500 - {Yeasted Doughnuts}

"I'm Heather," she told me while swiftly turning a chair in my direction. After I introduced myself and sat down, she fastened a black smock around my neck, turned my chair toward the mirror and directed her eyes, now brimming with polite patience, into my own from over my left shoulder. I quickly explained the cut I wanted to her, and she, understanding, nodded and lead me to another

Anchovy-Parmesan Pizza Dough

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
3 anchovies packed in olive oil, drained and mashed


coarse-grain cornmeal for dusting
olive oil for greasing the bowl



Directions:

Pour warm water into the bottom of a stand mixer. Add sugar and yeast. Stir the mixture until the yeast is dissolved. Stir the the anchovies, olive oil and salt. Add the flour and cheese.

Using the dough hook and mix until the dough becomes a smooth, elastic ball. At this point you can fold the dough onto itself a couple of times if you'd like. Coat the inside of a large bowl with additional olive oil, and place the dough in the bowl, smooth side up. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 40 minutes. Remove plastic wrap, and use your fist to push down on the center of the dough. Fold the dough in half four or five times. Turn dough over, folded-side down, cover with plastic wrap, and return to the warm spot to rise again. Wait until the dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500. Place 16-inch (or larger) pizza stone on lowest shelf position, for 30 minutes.


Punch down the dough and transfer to a clean surface. Divide the dough in half, and knead each half four or five times into a ball. Place one of the dough balls back in the oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Lightly flour a clean surface, place the dough ball on top, pat into a flattened circle, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let rest 5 minutes*. Begin to flatten and push the dough evenly out from the center until it measures about 7 to 8 inches in diameter. Leave a 1/2 inch border of unflatted dough around the edges of the circle. Lift the dough off the surface, and center it on top of your fists. Rotate and stretch the dough, moving your fists until they are 6 to 8 inches apart and the dough is several inches larger. Then place your fists under the inside of the outer edge, and continue to stretch the dough until it reaches about 12 inches in diameter. The dough will drape down over your forearms. Start over if the dough tears or gets to thin. Do this carefully, preserving the raised edge. Sprinkle cornmeal all over the surface of a pizza peel or parchment paper.

Place the pizza dough into a circle on top of the cornmeal-dusted peel. Distribute pizza sauce on the dough, leaving the 1/2 inch of raised dough bare. Sprinkle with cheese and toppings.

 Slightly tilt the peel (or a parchment paper covered upside down baking sheet), and place the front tip of peel on the back side of the stone. Slide the pizza off the peel (or slide the pizza with the parchment paper off of the baking sheet), centering it on the stone as best you can. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. Repeat with remaining dough.

My thoughts:

I made this dough to go with a fennel-red onion-caper-rapini topped pizza I made for dinner the other day. It was so good, I thought I'd share. It had a wonderful savory flavor that made it stand out from other pizza doughs I've made without being overpowering or fishy. It was very elastic and easy to work with as well. My husband liked that it was sturdy and flexible enough to fold a slice in half to eat it. He's from NY where that is apparently very important.

Sweet Potato Rolls

Ingredients:

for the rolls:
4 cups flour
1 cup mashed roasted sweet potato
1/3 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 oz dry yeast
2 eggs, at room temperature

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast on the water. Using an electric mixer with a dough hook combine the yeast, butter, water, sugar, egg and sweet potato. Add the flour and mix on low until smooth. The mixture should become a sticky dough at this time but it shouldn't feel damp or look wet. If it does, mix in a small amount of flour. Knead on a floured surface or in a stand mixer until smooth but still slightly sticky. Place the ball of dough in a buttered bowl. Cover with a tea towel or loose plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes or until it doubles in size.

Preheat oven to 350. Remove dough from bowl and break into 10 even pieces. Roll each into a ball. Place in two 9 inch round cake pans that have been lightly sprayed with nonstick baking spray, forming a circle with one roll in the middle. Allow to rise for 20 minutes.

Bake for 15 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove to a wire rack to cool for a minute then invert and pull apart to serve.

My thoughts:

Oh my, these were good. I am honestly not a huge fan of sweet potatoes, they are just too, well, sweet for me to eat at a regular meal. Too dessert-y. However, everyone else I know likes them so I am always trying to find a new way to use them that everyone (including me!) can enjoy. These completely fit the bill. They were a lovely light orange color and tasted like sweet potatoes but were still firmly a savory dinner roll. They were great spread with butter along side dinner but I am imagining leftovers transformed into rolls for sandwiches. They were wonderfully light and fluffy but substantial enough to hold some serious filling.


Note: This is a really forgiving recipe. Letting it rise for longer than the times listed here is perfectly fine.

Smoked Salmon and Caper Grilled Flatbread

Ingredients:
5 1/2 cups bread flour
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
olive oil for greasing the bowl

8 oz smoked salmon
2 1/2 cups shredded smoked gouda
1/4 cup capote capers


Directions:

Place all ingredients a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Mix until the dough becomes a fairly smooth ball. At this point you can fold the dough onto itself a couple of times if you'd like. Coat the inside of a large bowl with additional olive oil, and place the dough in the bowl, smooth side up. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 40 minutes. Remove plastic wrap, and use your fist to push down on the center of the dough. Fold the dough in half four or five times. Turn dough over, folded-side down, cover with plastic wrap, and return to the warm spot to rise again. Wait until the dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prep your grill.

Punch down the dough and transfer to a clean surface. Divide the dough in fourths, and knead each half four or five times into a ball. Place one of the dough balls back in the oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Lightly flour a clean surface, place the dough ball on top, pat into a flattened circle, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let rest at least 5 minutes. Begin to flatten and push the dough evenly out from the center until it measures about 7 to 8 inches in diameter. Leave a 1/2 inch border of unflatted dough around the edges of the circle.

Place the dough on the grill and cook until just starting to brown, then flip. Grill until it looks 3/4 way cooked. Sprinkle with cheese and top with salmon and capers. Grill until the cheese melts.

My thoughts:

I love smoky flavors and this flatbread is full of them. The gouda, the salmon, the smoky crisp dough all make for a savory delight. We had this as full meal, but I think sliced up it would be a wonderful appetizer. Just take care that your coals aren't too hot and that you keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. Besides that, easy-peasy.

Twinkle - {Croissants}

I'm surrounded by lights. Flickering, twinkling and buzzing dots, free in the air and making their way through the night sky. As they move, their calculated paths confound me; dancing to an elusive tune, their beautiful waltz plays out before blind eyes. I'm helpless at the threat of invasion, but appreciative of the performance.The fireflies have claimed their territory over the cattails and

Fuel - {Ciabatta}

Hey! I want to preface this entry by saying that it's a little... Depressing. I don't know that anyone would be super concerned or anything, but I am doing just fine. I consider myself lucky to have as many amazing people in my life as I do.This post is just something that I think about, from time to time, you know? Maybe it's just my age, but relationships and human nature fascinate me. No

Bright - {Strawberry Pistachio Rolls}

I've started "tweeting." I think. Is that the right thing to say? Anyway, follow me if you want to watch me make a fool out of myself as I navigate the strange new world of Twitter! Just be careful... I walk into walls. Wow, I am just so darn original!----------------------------------C ducks under the brim of his cap and lets out a loud sigh. As he confidently falls to wrap his arms

Across - {Chocolate Brioche French Toast}

It�s habit, when the alarm rings, to momentarily shrink into your dark surroundings. The sun knocks at your window, spreading the blinds further and illuminating plush carpeting with increasing strength while it inches higher into its impressive arc. How much time you spend there with blankets pulled and scrunched to your tired eyes is dependent only on you and your obligations; your drive to

Reinvention - {Monkey Balls}

The winner of the cake dome is..... Rosin - entry number 44! I will be contacting you shortly for your mailing address! Thanks for entering, guys!Sitting cross-legged on my bed with the spine of a new cookbook spread over my lab, I'm turning pages quickly and expectantly. Eager to see something new and unique within the tome, I devour the photos and recipes inscribed on the clean sheets.

Distraction - {Cinnamon Rolls}

Rigid after a long walk and an even longer phone call, my barren and numb fingers find comfortable recluse within the deep pockets of my coat. Unable to twist the enclosed loose change between my fingertips as I so often do, I awkwardly crumple my frozen digits into a fist for warmth whilst conversing with S. After walking a few paces, not far from where I had been waiting, she gently opens a

Eggplant & Fennel Calzones

Ingredients:
prepared pizza dough
2 Italian eggplants, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
1/2 cup ricotta
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
3 tablespoons Parmesan
1 tablespoon minced basil
1 tablespoon minced oregano
salt
freshly ground black pepper


warm tomato dipping sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the eggplant slices in single layer. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until they are soft and cooked through but not browned. Allow to cool slightly. Turn the oven up to 400. In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Divide the dough into 8 equal chunks for individual (about hand sized) calzones or 4 equal chunks for larger calzones. Roll each one into a 5-6 inch round. Add a single layer of fennel and then 2 (or 4) tablespoons of the cheese mixture and top with slices of eggplant in one half of each round, leaving a 1/4 inch border. Fold the dough over to form a half moon shape and pinch shut. Repeat until all are filled and pinched shut. Bake on a pizza stone or on baking sheets for about 20 minutes or until golden and hot all the way through. Serve immediately.

Refrigerate leftover calzones in an air tight container or resealable bag overnight. To reheat: allow them to sit on the counter while the oven preheats to 350. Bake until cooked through.

My thoughts:

I found some lovely Italian eggplants and a pristine bulb of fennel at, of all places, H Mart, and immediately began trying think of interesting and new ways to use the two together. I can't say that calzones leapt immediately to mind but I had ricotta and mozzarella and of course, flour and yeast so I thought I'd give it a shot. I am glad I did, it was so good! Slightly more upscale and subtle and the usual calzone.

I discovered the baking the eggplant trick when I was developing recipes for my upcoming cookbook and it really does result in a velvety texture in the final dish. The fennel stays somewhat crisp but not so crisp that when you bite into it the fennel falls out of the calzone and burns your chin.

Crave - {Basil, Garlic and Feta Bread}

In the weeks before the 18th of December, the first day of winter break, I grew antsy and excitable as I scoured the internet for recipes I simply had to make while I had easy access to an oven. As the weeks turned into days, I began taking inventory of the fridge at home, texting my mom frequently to get a feel for the ingredients available in the fridge and pantry. I was so ready to bake.But

Dill Sour Cream Rolls

Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/4 oz active dry yeast
2 tablespoons minced dill
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (divided use)

Directions:
Place water in a a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with yeast, and let stand 5 minutes. Add the sour cream, dill, butter, sugar, salt, and one egg. Mix. Add the flour and mix (use a stand mixer with a dough hook for best results) until a slightly sticky dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a bit of milk and remix. Grease a bowl with butter. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and allow the dough to double in size. Butter a 13x9 inch pan. Divide the dough into 12-15 pieces. Roll each into a ball. Place in the baking pan (I ended up with 3 rows of 5 rolls each). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Allow to sit on the counter until it doubles in bulk. Preheat oven to 375. Beat an egg and brush it over the rolls. Bake for 20 minutes or until fully cooked through.

Note: If you want to bake the rolls the same day you mix the dough together, just skip the refrigeration step and continue on to the second rise.

My thoughts:

Until I made these rolls I had never refrigerated dough overnight before baking before. I know it isn't that uncommon of a practice (a lot of people email me about my various yeast recipes asking if there is a step where they can refrigerate the dough) but since I work from home I've never had much reason to try it out. When I wanted to bring fresh rolls to an early event, I thought it was the perfect excuse. I am happy to say it worked perfectly, the dough rose perfectly the next day and the rolls were light, fluffy and tender. The dill and sour cream pair wonderfully together and bring new life to the classic dinner roll without being overwhelming or pickle-y. The creamy butter I used from Challenge Dairy give the rolls a rich taste with minimal effort and was great spread on the rolls themselves.

Pumpkin Five Spice Sweet Rolls

Ingredients:

for the rolls:
4 cups flour
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1/3 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 oz dry yeast
2 eggs, at room temperature

for the filling:
4 to 5 tablespoons butter, creamed
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons Chinese 5 spice powder*

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast on the water. Using an electric mixer with a dough hook combine the yeast, butter, sugar, egg and pumpkin. Add the flour and mix on low until smooth. The mixture should become a sticky dough at this time but it shouldn't feel damp or look wet. If it does, mix in a small amount of flour. Knead on a floured surface or in a stand mixer until smooth (but still slightly sticky).

Place the ball of dough in a buttered bowl. Cover with a tea towel or loose plastic wrap and let rise for about 45 minutes or until it doubles in size. It is okay if it rises longer or higher than that.

Preheat oven to 350. Remove dough from bowl and place on a clean, floured surface.



Roll the dough out in a large, 1/3 inch thick rectangle.



Spread the creamed butter over dough in a thin layer reaching all of the edges.





In small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and 5 spice powder. Sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough.



Roll dough into a tight log. Cut into 1 inch thick slices.




Discard the end slices if they are very small. Gently reshape each roll so they are round again.



Place in three 9 inch round cake pans that have been lightly sprayed with nonstick baking spray, forming a circle with one roll in the middle.




Allow to rise about 1/2 hour until they are about level to the top of the cake pan.




Bake for 15 minutes, then check to see if they are done. Pay careful attention to the creases where the rolls touch each other, you don't want any pockets of raw dough! Return to oven to fully cook as needed. Remove to a wire rack to cool for a minute then invert and ice.

Excellent with cream cheese sweet roll icing.

*I bought my bottle at H Mart (a Korean grocery store with lots of pan-Asian ingredients) but even McCormick makes a version now, so it is easily found at most grocery stores.


Yield: about 14 rolls

My thoughts:

This recipe took sort of a circuitous route into existence. I try to only post seasonal recipes and this time of year my most popular and favorite recipes to make always involve pumpkin, so I wanted to come up with a new way of using pumpkin.

I had been thinking about making pumpkin 5 spice ice cream until I decided that the flavor (five spice powder is a mixture of cinnamon, star anise, cloves, ginger and Sichuan peppercorn) might be better suited to a twist on the traditional cinnamon roll.

I really liked the idea of the five spice-pumpkin ice cream but wasn't confident that it would be good enough to post. I know that ice cream made with a ground spice often ends up with an unappetizing grainy texture so I had planned to break down the powder into the specific ingredients and use whole cloves, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, cinnamon sticks and ginger and strain them out. However, I was worried that the flavor of so many whole spices might overpower the pumpkin. Five spice ice cream still sounds great (and I can't wait to make it) but for this recipe I really wanted the pumpkin flavor to be present and distinct. So I decided against it but was still in love with the idea of the five spice-pumpkin combination; five spice is similar to the traditional pumpkin pie spices but a little fresher and more dynamic.

I think I couldn't have come up with a better recipe incorporating five spice powder and pumpkin than these rolls. The fresh, pumpkin flavor is distinct but contained in the dough and is a great contrast to the distinctive flavor provided by the five spice powder in the sugar mixture. They are wonderfully addictive. We couldn't even wait for the them to cool before we devoured several. Really, they are better than any cinnamon roll I've ever had.

The dough is very soft and easy to work with; it rolls out like a dream. And while, yes, this recipe isn't exactly healthy, unlike a lot of sweet roll recipes, it only calls for 4 tablespoons of butter in the dough (unlike the 1/2 to 1 cup I've seen in cinnamon bun recipes) and I was able to get by with only 4 tablespoons in the filling. Not bad for a sweet roll that tastes so decadent.

Pumpkin Coconut Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2/3 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 egg, at room temperature
5 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour or spray (with baking spray with flour) 1 loaf pan. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the coconut milk, egg and pumpkin, mix until thoroughly incorporated. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with coconut if desired. Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan about 5 minutes then invert to a wire rack.

My thoughts:

It has been an incredibly long time since I've made a quick bread. Looking back through the archives, I see that I made a lot of them back in 2007 but the last couple years have been filled mainly with muffins and yeast raised doughs. But! I have nothing against the quick bread so here I am with a new recipe. I personally abhor pumpkin pie (it is one of the three foods I refuse to eat under any circumstances) but I don't mind actual pumpkin so every year I try and find new non-pumpkin pie-y ways to use it. I've made pumpkin muffins, pumpkin corn bread, pumpkin pancakes and my favorite: pumpkin cheesecake brownies. This bread creeps a bit into the "dessert for breakfast" category but makes a great snack! Coconut and pumpkin go together suprisingly well and the bread is rich and very moist.

Indian Tacos

Ingredients:

for the taco meat
1 lb ground bison
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz pinto beans, drained
10 oz canned diced tomato with green chile
4 oz canned fire-roasted diced Hatch green chiles
1 tablespoon hot Mexican-style chili powder
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground jalapeno

for the fry bread
2 cups water
2 packages dry yeast
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 cups flour

to serve:
shredded sharp cheddar
shredded iceburg lettuce
diced tomatoes
optional: sour cream and avocado

Directions:
for the fry bread:
Whisk the flour and yeast togehter in a large bowl. Place the sugar, salt, water and butter in a small sauce pan and heat until almost boiling. Allow to cool slightly. Pour over the flour and yeast and mix with a dough hook until a smooth, not too sticky ball of dough forms. If the dough is very sticky, slowly mix in additional flour. Cover and allow to rise 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the meat. Saute the meat, onions and garlic in a large skillet until the onions just soften. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.


Heat about 2 inches of canola oil in a deep frying pan or skillet. Divide dough into about 15 pieces. On a clean, floured surface, roll dough into discs about 1/4 inch thick circles about 6 inches in diameter. Fry until golden brown on each side. Drain both sides on paper towel lined plates. If they puff up a lot during frying, press with a paper towel to deflate.

Place the meat on the center of the taco. Sprinkle with desired toppings. Fold in half to eat.

Serves 15.

My thoughts:

Indian tacos started out as a Najavo invention but quickly grew to become a popular contemporary powwow and festival treat served all over North America. Fry bread was named the official state bread of South Dakota back in 2005 and Indian tacos became the official state dish of Arizona in 1995. There is even a National Indian Taco Competition in Oklahoma. They are the perfect fair food: fried, spicy and portable. And they are surprisingly easy to make at home.

The fry bread comes together quickly and if cooked in hot oil and drained, much less greasy than you'd think. Some recipes call for baking soda instead of yeast but I find that a yeast dough yields a much more tender, tastier bread.

Often the beans in Indian tacos are served as a topping but adding them to the meat imbues them with flavor and eliminates the need to heat them separately. Bison is an extremely lean meat that works well with strong spices and isn't as "heavy" as ground beef-perfect for use in a dish like Indian tacos.


Note: you can also bake the dough for the fry bread at 450 for a few minutes to make a tasty flatbread.

Garlic Breadsticks

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 oz active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

topping:
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

optional: grated Parmesan

Directions:
Stir together the milk, water, butter and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, sugar and yeast. Pour in the milk mixture and stir until the dough starts to come together, adding more water of the mixture looks dry or more flour if the mixture looks wet. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook to mix for about 8 minutes. If not, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a towel and wait until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and divide into 6 even portions. Roll each between your hands until a smooth, approximately 8 inch long tube forms. Place on a lined baking sheet. Allow to rise 20 minutes (they should double in bulk) then gently stretch them out to slightly increase their length.


Cover the breadsticks with the towel again and set aside for 20 additional minutes minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400. Whisk together the butter, garlic powder and salt. Brush generously onto the tops of the rolls. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on both the top and the bottom and when tapped, they sound hollow. Immediately sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

My thoughts:

I had never made breadsticks before but once I started thinking about them I couldn't get them out of my head. So I set out to make as simple yet satisfying a breadstick recipe that I could and this is what I ended up with. I must say, these are some great breadsticks. Easy to make, soft on the outside with a solid crust and a garlic flavor that isn't too overpower but isn't weak either. They are lovely dipped in a tomato based sauce or as a side dish to any meal.

Onion Studded Hamburger Rolls

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 oz active dry yeast

for the onions:
1/3 cup finely diced onions
1 teaspoon butter

for the egg wash:
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water



to sprinkle:
sesame, caraway or poppy seeds (optional)

Directions:
Stir together the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm. Meanwhile, saute the onions in the butter until soft and translucent--do not brown. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and yeast. Pour in the milk mixture and stir until the dough starts to come together, adding more water of the mixture looks dry or more flour if the mixture looks wet. Add the onions. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook to mix for about 8 minutes. If not, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a towel and wait until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and divide into 6* even portions. Make tight balls out of the dough by pulling the dough towards the bottom and gently stretching until a ball with a smooth top forms. Place seam-side down on a baking stone or metal baking sheet. I actually just used my silipat and baking sheet. Allow the rolls to sit for a minute. Flatten each dough ball with your hand or the back of a large spatula until it is about 3 to 4 inches wide.



Cover the rolls with the towel again and set aside until they have just about doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400. Whisk together the water and yolk to make the egg wash. Brush onto the tops of the rolls. Sprinkle with seeds if using. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on both the top and the bottom and when tapped, they sound hollow. Allow to cool, then slice.



*If you want extra large rolls, divide into fourths.


Yield: six rolls big enough to each accommodate a large hamburger. The recipe can easily be doubled.

My thoughts:

There are lovely hamburger rolls. Soft but sturdy and solid enough to support a serious burger and with a superb yet not overpowering onion flavor. I love making homemade hamburger rolls when we have burgers because they really take little in the way of effort but they taste so much better than store-brought. The fact that everyone is always impressed when you tell them you made the rolls is just a little bonus.

Sourdough Seeded Rye Bread

Ingredients:

for the starter:
1/4 oz active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup rye flour

for the bread:
4 cups flour
2 cups rye flour
1/4 oz active dry yeast
2 tablespoons melted butter, slightly cooled
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 tablespoon malt syrup
1 teaspoon salt
cornmeal
warm water

for the egg wash:
1 egg
1 tablespoon water


Directions:
Four days before you want to make the bread, place all of the ingredients for the starter in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit on the counter for 2 full days. On the morning of the third day, place in the refrigerator. Then, right before you go to bed that night, combine 1 cup of the starter, the two cups of rye flour, and one cup of warm water in a second large bowl. Cover and leave out on the counter overnight. If you want to keep the starter going, add 1/2 cup warm water, 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup rye flour to the starter bowl and keep refrigerated until the next time you want to use it.


Scrape the contents of the bowl that has been sitting out overnight into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the remaining bread ingredients and mix, using the dough hook, until a firm but fairly malleable dough forms. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if the dough seems very dry or more flour if it seems wet. Knead by hand or in the machine until a ball forms. Place in a large, buttered bowl. Cover with a towel until it doubles in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch it down and divide into two equal halves.


Sprinkle a buttered or lined baking sheet with cornmeal. Shape into 2 rounds and place on the baking sheet. Alternately, butter 2 standard loaf pans and sprinkle them with cornmeal and place the dough in them. Or mix it up and make one of each. Cover and allow to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk again. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375. Beat the egg and water together for the egg wash, brush over each loaf. Bake for 30 minutes or until brown on top and it sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

My thoughts:

I admit this seems like a long, drawn out recipe. However, it is not terribly difficult and the results are amazing-the closest to deli rye I have ever had in a homemade bread. I have to warn you that it is a pretty stiff dough to work with, even if the final product isn't overly dense. Rye flour doesn't have much gluten so it won't be as soft or stretchy as bread made with plain flour. Personally, I found the dough much easier to knead in my KitchenAid using the dough hook than to knead it by hand. Someone with a little more upper arm strength might have an easier time than I did. I do think it was worth the effort. It was the perfect bread to have with some homemade corned beef and mustard. It also made excellent toast.

Homemade Pita

Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 1/3 cups water, lukewarm
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 oz active dry yeast

ice cubes

Directions:
In a small bowl or measuring cup, sprinkle the yeast on the warm water. Allow to sit 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add the remaining ingredients to a stand mixer. After the 10 minutes are up, add the yeasted water and mix until it forms a ball. Add more water if it is very wet or more flour if it seems powdery. Continue to kneed if necessary. Place in a olive oil greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise until it doubles in bulk, about 60-80 minutes. Preheat the oven (with a baking stone inside if you have one) to 400. Punch the dough down and divide it into 6 to 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball and allow them to rise an additional 20-30 minutes covered with a damp kitchen towel.




Sprinkle a clean surface with flour and roll out each dough ball to about 1/4 inch thick.



Bake on the stone for 4 minutes or until cooked though and puffy. Toss the ice cubes into the bottom of the oven while the pita bakes to help it crisp up.



Note: the pita might deflate slightly as it cools (and certainly if you keep any leftovers overnight) but the pocket will remain.

My thoughts:

Making pizza dough the other day and seeing how it puffed up around the edge made me think about making pita. While I had never made pita before, I thought that a dough roughly based on my pizza dough recipe might work. So just a couple days after I made the pizza dough, I did a little experiment. I allowed for a longer second rise, lowered the heat and baked just for few minutes and sure enough, I had pita bread! The dough puffed up making a perfect pocket. The ice cubes in the oven sounds eccentric but it really worked in the sub roll recipe I developed a couple of years ago and it works here. Somehow the little bit of steam that is released really helps the texture of the crust.

I can't imagine ever buying pita again, it was so easy, cost pennies to make and was so tender and fresh tasting it was unreal. So much better than even the pita I've had at restaurants. This is my favorite kind of cooking, the kind where it feels like magic. Like wow, I figured out how to make marshmallows. Or better-than-the-original Chocodiles. Or pita with a real pocket.