Buona Sera, Dear Readers,
Just wanted to fill you in on some upcoming news about the 'Montenero Cookbook Project' blog.
Q. Julie, what about the cookbook? Are we ever going to see that, or will this just be a blog?
A. My whole purpose of creating the blog was to write the cookbook one recipe/topic at a time . It's working! I've had wonderful responses and beautiful correspondence with Montenerese near and far. (Well, mostly far) We test each recipe as we go along, so that when the book is published and people try to make the recipes, we can be sure that they work. Also, many people love to look at the pictures. :)
Q. We understand that this is not your day job, but the format is getting a little bit ho-hum. Will you ever do anything differently, or at least change the colors and fonts?
A. Early on, Lisa Freda Amundsen suggested a website instead of a blog-BRILLIANT idea. We'll be switching to this over the summer. If anyone would like to kibbitz (a Yiddish term for chime in) please just let me know! We'll have lots of fun putting together something for the next generation.
Q. I found a great picture/recipe/idea...will you ever write it up?
A. You bet!!! I love learning about our history and what's important to everybody. That's what this is all about.
Q. Julie, how will you learn how to make the blog better?
A. I will be attending the 'Blogher Food Conference' in Seattle, WA on June 8-9th. The workshop I'm most looking forward to is 'Differences between Cookbook and Blog Photography'. Most other seminars are about sustainable topics and literally solving world hunger. There is a field trip scheduled to Seattle's famous Pike Place Market-another highlight for sure.
Mangia Bene,
Julie
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Homemade Graham Crackers
Lee and I just celebrated our 5th anniversary. He loves these, and I just wanted to bake something for him. I hate to admit it, but I had a lot of trouble this day. First the dough was too soft, then one batch was too puffy, the next batch burned flat...guess a good baker would try to figure out what went wrong. Not me. I sandwiched them with some simple cream cheese icing and blamed the weather.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
7 Tbsp unsalted butter,cut in cubes,frozen
1/3 cup honey
5 Tablespoons whole milk
2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract
plus cinnamon sugar for topping
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix on low for several seconds to blend. Add the butter, and mix slowly until it looks like a coarse meal.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture until the dough just comes together. Pour dough onto a floored surface and pat into a rectangle about an inch thick, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm.
Liberally flour work surface. Roll out dough to 1/8" thick. Using a biscuit cutter or a pastry wheel, cut out desired shapes. Place the crackers on parchment lined baking sheets, prick each one with a fork, and sprinkle with the topping. Place back in refrigerator until firm again.
Bake in a 350* oven for 10-20 minutes or until edges are slightly brown.
Bake for
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
7 Tbsp unsalted butter,cut in cubes,frozen
1/3 cup honey
5 Tablespoons whole milk
2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract
plus cinnamon sugar for topping
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix on low for several seconds to blend. Add the butter, and mix slowly until it looks like a coarse meal.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture until the dough just comes together. Pour dough onto a floored surface and pat into a rectangle about an inch thick, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm.
Liberally flour work surface. Roll out dough to 1/8" thick. Using a biscuit cutter or a pastry wheel, cut out desired shapes. Place the crackers on parchment lined baking sheets, prick each one with a fork, and sprinkle with the topping. Place back in refrigerator until firm again.
Bake in a 350* oven for 10-20 minutes or until edges are slightly brown.
Bake for
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Italian Pretzels
The first Saturday in May is a promise from a present-day heart to a hopeful future. It can mean spring looking to summer, it can mean exams leading to graduation, it can mean a beautiful white dress chosen for a very special day. This recipe was inspired by Nancy Danese's recipe: 'Mark's Favortie Pepperoni Rolls'. Mark graduated from the University of Dayton today. Way to go, Mark! The less-romantic inspiration was my husband Lee, wondering when the heck I was going to make the pretzels I've been promising him since I took a class about it in the spring of 2009.
Ingredients
2 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
3 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/4 cup bread flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups more-or-less of water
1/3 lb pepperoni, diced
1/2 cup baking soda
1 level Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
Pretzel salt, oregano, basil and parmesan for sprinkling
Method
In a small saucepan, slowly melt butter with garlic. In the larger bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, dissolve yeast with 1/4 cup of the water, warmed. Add the 1 Tablespoon of sugar to the yeast after about 2 minutes or more of 'blooming'.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together all flours and 1 Tablespoon of salt. After yeast has had 10-15 minutes to foam and feel bubbly, put flour in bowl and slowly start to mix. Add cooled garlic butter and 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, approx 10 minutes. Using the other 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, grease a large bowl where dough can rise. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size.
Turn risen dough out onto a lightly floored work surface. Divide dough into 1-2 oz portions. Roll pieces of dough into log-shaped strips using the palms of your hands. Flatten into rectangles, then spread pepperoni across each piece before rolling it back up. Twist into a pretzel shape, and place on a baking sheet for the second rise (15 minutes or so) In a large stockpot, boil water and add 1/2 cup of baking soda. Submerge each pretzel and boil for 30 mins per side. Remove with slotted spoon, and transfer to cooling rack. Immediately sprinkle with salt, parmesan, basil and oregano. Bake in 425* oven for 15-18 minutes until cooked to a deep golden brown.
Ingredients
2 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
3 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/4 cup bread flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups more-or-less of water
1/3 lb pepperoni, diced
1/2 cup baking soda
1 level Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
Pretzel salt, oregano, basil and parmesan for sprinkling
Method
In a small saucepan, slowly melt butter with garlic. In the larger bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, dissolve yeast with 1/4 cup of the water, warmed. Add the 1 Tablespoon of sugar to the yeast after about 2 minutes or more of 'blooming'.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together all flours and 1 Tablespoon of salt. After yeast has had 10-15 minutes to foam and feel bubbly, put flour in bowl and slowly start to mix. Add cooled garlic butter and 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, approx 10 minutes. Using the other 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, grease a large bowl where dough can rise. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size.
Turn risen dough out onto a lightly floored work surface. Divide dough into 1-2 oz portions. Roll pieces of dough into log-shaped strips using the palms of your hands. Flatten into rectangles, then spread pepperoni across each piece before rolling it back up. Twist into a pretzel shape, and place on a baking sheet for the second rise (15 minutes or so) In a large stockpot, boil water and add 1/2 cup of baking soda. Submerge each pretzel and boil for 30 mins per side. Remove with slotted spoon, and transfer to cooling rack. Immediately sprinkle with salt, parmesan, basil and oregano. Bake in 425* oven for 15-18 minutes until cooked to a deep golden brown.
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