I might have missed a post yesterday, but today I am
bringing you multiple goodies. It leads off with glorious bread. There is
nothing comparable to the smell of fresh bread baking. A couple weeks ago I
completed my first attempt with French baguettes, and they were a success. I recommend
you petition someone to help with the bread, it goes much smoother with two
people. This time I amped them up with some additional flavor, another victory.
Two loaves were packed with a green olive tapenade, and one was lined with a
combination of roasted red peppers, roasted garlic and basil pesto. The bread
was accompanied by a laden Italian pasta salad. Lastly the bread made a
delicious steak sandwich.
French Baguettes
4 C flour
1 1/2 t salt
1 t white vinegar
1 2/3 C warm water
1 yeast packet
olive oil
In a bowl combine yeast and 1/3 C water, let sit 5 minutes
until it becomes foamy. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, vinegar. Once
the yeast has foamed combine all ingredients (I just stirred with a wooden
spoon. Let rise for one hour. After dough has risen separate into either 2 or 4
pieces, depending on the loaf size you desire. On a floured surface roll thinly
into a rectangle, then roll as if you were rolling cinnamon rolls and tuck ends
to make them look rounded. Let the shaped loaves sit for 30 min. Cut diagonal
slits on the top to let the dough breath. Bake for 30 min at 425 on a greased
sheet.
Green Olive Tapenade
1 1/4 cups
green olives pitted
3 tablespoons drained bottled capers, rinsed
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 flat anchovy fillet, chopped or 1 teaspoon
anchovy paste
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Combine all
ingredients in a food processor and pulse until paste is formed.
Roasted Red
Pepper, Pesto, Roasted Garlic Spread
1 jar
roasted red peppers
½ C basil
pesto
1 bulb
garlic
Cut the bulb
of garlic in half, cover with olive oil, wrap in foil and roast at 400 degrees
for 30 min. Let cool and then squeeze the roasted garlic into a food processor,
combine with the peppers and pesto pulse into a paste.
For the
AMPED up baguettes:
Follow
instructions for the plain baguettes, once the dough is rolled out spread
either mixture, roll and bake just as in the original recipe.
Italian
Pasta Salad
1 lb bowtie
pasta (or any shape you like)
1 can
Italian tuna in olive oil drained
1 can
chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 tomato
chopped
1 can
artichokes drained and chopped
½ C chopped
pepperoncinis
¼ C fresh
parsley chopped
¼ C grated
Parmesan
For the
dressing:
1 C olive
oil
½ C balsamic
vinegar
3 T white wine
vinegar
1 t dried
oregano
1 t dried
thyme
1 T seasoned
salt
1 T pepper
2 T honey
2 T Dijon mustard
Cook pasta. Allow
to cool. Whisk all ingredients together
for the dressing. Combine pasta with all ingredients, add dressing and chill before
serving.
Finally, I
used the remainder of the roasted red pepper bread to build a steak sandwich.
Use any cut
of steak you like, I grilled mine over charcoal. It was rubbed with olive oil, seasoned
salt, pepper, and roasted garlic. I sliced it, placed it on the bread with provolone,
tomato, and lettuce. I also recommend horseradish if you like a little kick.
Until tomorrow...Peace.
