes. I am quite pleased with this recipe, I suppose that it would work even better in a real oven, but my Breville rose to the challenge!

CIABATTA
(from The Italian Baker)

for biga:
1/8 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup + 1 Tbs water at room temperature
1 + 1/4 cup all purpose flour (165 g)

Dissolve yeast in water, add the flour and form a sticky dough. Leave it covered at room temperature for 16 to 24 hours.

for the final dough:
2.5 Tbs milk
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
5.5 ounces water (1/2 cup + 1.5 Tbs)
1/2 T olive oil
1 cup biga (250 g)
250 g all purpose flour
1/2 Tbs salt (7.5 g)

If kneading in a mixer, stir the yeast in the milk and let it stand for a couple of minutes in the bowl. Add the water, oil, the biga, and mix to incorporate, dissolving the biga in the liquid. Add the flour and salt, and mix at low speed for a couple of minutes. Change to the dough hook and knead 2 minutes at low speed, and 2 minutes at medium speed. Finish kneading by hand on a well-floured surface, but adding as little extra flour as possible.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and leave at room temperature for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Divide the dough, which will be very soft and bubbly, in two equal pieces. Place each half on a well floured piece of parchment paper, and shape each as a cylinder, keeping the seam side down. Stretch it gently to give the ciabatta overall shape (a rectangle of 10 x 4 inches), and use the tip of your fingers to make deep dimples all over the dough. Cover with a damp towel and let them rise for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Bake in a pre-heated 425 F oven, spraying the bread with water three times in the first 10 minutes. Total baking time should be 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the loaves on a rack, and…

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Carol Field advises against kneading this dough by hand, because it is very hard not to add more flour to prevent it from sticking. However, if you are familiar with the way a high hydration dough behaves, go ahead and give it a try. Keep in mind that the less extra flour you add, the better. She also keeps the seam side up during rising, which forces her to invert the dough on the baking sheet (or stone). I prefer to shape them seam-side down, then transfer them gently to the oven with the parchment paper still underneath. I think that this method minimizes deflating the dough.

We enjoyed our ciabatta with mozarella and ham for lunch, and at dinner it complemented spaghetti with meatballs that shall be the subject of a post in the very near future (they were AWESOME!)…

I am submitting this post to Susan’s Yeastspotting event…

ONE YEAR AGO: Lamb Stew with Parsnips, Prunes and Chickpeas

13Nov2010

A PERFECT SATURDAY

Posted in General by sallybr

Sleeping in? No, thanks… For us, Saturday starts early with a run, while most people are asleep and the empty streets are ours. Next, it’s a well-deserved and needed double cappuccino, to get some caffeine flowing. Maybe we’ll find a reasonable croissant or pain au chocolat (it’s not easy, even in LA). Most of our meals are home-cooked, but on the weekend we kick back with some shortcuts. Here in LA take-out sushi is a fine option! We found a Japanese market a few miles from home that sells absolutely perfect sushi. No one speaks any English in there, as the staff and customers are Japanese, and usually the only exceptions are us! ;-). We love their spicy salmon roll, it’s fresh and delicious!

I’m reasonably daring as far as cooking goes, but I’ve never tried to make sushi at home. Perhaps while we’re living here, surrounded by excellent fish, I’ll give it a try…

If you live in the area and want to visit Granada Market, it is located at 1820 Sawtelle Blvd in West LA. They carry every imaginable ingredient for Japanese cooking, including fresh produce (Kobe beef included). It’s a great, reasonably priced store.

11Nov2010

OVEN-BAKED RISOTTO

Posted in Rice and Grains by sallybr

The purists will twist their noses at this one… I gave it a try because it came from Everyday Food, a publication I am very fond of. With Martha Stewart backing it up, it could not be a complete and utter failure. 😉 Obviously, you can adapt it for a “regular type” risotto, just continue cooking on the stove top – stirring gently – until done. However, it was nice to be able to stick the dish in the oven and forget about it for half an hour, then enjoy a risotto with almost the exact qualities of the traditional kind.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BAKED RISOTTO
(adapted from Everyday Food, November 2010)

1 T olive oil
1/2 T butter
1 shallot, very finely diced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup Arborio rice
salt and pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 + 1/2 cups diced butternut squash
1 + 3/4 cup vegetable broth
spinach and baby arugula leaves (2 cups total)
grated parmiggiano reggiano

Heat the oven to 400F. Saute the shallots in olive oil and butter until translucent, add the fresh thyme, red pepper flakes, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes. Add the wine, cook until almost absorbed, a couple of minutes more. Add the vegetable stock, and the butternut squash pieces, season again with salt and pepper, bring the mixture to a full boil.

Transfer to an oven-proof container (preferably with a lid), stir the spinach and arugula leaves. Cover with the lid (or with aluminum foil), and bake until the rice is cooked but there’s still some liquid in the dish. Add fresh parmiggiano reggiano before serving, and a little more black pepper, if you are so inclined.

(Makes 4 substantial servings)

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: My only issue with the recipe was the oven cooking time, which, according to the magazine would be around 20 minutes. That was definitely not enough to cook the rice and absorb enough liquid. In our oven it took slightly over 30 minutes. You might want to play around with the amount of stock added, but keep in mind that risotto should not be rushed, better not make it if you have rigid time constraints.

I don’t think I would serve oven-baked risotto for guests, because the traditional method delivers a creamier texture. But, for the two of us, it was perfectly fine. Leftovers were enjoyed the following day, warmed in the microwave. Still very tasty, even with the significant loss of moisture.

ONE YEAR AGO: Potato Roquefort Cakes

10Nov2010

BRAZIL x GREAT BRITAIN

Posted in General by sallybr

I love the flag counter feature that is found in many blogs these days, so obviously I had to add it to the Bewitching Kitchen.

For the past few months, I’ve had a lot of fun with the “fight for third place” going on between readers’ visits from Brazil and Great Britain. Brazil won for many weeks straight, but now GB has a slight advantage.

I know, I know… I should go out more! 😉

8Nov2010

SOUR CREAM SANDWICH BREAD

Posted in Breads by sallybr

A simple but delightful sandwich bread, made with white flour, commercial yeast, and a bit of sour cream to provide a mildly tangy note, and a moist and tender crumb. If you are baking under challenging conditions (that is, in a small oven), watch out for quite an impressive oven spring: the bread might touch the heating element on top and… you don’t want that to happen. Protect it with aluminum foil if needed. The recipe comes from the one and only Dan Lepard, you can find it here.

SOURCREAM SANDWICH BREAD
(from Dan Lepard, published at The Guardian)

General method:
Sour cream is mixed with water, a little salt and sugar, and yeast. Bread flour is added to form a sticky dough.

Dan uses minimal kneading, just 10 seconds every 10 minutes over half an hour, then the dough rises for 1 hour.

After shaping as a loaf, place in a pan and allow it to rise for 60 to 90 minutes. The bread is baked in a 390F oven for about 45 minutes.

(for the detailed recipe, and printable version, click here)

Comments: This is a great recipe for those times in which you want a simple loaf for day-to-day sandwiches. A slice, slightly toasted, with cottage cheese, salt and pepper, is a perfect way to start the day, next to a steaming cup of green tea. Or, if you prefer to play on my husband’s team, make it a thin spread of blackberry preserves,. Either way, Dan Lepard came up with yet another winner!

I am submitting this post to Susan’s Yeastspotting…

ONE YEAR AGO: Pasta with Zucchini Strands and Shrimp