Monday, December 10, 2018

Roasted Broccoli and Mushrooms

Broccoli and mushrooms are something I try to eat every day, as they are both quite good for me.  When the weather is warmer I will usually just cook up the mushrooms using this cool method I discovered a couple of year ago and throw them in a container with frozen broccoli florets and take them to work with me.  By the time lunch rolls around the broccoli is defrosted and the mushrooms have enough flavor from the sherry and olive oil to make a delicious side.

But when the weather gets colder I like to roast them together with some onion and herbs for a quick side.  It's super easy and full of flavor and goes with just about everything to make a satisfying dinner.  I make it at least twice a month during the winter.  Once you try it I am sure you will, too.
Home Cookin v9.73 Chapter: Beans and Vegetables
ROASTED BROCCOLI AND MUSHROOMS


1 - 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 head broccoli, but into bite-size pieces
1 lb button, cremini, or portabello mushorroms, sliced
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp dried thyme, oregano or tarragon
salt and black pepper to taste

Line a half-sheet baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir to coat well with the olive oil. Spread the mixture evenly into as much of a single layer as you can. Bake for 10 minutes and then turn the pan in the oven. Bake for another 10 to 20 minutes, until the broccoli and onions have some char on them. Serve immeditely.

8/14/2016

Exported from Home Cookin v9.73 (www.mountain-software.com)

Monday, December 03, 2018

Dan Dan Noodles

I don't remember where I first heard about Dan Dan noodles, but I do remember wanting to try the recipe right away.  One of the things that stopped me was that it contained Sichuan Peppercorns, which are related to the citrus family and which for a long time were banned in the US for being potential carriers of a citrus virus.  I first heard about them as one of the ingredients in Chinese 5-Spice Powder, which at the time what we could buy here in the states did not contain.  So I decided to wait until the ban was lifted before trying any dishes that I knew traditionally used it.

Not long after the ban was lifted in 2005 I saw them in my local spice shop and bought a big bag of them.  And put it in my spice cupboard.  Where it sat for a few years, until I finally decided I wasn't going to use them any time soon and they had probably lost all potency and got rid of them.

And then Bon Appetit had a recipe for Dan Dan Noodles in their October 2011 issue so I eagerly tore it out and resolved to make it soon.  But I no longer had the Sichuan peppercorns.  And could never seem to remember to pick them up when I was at the spice shop.

Fast forward several more years to the time that we chose Sichuan Peppercorns for one of our spice-themed potlucks in my spice group. By this time I had pretty much forgotten all about Dan Dan Noodles so I was thrilled when the recipe popped up during my search for something to make and decided to make it then.

I was pleased with the results.  The Sichuan Peppercorns are not that hot but you can taste the citrus just before your mouth goes tinglingly numb.  But not so numb that you can't still taste everything.  The chili oil raises the flavor of the pork to a new level and the pork and the sauce complement the noodles perfectly.  The peanuts and green onions add a welcome freshness to the overall flavor profile.  The result is a spicy, numbing, tingling and surprisingly comforting dish.  It was a big hit.

This is one of those lovely dishes that is simple to make and has simple ingredients that come together for a powerhouse of flavor.


Home Cookin v9.73 Chapter: Grains Pasta and Potatoes


DAN DAN NOODLES
8 ounces fettucini
2 Tbsp grapeseed or peanut oil
12 oz ground pork
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped peeled ginger
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 Tbsp chili oil (or to taste)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp tahini
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
2 Tbsp chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish
2 Tbsp thinly sliced green onions

Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl of ice water and let stand until cold. Drain well and place in a serving bowl.

Heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add pork and season with salt and pepper. Cook about two minutes, breaking up pork with a spoon. Add the ginger and cook until the pork is cooked through and lightly browned, about 3 minutes more. Stir in the chicken stock then add the chili oil, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, tahini and Sichuan peppercorns and stir. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 7 minutes.

Pour the pork mixture over the noodles. Garnish with the peanuts and green onions and serve.

from Bon Appetit October 2011
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Dan-Dan-Noodles-367755

Exported from Home Cookin v9.73 (www.mountain-software.com)

Monday, November 26, 2018

Turkey Isn't the Only Reason to Love the Winter Holidays

Most of my friends and family look forward to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays because it is the only time they have turkey during the year.  Which is mainly interesting for the fact that most of them don't really like turkey all that much.  I include myself in this group.  While I do love those leftover turkey sandwiches, I usually only eat one or two small slices at the Thanksgiving table, mainly as a vehicle for sweet pickles and cranberry sauce, both of which I only eat with turkey, and vice versa.  I am a big fan of the stuffing, potatoes, and other side dishes but the turkey itself is my least favorite part of the meal.  (That being said, I have no problem whatsoever having it those two times of the year for those who do actually, you know, like turkey.)

So what does make me happy this time of year?  In a word, citrus.  Late fall and early winter is citrus season, when oranges are orangier and limes and lemons are juicier, and Texas Red grapefruits make their annual appearance in my local Chicago grocery store.

As I mentioned when I first wrote about them in this 2009 post, the two things that I miss the most since moving away from Texas are Ruby Red grapefruit and the Pecos Cantaloupe.  I still haven't found the cantaloupe, but every November the grapefruit shows up at Jewel.

Apparently I am not the only one who feels that way about these deep red, sweet gems.  The 73rd Texas State Legislature declared it to be the State Fruit in 1993.  That is a resolution I can get behind!

Since my move this summer I have been thrown off kilter from my normal routines, and seeing all kinds of things from a new perspective.  The holidays and grapefruit have not been much on my mind, especially once I decided that I was not going to travel this year and instead spend time working on my apartment and other things I have been neglecting since I moved (like this blog).  So I wasn't really thinking about the usual things this fall.  A few days ago I did have the fleeting thought that we were coming into citrus season, which made me happy because oranges are more plentiful and juicier this time of year, but that is as far as my thoughts went.  So when I walked into Jewel Monday afternoon and this five-pound bag of Texas Reds was the first thing I saw, I think I actually squealed with delight.  And threw it into my cart, of course.  That five-pound bag of flour I was going to buy could wait until my next visit.

I went home and immediately supremed a few of them and have been enjoying them all week.  Unlike pink or white grapefruit, the reds are sweet with just a hint of tartness.  I am not a big fan of the pink and white varieties but I absolutely love the reds.  If you give them a try I think you will too.

Many people find grapefruit to be more trouble than it is worth.  I always supreme a few at a time and keep them in a container in the fridge so it is ready to eat when I want some.  If you have never supremed citrus before, this post will show you how.  So now you have no excuse not to enjoy these seasonal gems.

Monday, November 19, 2018

Holiday Baking: Swedish Cinnamon and Cardamom Bread

The holidays offer me the perfect excuse to try recipes for breads that I would normally not consider eating, and this Swedish Cinnamon and Cardamom Bread is the perfect example of that.  It is full of butter, sugar and milk and is a very rich bread.  Which makes it delicious, of course.  The cardamom takes it up a notch from a more usual cinnamon-filled sweet bread and I was intrigued by the shaping method.  So I decided to give it a try last year and was so happy with the original large loaf that I made that I made smaller loaves to give as gifts.  The bread itself is light and not too sweet.  The filling is sweeter but the cardamom helps to mellow out the sweetness.  It was a big hit with my friends.

It is fairly easy to make, which is always a plus.  It only takes a few hours and the aroma of cinnamon and cardamom made for a festive holiday feel in my kitchen the day that I made it.  I am sure it will do the same for yours.

Home Cookin v.9.73 Chapter: Chapter: Breads and Muffins


SWEDISH CINNAMON AND CARDAMOM BREAD

7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups whole milk, heated to 115°
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
4-1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons cardamom seeds, lightly crushed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons cardamom seeds, finely crushed
1 egg, beaten
Pearl sugar, for topping

Melt butter in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium. Remove from heat and stir in milk and yeast; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Whisk flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt in a bowl. Stir in yeast mixture until dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Return dough to bowl and cover with a clean dish towel; let sit in a warm place until dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Mix granulated sugar, butter, cinnamon, and cardamom in a bowl until smooth.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into an 11" x 17" rectangle, about 1/4 " thick. Spread filling over dough, leaving a 1/2 " border along edges. Working from one long end, roll dough into a tight cylinder; transfer seam side down to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with dish towel; let sit in a warm place until dough has doubled in size once more, about 45 minutes.

Heat oven to 375°. Using kitchen shears and starting 1" from ends of dough, make crosswise cuts, spaced 1" apart, three-quarters of the way through dough. Fan dough slices away from the center, alternating left to right. Brush dough with egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar; bake until golden brown, about 22 minutes. Let bread cool completely before serving.

http://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/swedish-cinnamon-and-cardamom-bread

Exported from Home Cookin v9.73 (www.mountain-software.com)

Monday, November 05, 2018

Sunday Breakfast: Polenta and Eggs

As often as I make bread, there are still times when I do not have any in the house. Which can be a problem on a lazy Sunday morning when I want to make a nice breakfast of fried eggs and toast.  This actually happened to me the first time when I was visiting my brother and his family in Austin when they had given up flour and most grains.  The only grains they had in the house were instant oatmeal flakes with a questionable use by date and cornmeal.  And I wanted eggs.  But I needed something to go with them, but what?

And I started thinking about the cornmeal and how it can be used to make polenta, and how similar it is to grits, and I realized I could probably make a single serving to go with the eggs.  Which is what I proceeded to do.  I brought three-fourths of a cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan and then added one-fourth of a cup of cornmeal and a little bit of salt.  I turned down the heat as low as it would go and simmered the mixture for about 20 minutes and then poured it out onto a plate to let it cool.  I then cooked up the eggs and plated them on top of the polenta, which had cooled enough to set.

And while not the same as toast (and let's be honest, nothing beats toast with eggs), it was quite tasty and satisfied my need for some kind of carbohydrate to go with the eggs.  And it was filling, too.  And it impressed the hell out of my brother and sister-in-law.

So when I found myself without bread last weekend I remembered that polenta-and-eggs breakfast and decided to do it again.  Except that this time, in my own kitchen, I was able to expand on the theme and came up with something even more tasty.  Here's how you can make it too:

Bring 3/4 cup of water to a boil over high heat in a small saucepan.  (I found this saucepan hanging from a strip in the canned vegetable aisle of the grocery store.  While immune from impulse candy purchases in front of the checkout lane, I find myself alarmingly vulnerable to those odd little items hanging from strips in the aisles; to wit - an equally small skillet, teeny tiny snack containers, and biscuit cutters.  All unnecessary, but I have not yet regretted bringing any of them home with me.)

Slowly stir in 1/4 cup of cornmeal (I prefer coarsely ground but any kind will do).  Turn the heat down as low as it will go and cook, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, adding more hot water as necessary.

After the 20 minutes, when the mixture is thick and the cornmeal has softened, add about a tablespoon of olive oil or butter and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional but really adds to the flavor!).  Stir well and remove from the heat.  Pour the polenta out onto a plate and let it stand for about ten minutes to set.

If you are lucky enough to have some fresh parsley on hand from an earlier dish (as I was), sprinkle chopped parsley over the polenta.

Top with eggs, shrimp, sausage, or whatever you have on hand and serve immediately.

Monday, October 15, 2018

Mushrooms with Onions and Tomato


What have I been doing in the many months since my last post?  Moving.  For the first time in 28 years.  Need I say more?  Well, if you insist.  It took a couple of months for me to find a place, and then a couple of months to whittle down 28 years' worth of accumulated unnecessary stuff, another couple of months to pack, and then of course there was the unpacking.

The upshot is that I love my new neighborhood and my new apartment.  Especially the kitchen.  I have moved from a shoe box to a spacious area with three times the counter space.  In addition, there is the dishwasher, disposal, and capacious refrigerator.  I have been having a grand old time getting used to everything.  I am almost past the "this is the first time I am cooking [whatever] in my new kitchen" phase.  That will be complete when I make pasta, which is in the works.

In addition to cooking familiar dishes for the first time in my new digs I am still revising and adapting them.  This mushrooms with onions and tomato dish is a prime example.  I have gotten in the habit of cooking mushrooms every week with this technique that has made it so easy to have them on hand to throw into other dishes without having to worry about prepping and cooking them every time.  On workday mornings I will take frozen broccoli and throw in some of the mushrooms with a sprinkling of thyme or oregano for an afternoon snack, by which time the broccoli will be fully thawed and would have soaked up the flavor from the mushrooms.  Or I will chop them up and add them to a frittata or omelet.  Mushrooms enhance just about any dish.

But even the best of foods can get a little humdrum with regular use.  I started thinking about how I could utilize the basic mushroom-cooking technique by adding more ingredients and varying the flavors.  Once the water cooks down you are left with the oil, which makes a great vehicle for adding and sauteing many other things.  So I started experimenting with them and have come up with some winners.

I am especially pleased with this version.  The garlic and onion add another level of flavor and the tomatoes cook just enough to create a little sauce to coat everything nicely.  The oregano complements the tomatoes and brings together all of the flavors.

This makes a lovely side dish on its own and can be added to other vegetables or tossed into pasta or eggs.  It's a great way to get more mushrooms into your life, and who wouldn't want that?

Home Cooking v9.73 Chapter: Beans and Vegetables

MUSHROOMS WITH ONIONS AND TOMATO

1 lb button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup sweet sherry
1 large or 2 small Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tsp dried oregano leaves

Place mushrooms in a large skillet and add enough water to cover. Add the olive oil and bring to a boil on high heat. Continue to boil until the water has evaporated. Add the sherry and season with the salt and pepper. Continue to cook over high heat until the sherry has evaporated and the mushrooms are just beginning to sizzle in the remaining oil.

Push the mushrooms to the sides of the pan and add the onions, stirring to coat in the oil. Cook for a minute or two and then stir in the garlic. Cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook until the tomatoes have just started to soften, another 3 to 5 minutes.

10/10/2018

Exported from Home Cookin v9.73 (www.mountain-software.com)

Monday, February 12, 2018

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

We are buried under a couple of feet of snow here in Chicago and it is still coming down this cold Sunday morning.  It feels like the perfect time for an omelet and hash brown brunch, topped off with two slices of the Sourdough Whole Wheat Flaxseed and Sunflower Seed Bread that I have been working on and is just about perfect.  (But that is for a future post.)

I have also been working on hash browns.  A few years ago I wrote this post about my father's hash browns and how I never had the patience to make them myself.  Now I find that it is no trouble at all - it's funny how things change.

I had part of a sweet potato in the refrigerator so I decided to make my hash browns with those.  I don't really follow a recipe, but I thought I would share my technique with you.

This is about a third of a large sweet potato, cut into 1/4-inch cubes.  I wanted a smaller cut so they would cook faster.  I filled my non-stick 10-inch skillet with about 2 teaspoons of grapeseed oil and heated the oil over medium high heat.  When the oil was shimmering I added the potatoes and shook the pan to coat the cubes in oil and to get them as close to a single layer as possible.

I lowered the heat and let them cook for 10 minutes without touching them.

After that first 10 minutes I shook the pan to get the cooked sides up and then left it again for about 5 minutes this time.  I shook the skillet to redistribute the potatoes and then left it for another 5 minutes.  I tested a piece with a fork for tenderness and it was almost there.  I left it alone for another 3 minutes and the potatoes were perfectly tender when I did the fork test this time.
And then I added my spices.  I try to incorporate turmeric and cinnamon into my diet on a daily basis so whenever the opportunity arises I use those first.  Those flavors work well with sweet potatoes so I added about a fourth of a teaspoon each of turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, and cumin and cooked it for about a minute until the potatoes were well coated and the heat had released the oils of the spices.  I added salt at the end and then transferred the potatoes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

I made the omelette while the potatoes were cooking.  I used the method that I wrote about here.  I will be posting my recipe for the bread soon.

Monday, February 05, 2018

Baking Class: Cilantro Mint Chutney Bread

I have been baking a lot of bread over these past few years when I was not posting much so I have a backlog of bread recipes to post.  I usually make my go-to Fennel Seed Bread for my own use as it is quick and easy and I can mix it up pretty much in my sleep.  But a couple of times a month I will take advantage of my spice group potluck dinner or my monthly bread group meeting to try something new.

One of the things I love about my spice group is that it encourages me to use different herbs and spices in my breads.  When the theme for one of our potlucks was mint I thought I went searching online and found this recipe.   I had made the Cilantro Mint Chutney for a previous potluck and I was eager to tr to incorporate it into a bread.

It came out better than I expected, especially considering the mistake I made of adding all of the liquid called for in the original chutney recipe.  I could tell as soon as I started to spread it over the dough that it was far too wet, even after I wiped as much excess off as I could with a paper towel.  As a result, the cut strips were slippery and hard to handle, which is why my bread looks so different than the one in the recipe.

But it tasted great and disappeared quickly.  So I adapted the chutney recipe to make it less wet and more spreadable on the raw dough.  It is show-stopping bread and not all that difficult to make.

Of course I adapted it from a commercial yeast bread to a naturally leavened one using Clotilde from Chocolate &Zucchini's method (found here).
Home Cookin v9.70 Chapter: Breads and Muffins
CORIANDER MINT CHUTNEY BRAIDED BREAD
For the bread:
160 g (app. 3/4 cup) starter
250 g (280g) (app. 1-1/4 cups)water
520 g (app. 4-1/4 cups) flour
16 g (4 tsp) sugar
2 Tbsp oil
8 g (2 tsp) salt
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk or water

For the Coriander Mint Chutney:
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped mint
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 serrano peppers, chopped
2 Tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice

Add water to starter and mix. Add about 120g of the flour, then add the sugar and oil and mix well. Add the remaining flour, half a cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is elastic, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and put it in a greased bowl, turning it over to make sure the top is greased. Cover and let rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.

While the dough is rising prepare the mint chutney. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Do not add any more liquid or it will be too wet for the bread.

Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn it onto a clean surface, adding flour if necessary. Roll the dough into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle.

Spread the mint chutney mixture evenly over the surface of the bread, leaving about an inch free on the short sides of the rectanble. Roll it tightly lengthwise, sealing the edges and placing the seamed edge on the bottom.

Starting about an inch down, cut a slit down the middle of the roll. Keeping the cut sides up, gently twist the two halves of dough together one on top of the other as tightly as possible, forming the dough. Pinch the ends together and transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for about 2 hours, until almost doubled in size.

After about an hour and a half, preheat the oven to 375° F. When the dough has finished rising, gently brush the top with egg wash, being careful to not drag the chutney onto the rest of the bread. Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is a dark golden brown on the top. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Adapted from the following recipes:
Thanksgiving Fennel Seed Gift Bread (Link no longer works)
http://www.food.com/recipe/green-chutney-indian-mint-cilantro-chutney-156498
http://lapetitchef.in/recipe/coriander-mint-chutney-braided-bread#

Exported from Home Cookin v9.70 (www.mountain-software.com)

Monday, January 08, 2018

Baking Class: Sourdough Buttermilk Whole Wheat Biscuits

Once I got the hang of maintaining a sourdough starter I found myself with copious amounts of the discard.  What to do with it?  I did some searching online and after sorting through hundreds of sourdough starter pancake recipes I decided to try my hand at convering a conventional recipe.  The end result was a series of drop biscuit topped vegetable pot pies that were acceptable but had an odd aftertaste that I did not particularly like.

And then I wondered what would happen if I made biscuits with it.  I always have buttermilk in the refrigerator and I love biscuits so it seemed like the thing to do.  I played around with the ratio of starter to buttermilk and whole wheat flour and came up with a combination that works for me.

These biscuits are not exactly the same as my regular buttermilk whole wheat biscuits.  They are a little more crisp than those, and have a slight hint of the taste of saltine crackers which actually goes well with the crisper texture.  I actually find that I go to make these more often than the original version though, so go figure.

If you find yourself with extra starter hanging around and you do not want to waste it, give these biscuits a try.  They are quite delicious and no more trouble to make than regular biscuits.
Home Cookin v9.70 Chapter: Breads and Muffins
SOURDOUGH BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
100g sourdough starter
200g flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes and chilled
2 eggs
60g buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Stir the buttermilk into the starter, then add the eggs and mix together.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Cut in the chilled butter. Make a well in the center and add the starter mixture. Stir until it just comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface. Knead a few times to bring the dough together. Roll the dough into a narrow strip aout 6 inches wide, then fold into thirds along the length. Rotate the dough 180 degrees and roll it out agai into a narrow strip, then turn and repeat one more time, rolling the dough out about 1/2 an inch thick. Cut out the biscuits and place them closely together on an ungreased baking sheet. Roll and fold the remaining dough and cut ito biscuits until the dough has all been used.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the biscuits are slightly browned. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

adapted from recipe found at http://www.food.com/recipe/grandmas-sourdough-biscuits-18995

Exported from Home Cookin v9.70 (www.mountain-software.com)

Tuesday, January 02, 2018

Baking Class: Sourdough Pizza Crust


I have been working on pizza dough again.  I was quite happy with this basic recipe I had been using for years, but once I jumped on to the sourdough train I wanted to see if I could come up with a sourdough version.  I experimented with several combinations of flours and with different ratios of flour to starter to water, and I have finally come up with the formula that make a delicious crust that is crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside and is the right thickness for me.

I like a thin, crisp, crust but I have found that I am not a fan of the cracker-thin crust.  This recipe makes two 12-inch pies that allows for a crusty pillow of chewy dough around the edges, which is just how I like it.

I have also gone back and forth over whether or not to pre-cook the crust.  For this dough I have found that if I don't precook it the toppings are done before the crust has browned to my satisfaction so I now cook the crust for 7 minutes, remove it from the oven and put on the toppings, then return it to the oven to bake for another 20 to 25 minutes.  If you are a dedicated enough pizza maker that you have a pizza stone or a wood-fired oven, that may not be necessary, but this is what works best for me.

As I mentioned above, I have been playing with different combinations of flours and it all comes down to this:  as with most things in life, simple is usually best.  While bread flour works just fine for this, if you can get your hands on 00 flour you will get the perfect combination of crispy and chewy.  When I first started looking for it I could only find it at a specialty shop and it was quite expensive.  My local grocery store now carries two brands and it is available online if you can't find it locally.  I recommend that you try it at least once.

For the starter, I start with 30 grams of my usual bread-flour starter and then start building it with the 00 flour.  Ideally, I would start with 10 grams of the original starter and use the 00 flour to build to the 30 grams, but that is one feeding more than I like to do if I can help it.
Home Cookin v9.70 Chapter: My Recipes
SOURDOUGH PIZZA CRUST
Makes 2 pizzas

This pizza dough improves with age. Make it the day before you plan to make your pizza and keep the dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. It will keep for three days.


100g starter
240g water
390g 00 flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Add the water to the starter and mix well, then the oil, mixing again. Add the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms, adding more flour if necessary. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

If using right away, form the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled.  Divide dough in half and pat with floured fingers or use a rolling pin to form two 12-inch circles. Pinch an edge around the crusts and place on cornmeal-dusted baking sheets

Preheat the oven to 475° F. with a rack on the lowest slot.  Bake the crust for 7 minutes, then remove and top as desired.  Place the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until top is bubbling and browned and the crust is well browned.

If making the dough the night before you plan to use it, divide the dough in half and knead each piece briefly and form them into balls.  Coat each ball with flour and place in a plastic bag, leaving room for the dough to rise, and put them in the refrigerator.  When ready to use, remove the dough and let it sit for half an hour, then pat or roll out the dough and place on the cornmeal-dusted baking sheets.  Prepare and bake as above.

Adapted from Bob's Red Mill Organically Grown and Certified Unbromated Unbleached White Flour package.

Exported from Home Cookin v9.70 (www.mountain-software.com)
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