BAKE!

Iced Sweet Taralli for Easter

(Later today I'll post what you'll need for the sourdough starter ferment-along we'll begin later this week.)

Photo credit:  Tom Eckerle

Taralli are the ultimate southern Italian Easter pastry; they come in at least a dozen different varieties, sweet and savory, large and small, made with olive oil or lard (butter for the sweet ones today), leavened with yeast, baking powder, or just eggs.  Yeast-risen taralli are boiled before baking like bagels, then baked on racks so they become shatteringly crisp.  The ones here are a particular favorite of mine, based on a recipe shared by Marie Ciampi about 15 years ago.  I used it in my book, Cookies Unlimited, and make them every Easter.

Neapolitan Easter Pie

I haven't been here for a while due to computer woes (all settled now) and edits on BREAD! due out in the fall.  Things are finally starting to lighten up.  Watch for complete instructions on cultivating your own sourdough starter beginning Tuesday.

Photo credit:  Charles Schiller

PASTIERA NAPOLETANA

NEAPOLITAN EASTER PIE WITH RICOTTA AND WHEAT

Though the official name of this pie is Pastiera Napoletana, many Italian Americans also refer to it as Pizza di Grano, grain or wheat pie.  It’s a sweet crust filled with ricotta, pastry cream, and cooked wheat berries, and scented with orange flower water.  Please be careful when you purchase the wheat.  If you live near an Italian grocery store, they will always have it around Easter – you just need to ask for wheat or grain.  Or you can buy it even more easily in a health food store.  The wheat berries you need to buy are white, not brown or red.  White wheat berries cook relatively quickly whereas the unhulled darker ones take forever to cook.  If no wheat berries are available, substitute an equal amount of long-grain rice (boil it like pasta until tender, about 15 minutes) or pearl barley, which is cooked exactly like the wheat berries.

Buccellato: A Sicilian Christmas Wreath

Photo by Sandy Leonard

This is one of the treats I never fail to bake at Christmas, especially because it keeps well and may be prepared in advance.  The photo is from last year's Christmas Day dessert table.  Now it's time for me to get back to the kitchen and start baking.

MY FAVORITE CRANBERRY RELISH

I love to experiment with new twists on old recipes, but I never tamper with this one - I make it exactly the same way every year before Thanksgiving.  Aside from the fact that I love it this way my friends who depend on me for their yearly supply would be up in arms over any changes.  I posted this last year but I think it's worth a repost and I hope it will become a yearly tradition with you too.

CRANBERRY ORANGE RELISH

Get a head start on your preparations with this recipe - you can prepare it today and keep it refrigerated for your holiday meal.  The relish keeps well for a couple of months in the refrigerator.

Makes about 3 quarts

Three 12-ounce bags fresh cranberries, rinsed, picked over and drained

3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 cups granulated sugar

One 12-ounce jar bitter orange marmalade (I always use Hero brand)

3 medium oranges, rinsed, quartered and seeded

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients in a large non-reactive pan, such as an enameled iron Dutch oven.  Set on medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Skim foam as it rises to the surface

At the boil, reduce heat and simmer the relish until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to find a piece of orange and press it against the inside of the pan to extract any remaining juices.  Repeat with the remaining orange pieces, discarding them after removing.

Cool the relish and pack it into pint or quart containers.  Refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.

Truffle Brownies = Chocolate Heaven

Pictured here with Ginger Squares (see November 7 post)                                     Photo credit:  Quentin Bacon

Today was brownie day when Mario Bosquez of Martha Stewart Living Radio featured these Truffle Brownies as his monthly Facebook baking challenge.  Members sent in great photos of their brownies including one decorated with a single squiggle of red and white ribbon candy for an extra holiday touch.  Seriously, though, brownies are not only easy to prepare, they're really practical for this last week of holiday madness.  Bake a batch today, wrap and freeze them, and thaw, cut and serve for Christmas.  Get ready:  everyone will ask for the recipe.

Makes twenty-four 2-inch square brownies 

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60% to 62% cocoa solids) cut into 1/4-inch  pieces

2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

One 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan lined with buttered parchment or foil 

1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350˚F.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Let the butter get hot and start to sizzle after it’s melted. Off heat, add the chocolate all at once and gently shake the pan to submerge all the chocolate in the butter. Set aside.
3. Combine the brown sugar, flour and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle. Beat on lowest speed until evenly mixed together.
4. Add 2 eggs to the mixer and continue to beat just until they are absorbed. Stop and scrape the bowl and beater
5. Repeat step 4.
6. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the vanilla.
7. Whisk the butter and chocolate smooth and scrape it into the bowl. Use a large rubber spatula to mix it in thoroughly.
8. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
9. Bake the brownies until they are firm, but not dry, and the point of a paring knife inserted in the center of the pan emerges with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 30 minutes.
10. Cool in the pan on a rack.
11. Invert the brownies to a cutting board and remove the pan and paper. Cover with another board and invert the whole stack. Remove the top board and wrap the brownies on their board in a double thickness of plastic wrap. Keep the brownies at a cool room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight before cutting.
12. Use a ruler to mark, then cut the brownies into 2-inch squares. 

WALNUT OR PECAN BROWNIES: Fold 2 cups (about 8 ounces) coarsely chopped walnut or pecan pieces into the batter right before scraping it into the pan.

Smart Cookies in Saveur

 
Photo courtesy of Todd Coleman|Saveur

A couple of months ago Saveur test kitchen baking maven Ben Mims contacted me for some holiday cookie recipes.  I quickly put together some favorites from around the world and sent them over along with my precious 19th century Dutch speculaas mold (cookies made from it are pictured at the bottom right above).  Here's the result, a link to the article:

Holiday Cookies for Saveur

I hope some of them will become your favorites too.

Now it's back to the kitchen for me and a couple of new holiday recipes for later in the week.

Christmas Cookies without Tears

 

Getting organized in advance makes holiday cookie baking a breeze.  Here are a few hints to help make baking Christmas cookies an easy and pleasurable experience:

1. Choose you recipes well in advance.  Make a list, then eliminate a third of the recipes.  Paging through cookbooks looking for recipes makes us all overly ambitious.
2. Make a photocopy of each recipe – then you won’t have to bring books into the kitchen, especially if your counter space is cramped.
3. Make a physical inventory of your ingredients.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve opened a cupboard and seen that the ginger or baking powder are sitting on the shelf, only to discover later on when I was ready to use them, that the container or jar only had a little bit left in the bottom.  Open jars, bags, and other containers to make sure how much is there.  Sniff spices to make sure they haven’t become too old to impart the flavor you need.
4. Inventory equipment, too.  Make sure you have the correct sizes of pans, especially for bar cookies which would bake up too thick or too thin if you change the pan size.  Check that you have cutters and any other specialty equipment required.  Take a look at the parchment paper or non-stick foil to make sure you have enough.  And don’t forget the containers you’ll need for storing the baked cookies.
5. Over-estimate your use of staples such as flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.  You might taste a new recipe and decide you need another batch or two.
6. Clean the refrigerator and freezer – make sure you’ll have room to chill doughs and freeze baked cookies.
7. Get a buddy:  Enlist the help of a friend so you can bake together and be twice as productive.  Decide on how you’ll slit the baked cookies beforehand, though.
8. If you are preparing any recipes that require room temperature ingredients, take them out late the night before so they’ll be at the right temperature for mixing.
9. Get an early start: Have a good breakfast and start baking early in the day.  I like to start in the pre-dawn hours to make sure I won’t be distracted by the phone during the first few critical hours.
10. Measure out all the ingredients before starting a recipe, then go back and check that they’re all there.  Nothing is worse than putting a pan of cookies into the oven and realizing that you never put in the baking powder or you missed one of spices.
11. When pans need to be buttered, use soft, not melted, butter – it coats more thickly assuring a good release.  Just put a stick of butter into a small pan or bowl with a brush and place it near the stove.
12. Wear comfortable shoes that give you good support, especially if you’re not accustomed to spending an entire day on your feet.
13. Plan on a nourishing and easy lunch before you start baking – this can be as easy as making a sandwich and wrapping it up.  You’ll be happy you did when you get hungry and don’t need to stop to decide what to eat, or worse, start picking on the nuts and chocolate and wind up with an upset stomach and still have hours of baking ahead of you.
14. Unless you have a really large kitchen, plan on a place for cooling baked cookies.  Cover your dining table with a heatproof pad and set out some racks.  I use a couple of cheap folding tables that are stored in a closet most of the time.  For heavy baking days, I use one to hold ingredients waiting to be used and another to hold the cooling racks and finished cookies.
15. Use a ruler:  If you need to cut bar cookies into 2-inch squares, measure the correct distance so they’ll look neat and all be the same size.
16. Above all, enjoy the process – holiday baking should provide you with as much pleasure as the results will to their recipients.

Happy holiday baking!

Guest Post: Roasting Bernie

 
BERNIE

My friend Kyra, already an acclaimed cooking teacher and baker in Dallas, recently moved to a northern suburb and immediately began writing a food column for the local paper.  Her editor, a single man who had nary boiled an egg, appealed for help after he had agreed to provide the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner at a friend's home.  Here's Kyra's equally practical and humorous reply, originally written as an open letter to the paper:

I understand you have volunteered to prepare the turkey for Thanksgiving.

The good news is that it is the easiest part of the menu – the bad news is that it is also the star of the meal – so if you mess up your “goose” is “cooked.”

Here, at your request, are step by step instructions for roasting the BIRD.

 BEFORE YOU BEGIN

1. Check that your refrigerator will accommodate the BIRD which will have to languish there for up to three days awaiting its fate.  This probably means that you will either have to eat everything already in the refrigerator, find a friend willing to accommodate your stuff in his/her refrigerator, or buy a second refrigerator. Oh! and check that the bird will fit in your oven.  Don’t laugh - some of these new ovens have never heard of Thanksgiving…
2. You will need a large roasting pan; if you are not planning on returning to the kitchen anytime soon, buy the disposable foil turkey roasting pan available in most supermarkets.
3. You SHOULD use a meat thermometer to ensure the meat is cooked properly   unless you buy a turkey with a pop up thermometer - see Purchases, below.
4. Buy a lifting rack so that you can lift the roasted bird out of the pan…
5. …and you will need a baster.

Buy those NOW – not the day before Thanksgiving

THE PURCHASES

And while you are at it, purchase the BIRD at least 3 days before the Thanksgiving Day .

You have a choice of a frozen bird, the cheapest (remember it needs at least 3 days to defrost in the refrigerator), or you can buy the turkey with the pop up thermometer (a little more expensive but cheaper than a thermometer), or you could invest in a fresh turkey which is best, but will cost you an arm and a leg (actually a wing and a leg).

Have on hand or buy:  2 large onions, carrots, celery, some fresh herbs of your choice, a couple of cans of good chicken stock, and a package of Wondra flour.

PREPARING THE BIRD

Lug the bird home and leave it to thaw (if frozen) in the refrigerator.  The day before Thanksgiving, set it in the sink and remove the wrapping. Before throwing away the wrapping make a note of the weight – you will need to know that later.

Look inside the cavities (both ends) and stop wrinkling your nose at the little messy bags of turkey parts you discover hiding in there.  Remove the parts from the bags and set them aside – we are going to use them later

Now we name the bird.  You cannot do what you are going to do to it without at least giving it a name.  And, no, Tom is not very imaginative.  How about Bernie this year?

Rinse Bernie inside and out and thoroughly pat dry.  A wet bird will not take kindly to all the stuff you are now going to add.

Sprinkle the inside of the cavity with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.  You season the inside of the bird since the flavor is absorbed into the carcass.  If you season the outside you are just seasoning the skin.  Insert the onions halved (leave skin on), 4-5  large carrots, and a 3-4  celery stalks. You can also add a few stalks of the fresh herbs of your choice, which then transforms your bird from “down home” to “gourmet.”

DO NOT PUT STUFFING INSIDE THE BIRD.  You run the risk of it never reaching a high enough temperature to kill all bacteria, and it also takes longer for the bird to roast.  Bake the stuffing separately.

Return Bernie to the refrigerator.

Thanksgiving morning force yourself out of bed at an ungodly hour and prepare for the last lap:

ROASTING  BERNIE

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Be sure you have removed all the oven racks except one, which should be on the lowest rung.

Set BERNIE breast side up on the rack lifter (which you are now glad you bought) and place the whole thing in the roasting pan.

Pour 1/2 cup chicken stock into the pan.  Place all the parts, EXCEPT the liver and heart, that came in those messy little bags in the roasting pan to roast along with the bird.  The vegetables that are inside the bird, and those "parts," will serve as the base for the excellent gravy you will be making.  Much as it grieves me to say this, discard the Bernie’s heart and liver (see Note below). Rub the outside of the bird with oil or butter.  If you are using a meat thermometer insert it inside the thigh.

Place a tent of foil loosely on top to ensure the bird roasts evenly.

Roast Bernie for

2 3/4  - 3 hours for 8-12 pounds

3 - 3 3/4 hours for 12-14 pounds

3 3/4 - 4 1/4 hours for 14-18 pounds

Remove the foil tent after 1 1/2 hours and, using the baster, baste Bernie frequently (every 15 minutes) with the pan juices. Add more chicken stock if the liquid is evaporating too fast. The bird should end up with a beautiful, glowing George Hamilton tan.

When Bernie is done (the thermometer temperature should register at least 165 degrees or the little pop up thermometer should have popped up) remove from the oven. Using the lifter (oh boy, you are now REALLY glad you bought that) transfer Bernie to the serving platter and let him rest for 20 minutes.

THE GRAVY

While Bernie is resting, remove the vegetables and herbs from cavity, chop the vegetables up coarsely, and add them all to the bits in the roasting pan. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon WONDRA flour (which does not lump) into the roasting pan and add another cup of stock to the liquid already in the pan.  Using a large spoon, scrape all that good stuff off the bottom of the pan (this is called deglazing if you want to impress the guests) stirring everything together until it is well blended.

Strain the gravy into a saucepan, bring to the boil, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. At this point you can let your culinary talents loose and add some wine or orange juice, correct the seasoning with salt and pepper, and bring back up to the boil.

Serve Bernie up with pride and gravy.

Accept the compliments gracefully and remember that he who does a good job, gets to do it again next year.

 Note:  If you have a dog, sizzle the heart and liver in a pan and let HIM have a Happy Thanksgiving too.

 

 

Thanksgiving Coundown II: Cornbread Dressing

My understanding of stuffing versus dressing is that the former is actually inside the turkey while the latter is baked alongside (or after) it.  First you’ll need some cornbread and if you use the recipe below, just add the sage or poultry seasoning directly to the batter.  Or feel free to use your favorite bread as a substitute – you’ll need about 4 to 5 cups of fine fresh breadcrumbs made by cubing day-old bread and giving it a spin in the food processor, then just add the rubbed sage and poultry seasoning from the cornbread recipe to the dressing’s liquid before adding the crumbs.  The rest of the dressing process is a little like a bread pudding and results in a moist and very sage-y accompaniment to the turkey and gravy.

 Makes about 8 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup finely chopped celery (you can pulse it in the food processor)

3/4 cup finely chopped white onion

1 1/2 cups turkey or chicken broth or milk, see Note below

Salt, pepper, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 large eggs

1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley or fresh sage, or both

1 9-inch round Cornbread for Dressing, below, broken into fine crumbs by hand

1 tablespoon melted butter for the top of the dressing

One 1 1/2- to 2-quart gratin dish or other baking dish, buttered 

1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the celery.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the celery starts to sizzle.  Decrease the heat and continue cooking until the celery begins to soften, about 5 minutesStir in the onion and cover the pan.  Let the vegetables sweat until very soft, about 5 to 10 minutes longer, uncovering and stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the broth or milk and bring to a boil over medium heat, then stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
4. Whisk the eggs in a medium mixing bowl and whisk in the hot liquid.  Stir in the parsley and all but 1/2 cup of the crumbled cornbread.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle the surface with the reserved crumbs and butter.
6. Bake the dressing until it is set and the crumbs are golden, about 30 to 40 minutes. 
7. Cool slightly and serve immediately.

Note:  To make enough turkey broth for the dressing and for your turkey gravy, place the turkey neck and 5 cups water in a saucepan and add half a small onion or leek, a small peeled carrot, a small stalk of celery, 2 sprigs parsley, a small bay leaf and a sprig of thyme.  Bring to a simmer, skimming often, and cook for about an hour.  Strain away the solids and cool the broth.  Store covered in the refrigerator if made in advance.

CORNBREAD FOR DRESSING

1 cup all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)

1 cup stone-ground yellow or white cornmeal

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon rubbed (dried ground) sage

1 tablespoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup whole milk

2 large eggs

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

One 2-inch deep 9-inch round pan, buttered and the bottom lined with a disk of parchment or buttered wax paper

1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
2. Stir the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, sage, poultry seasoning, and salt together in a large bowl.
3. In another bowl, smoothly whisk the eggs and milk together.  Whisk in the melted butter.
4. Add the liquid to the bowl of dry ingredients and use a large rubber spatula to quickly fold everything together.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake the cornbread until it is well risen and light golden on top, feels firm in the center and the point of a paring knife inserted in the center emerges clean, about 25 minutes.
7. Cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then loosen the cornbread from the side of the pan with a small paring knife if necessary and invert it to another rack.  Peel off the paper and replace it with another rack.  Invert the whole stack, lift off the rack and cool.
8. For advance preparation, double wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to a day or freeze.

 

Thanksgiving Countdown I: Cranberry Orange Relish

 
Over the course of the next week I'll be posting some favorite Thanksgiving recipes as well as my friend Kyra's infallible instructions for roasting a perfect turkey.  Look for the cornbread dressing promised on page 186 of BAKE! too.  Let's start with...

CRANBERRY ORANGE RELISH

Get a head start on your preparations with this recipe - you can prepare it today and keep it refrigerated for your holiday meal.  The relish keeps well for a couple of months in the refrigerator.

Makes about 3 quarts

Three 12-ounce bags fresh cranberries, rinsed, picked over and drained

3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 cups granulated sugar

One 12-ounce jar bitter orange marmalade (I always use Hero brand)

3 medium oranges, rinsed, quartered and seeded

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients in a large non-reactive pan, such as an enameled iron Dutch oven.  Set on medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Skim foam as it rises to the surface

At the boil, reduce heat and simmer the relish until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to find a piece of orange and press it against the inside of the pan to extract any remaining juices.  Repeat with the remaining orange pieces, discarding them after removing.

Cool the relish and pack it into pint or quart containers.  Refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.