Pizza & Calzones

This recipe makes anywhere from 3-5 mini pizzas or 4-6 calzones, depending on how generous you are with your portions. I suggest 4 servings for very happy tummys :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water


• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
  


• 1 Tbsp honey


• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt


• 1 1/2 cups bread flour

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
  

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Fillings/Toppings: Endless possibilities such as spinach, mushrooms, brocolli, peppers, olives

Cheese: Mozzarella, Ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano (any combination of the 3)

Method:

1. Place water in kitchen aid bowl and sprinkle yeast on top


2. Whisk in honey and olive oil


3. Stir in flour and salt until mixture is moistened


4. Place dough hook on Kitchen Aid and "knead" for 5 minutes


5. Place ball of dough in lightly oiled bowl and let rise in warm place for 1-2 hours


6. Dough can be kept in the fridge for 24 hours, frozen or used straight away


7. For a Calzone: If using straight away divide dough into equal balls (4-6); stretch/roll out dough to desired size and place filling on one half. Be sure to allow a border of dough to seal the calzone. Brush egg wash over calzones and bake for 15 minutes
8. For a pizza: Stretch/roll dough out and bake on tray sprinkled with cornmeal for 10 minutes. Place toppings and cheese on pizza and bake for an extra 10 minutes. I pre-cook topping such as mushrooms and red peppers in garlic and olive oil for better texture and taste.
   

Brian's Bagels

Making bagels at around 11pm can only seem like an inspired idea while heavily under the influence. That said, home made bagels are suprizingly easy to make especially with trusty sous chef Brian :)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups bread flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
• 1 2/3 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons butter

Method:

1. Mix together the unsifted flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, yeast, water, and butter in Kitchen aid bowl.

2. Use dough hook attachment and knead dough for 10 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour. We (BL and I) put the dough in the fridge over night because boiling bagels while drunk should not be attempted at home kids!!)

3. The next morning after getting over any hangovers...Divide dough into 12 pieces; shape pieces into smooth balls. Poke a 1 inch hole in each and cover with plastic wrap for 30 minutes. Pre heat oven to 425F.



4. Drop bagels into a large skillet with 1 inch water (simmering) with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in the water. Cook on medium low heat for 3 minutes, turn and cook 2 minutes; turn again, cook 1 minute more. Drain on towels. Repeat for rest of dough. Place on greased cookie sheet.

5. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes (basically until they are as deep brown as you like). Remove from sheets and cool. If desired, before baking, mix 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon water, brush on bagels, and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. But apparently sesame seeds are bloody expensive at QFC so plain is also good.


Best enjoyed with a 1:1 ratio of bagel to cream cheese. Add strawberry jelly if feeling piggy :)

Simple Fruit Tart

A simple fruit tart seemed just the thing to finish a meat-a-thon barbeque.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten with 2 tablespoons ice water
• dried beans or pie weights for weighting the shell

Filling:

• 1 8 oz package of Neufchatel cheese
• 2 Tbsp Limoncello
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  

Method:

1. Place flour, Sugar and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Add egg yolk-ice water mixture and mix until the mixture comes together. Form into a ball and cover in plastic wrap. Refridgerate for 1 hour
3. Roll out crust to slightly 11 inches and place in tart pan (10 inch tart pan). Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
4. Place parchment or foil in uncooked tart and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown
5. Make filling while tart is cooling (combine all filling ingredients in a bowl)
   

Fill tart and arrange fruit on top. Enjoy!