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Sunday, June 10, 2012

It's-a-Bruschetta!



     This time of year when the temperatures start rising, like today ( it's in the 90's here), and the tomatoes are plentiful, we like to make bruschetta, because there's no cooking involved. (FYI it's pronounced broosketta, NOT brooshetta.) Well, hardly. You need to toast the bread, but you can do that on your grill outside or under the broiler in your oven.  It's a great antipasto, before your meal, or sometimes we'll make a lot and make a meal out of it. Especially if you want a light lunch or dinner, or you're having company over, because everyone loves it. The reason why it's so good is because it's so simple. I find the simpler a recipe the better it tastes. And the Italians are masters at combining just a few ingredients together to make an awesome outcome. This is how I was taught to make bruschetta.

INGREDIENTS:
  • Fresh tomatoes. If you grow your own that would be favoloso. I don't have room for a garden, so I buy, vine ripened, they seem to have more flavor than just regular hot house tomatoes. Also, get them from you farmer's market, they'll be locally grown and a lot better.
  • Fresh basil. Again grow your own,( e piu buono) we have a pot of basil growing on the front steps, cause we use it often, but you can always find fresh basil at the supermarket.
  • Extra virgin olive oil. We go through a lot of this and buy it in big cans. TIP: If you don't use it that often just buy a small bottle because if it sits for a long time it does go rancid. We like Greek or Italian olive oil.
  • Garlic clove. You're going to need at least one whole clove for this recipe.
  • Capers( caperi) or black olives. We use caperi in a lot of different dishes. They are actually little immature flower buds from the caper bush. You can find them pickled in vinegar, or packed in salt. TIP; We prefer the salted ones, either way you need to rinse them well before using.
  • Italian bread. Of course, in Italy there's a huge selection of different breads you can find. When we're there we use "pane di grano duro". Here in the states I buy the big round one that's already sliced. It's on the shelves at the deli counter


SO HERE'S WHAT YA DO:
  • Coarsely chop up your tomatoes and place in a mixing bowl.
  • Add everything else except the garlic clove and the bread. Stir till combined.
  • Toast the bread slices. You can use your out door grill, or like me under the broiler in the oven. TIP: Keep a vigilant eye on it cause it only takes a few seconds too much before they are burnt to a crisp. ( A lesson I've learned all to well the hard way!) Mamma Mia!
  • Peel your garlic clove and rub each slice of bread back and forth over one side. Your clove will get smaller and smaller the more slices you make. Peel another if you need to.
  • Spoon out a generous (abbondante!) amount of your tomato mixture onto the bread slice.
That's it! Now go enjoy, with a nice cold beer or a cold glass of white wine. ( I suggest a nice Pinot Grigio!) You deserve it!
Alla Salute!

E BUON APPETITO

My little basil plant on the front step.
It still has to grow into the "huge"  pot hubbie planted it in.


Monday, June 4, 2012

Homemade Pizza Night!

Yay Pizza Night!
My son was in town for a couple of days from San Francisco for work. He stayed for the week-end. I suggested we have a family pizza night. When the boys were growing up, I made homemade pizza on Saturday nights. We would eat it in the den, in front of the T.V. and watch our favorite movies. He liked my idea, so I made pizza!

Yeast bubbling up, coming back to life in the warm water.
I use my awesome Kitchen Aid mixer, with the dough hook, to make the dough. It was a birthday gift from my BFF one year, the BEST present I ever got! Thank you Pammie-girl! (Before that I mixed it by hand, this just makes life so much easier.) You could also use your food processor or a bread maker if you have one.


THE DOUGH:

  1. Put about 4-5 cups of all purpose flour in the bowl. (1-2 of those cups I use whole wheat flour). Make a well in the center. Add a couple tablespoons of dry yeast, pour in a big glass of really hot water from the tap, a pinch or two of sugar and a couple tablespoons( or more) olive oil. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. The yeast should start to bubble up and make a froth.
  2. Turn on the mixer and let it run till you have a nice soft, not sticky, ball of dough. Cover the bowl with a towel and put in a warm place for about an hour. ( I warm up the oven for about 5 min. then turn it off, then I let it rise in there).
  3. Once it has risen, pull off a piece set it on a greased stone or pan (I use olive oil spay), sprinkle it with a little flour and roll it out to fit. ( we like ours nice and thin).


I roll the dough out right on my stone or pan.

THE TOPPINGS
  1. We made four of our favorites pizzas. Potato and rosemary (yes I did say potato), sauteed mushroom, caramelized onion, and green salad pizza.
  2. My husband, who is in from Italy for a bit, sauteed sliced mushrooms in olive oil with garlic and chopped fresh parsley. He also caramelized the onion, here's a recipe. They become sweet and Delicious.  I grated two medium potatoes with a cheese grater (like hash browns). And I washed and spun dry a head of romaine lettuce chopped up, for the green salad pizza..
  3. So, after you roll out your dough on your pizza pan, top it with one of these toppings. Salt and pepper it (sprinkle potato pizza with dried rosemary) and put it in the lowest positions of a preheated oven at 450 degrees.( I cook two or three at a time, it just takes a little longer.)
  4. When the crust starts turning brown and they are about five minutes from being done, pull them out and put on the cheese. We put Gorgonzola and mozzarella on all of them. Then put them back in the oven to finish cooking till the cheese is cooked the way you like it.
  5. None of these pizza use any tomato sauce. I do top the lettuce on the salad pizza with pieces of diced tomato from the can and some oregano.
  6. Just before you cut your pizza drizzle the top with some more olive oil. 


I take the pizza out about 5 min before it's
done and add the cheese, then cook it some more.
This is the mushroom & Gorgonzola pizza.

We always have to have a nice cold beer (or two) with our pizza!

Chowin down! Buon appetito!

The potato/rosemary pizza and the caramelised onion pizza went so fast I didn't get a picture of them. (the potato is my favorite!) 


The green salad pizza.




Dee dee likes the crusts, don't let that
 sad face fool you, she got plenty!

Ah, now that was a nice-a-pizza!
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