Pizza Dough
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INGREDIENTS
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1 1/4 cups - water, warm (105° to 115°F)
2 tsp. - active dry yeast
1 tsp. - honey
2 T - extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. - coarse salt
3 1/2 to 4 cups - unbleached all-purpose flour, or more as needed
DIRECTIONS
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Combine 1/4 cup of the warm water with the yeast and honey in a large bowl; stir to blend. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let it stand for about 10 minutes, or until foamy.
Mix in the remaining 1 cup of water, olive oil, salt, and 11/2 cups of the flour, and stir until smooth. Gradually add the remaining 2 to 21/2 cups of flour, stirring until the dough comes away from the side of the bowl.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic, adding as much extra flour as needed to keep the dough from being too sticky. Alternatively, knead the dough with a dough hook in a stand mixer for about 5 minutes. The dough is adequately kneaded with it springs back when poked with a finger.
At this point you can rest the dough for about an hour and it will be ready to use, but i find that if you leave it overnight in the fridge, you get a far better tasting dough.
Pizza Sauce
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INGREDIENTS
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1 can (14 oz., or 1 3/4 cups) chopped or diced tomatoes (including juices) (San Marzano or Roma tomatoes if possible)
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
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DIRECTIONS
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In a bowl, mix 1 can (14 oz., or 1 3/4 cups) chopped or diced tomatoes (including juices), 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dried basil, 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic. Add salt to taste.
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New England Clam Chowder​
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3 ounces salt pork, finely diced (Thick cut bacon works also, just not a maple-smoked one)
1 1/2 cups small diced yellow onion
6 cups small diced baking potatoes, like russets
2 cups of milk
1 (6.5 ounce) can clams, drained, juice reserved
12 Little Neck clams (Optional, but if you can get them well worth it for the flavor)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish.
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In a heavy-bottomed saucepot, render the salt pork until just crisp. Remove and discard. Sweat the onion in the pork fat until tender. Add the potatoes and cover with milk. Bring to a boil and let simmer until potatoes are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
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In a separate pot, fitted with a steamer basket, bring the reserved clam juice to a boil. Add clams and cover. Steam for three minutes until all clams are open. Remove the clams as they open and transfer to a bowl. Add the steaming juices to the pot with the chowder. Using a stick blender puree to desired consistency. Adjust seasonings.
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Finely chop the drained canned clams. Fold into the chowder. Serve with steamed clams, parsley, as a garnish.
INGREDIENTS
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1 cup lukewarm water
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2 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
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4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
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1/4 cup granulated sugar
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2 teaspoons salt
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2 large eggs
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1 large egg yolk (reserve the white for the egg wash)
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1/4 cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil, such as canola
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Dissolve the yeast. Place the water in a small bowl, sprinkle with the yeast and a healthy pinch of sugar, and stir to combine. Let stand until you see a thin frothy layer across the top, 5 to 10 minutes. This means that the yeast is active and ready to use. (If you do not see this or if your yeast won't dissolve, it has likely expired and you'll need to purchase new yeast.)
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Mix the dry ingredients. Place 4 cups of the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. (Alternatively, use a large bowl and knead by hand.)
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Add the eggs, yolk, and oil. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the eggs, egg yolk, and oil. Whisk to form a slurry, pulling in a little flour from the sides of the bowl.
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Mix to form a shaggy dough. Pour the yeast mixture over the egg slurry. Mix the yeast, eggs, and flour with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a shaggy dough that is difficult to mix forms.
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Knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes. Fit the mixer with the hook attachment and knead on low speed for 6 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes.) If the dough seems very sticky, add flour a teaspoon at a time until it feels tacky, but no longer like bubblegum. The dough has finished kneading when it is soft, smooth, and holds a ball-shape.
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Let the dough rise until doubled. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm. Let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
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Shape the dough roughly to the size of your loaf pan. Allow dough to rise again till it has doubled in size again, approximately 1 hour.
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Brush the challah with egg white. About 20 minutes before baking, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. When ready to bake, whisk the reserved egg white with 1 tablespoon of water and brush it all over the challah. Be sure to get in the cracks and down the sides of the loaf.
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Bake the challah 30 to 35 minutes. Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the challah is deeply browned and registers 190°F in the very middle with an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 35 minutes total.
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Cool the challah. Let the challah cool on a cooling rack until just barely warm. Slice and eat.
INGREDIENTS
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For the dough:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
1 cup whole milk 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for
greasing the pan
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
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For the filling:
1 1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups chopped, lightly toasted pecans, or golden raisins (optional)
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For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
Special equipment
: 2 9-inch round cake pans or 1 12 x 16 rectangular pan
PREPARATION
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Make the dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add flour, yeast, and sugar. Mix on low speed until well combined. Add eggs and mix on low to combine. In a small pot, heat milk, butter, and cinnamon over medium-low heat until butter is melted and mixture is between 120 and 130°F (use a thermometer). Add warm milk mixture and salt to stand mixer. Beat on low speed 2 to 3 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl with a spatula. Beat on medium speed until smooth and elastic, 2 to 3 minutes. Dough will be very sticky. Lightly oil a large bowl with cooking spray. Form dough into ball and transfer to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. While dough rises, cut 2 pieces of parchment to fit 2 9-inch round cake pans, or for 1 12 x 16 pan. Butter pans, line with parchment, and butter parchment.
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Make the filling:
Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in medium bowl.
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Make the glaze:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt.
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Assemble and bake:
Preheat to 375°F and position rack in center of oven. Punch down dough and transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 16-by-12-inch rectangle. Spread butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border on the long sides. Sprinkle filling mixture evenly over butter, then add pecans. Starting at a long edge, roll dough toward you into a log, pinching gently to keep it rolled tightly. With seam side down, cut dough crosswise with a thin sharp knife into 16 equal slices. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up; rolls will be touching. Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes. Bake rolls until tops are golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up. Drizzle glaze over rolls and serve immediately.
Simple and So Good Vanilla Ice Cream
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Ingredients
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons peach preserves (not jelly)
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
Directions
1) Combine all ingredients (including the bean and its pulp) in a large saucepan and place over medium heat.
2) Attach a frying or candy thermometer to inside of pan. (see note below)
3) Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to 170° F.
4) Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
5) Remove the hull of the vanilla bean, pour mixture into lidded container and refrigerate mixture overnight to mellow flavors and texture.
6) Freeze mixture in ice cream freezer according to unit's instructions. The mixture will not freeze hard in the machine.
7) Once the volume has increased by 1/2 to 3/4 times, and reached a soft serve consistency, spoon the mixture back into a lidded container and harden in the freezer at least 1 hour before serving.