Tag Archives: bread

scarpetta’s stromboli

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scarpetta stromboli
As you know, I’M ON VACATION! Well, technically I’m on my way BACK from vacation now… You’ll all know soon enough about what I have been eating while I was on vacation, but many of you may be wondering what the BF eats while I’m on vacation. What does the BF eat when I’m not home to cook for him? Well, honestly, probably a lot of fast food. But I do leave him some home-cooked goodness in the freezer to eat just in case he is motivated enough to heat it up.

For this trip, one of the items I left behind for him was a loaf of tasty homemade stromboli from the Scarpetta’s stromboli recipe.We ate this stromboli for dinner, but Scarpetta’s serves it as part of their bread basket.

Stromboli (essentially a rolled up pizza) is fresh bread filled with meat and cheese and served with a dipping sauce. My favorite types of stromboli growing up came from my momma’s oven, filled with ham and cheese or meatballs and sauce… so don’t feel like you have to be stuck with the fillings in the recipe.

Whether you want an appetizer to feed a crowd or a simple dinner, this recipe is perfect for you. Plus, it’s a great candidate for freezing. You can just slice the stromboli and freeze it, wrapped in foil, then in a plastic bag. To reheat, warm the foil-wrapped stromboli in the oven for about 20 – 30 minutes at 375 degrees. The time it takes to warm may vary depending on how much you are warming at once and the thickness of your slices.

Scarpetta’s Stromboli Recipe

[ Printable Recipe ]

Dough:

  • 1 tablespoon dry yeast
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 5 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Filling:

  • 2 cups grated smoked mozzarella
  • Salt
  • 1/2 bunch fresh basil, leaves chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 ounces salami, sliced thin
  • Extra-virgin olive oil

Toppings:

  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, such as Maldon
  • 1/4 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

For the dough: Whisk together 2 cups cold water, the yeast and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil.  Put in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed for 5 minutes.  Add the flour and continue mixing for an additional 5 minutes. Then mix on medium speed for an additional 5 minutes. Add the salt until incorporated. Add 1 tablespoon oil at the end of the 5 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a a large bowl and drizzle about 2 tablespoons oil on top. Wrap all the way around with plastic wrap and put in a warm spot to rise for about 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F when you are getting ready to fill the strombolis.

To make the stromboli: When ready, transfer the dough to an oiled table or flat surface and form into a log; cut into two equal pieces. Cover with plastic so it doesn’t dry out. Let rest for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Lightly brush a baking tray with oil or cover with parchment.  Spread out the dough on the oiled countertop with the palms of your hands, don’t use your fingertips. It should be even all the way around, with no fat edges.

Place half the fillings on one piece of dough in the order listed: mozzarella, salt, basil, garlic, pepper and salami, leaving a 2-inch border along the bottom. Roll the dough over twice, seal the sides with your palm, fold over the bottom and then the sides. Transfer to the tray and rub a little oil on top. Repeat with the second portion of dough. Put the rosemary, sea salt and tomatoes on top. Cover the tray with plastic and let sit for 15 minutes to rest.

When ready to bake, put a pan of ice in the oven for 5 minutes. REMOVE THE PAN and place the Stromboli tray in the oven and bake for a total of 45 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn 180 degrees. Bake another 20 minutes, then turn again and bake the remaining 5 minutes. (If it looks like it’s browning evenly, you can probably skip all the turning, I just turned it once towards the end).

Transfer to a new baking sheet lined with parchment. Allow the loaves to cool. Slice and serve with desired dipping sauce.

[ Recipe adapted from Scarpetta’s Restaurant c/o Food Network ]

cheesy artichoke bread

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artichoke bread

As appetizers go, they don’t get much simpler than this. I have been meaning to make artichoke dip for, I don’t know, my whole life now. I just never seem to get around to it. Maybe i should rename this blog to “things I never get around to making” as there seem to be so many of them….

ANYWAY…. this easy-peasy appetizer gives you that delicious artichoke-dip flavor in a fast and easy topping instead. I used canned artichokes, seasoning-free and oil-free, you could steam your own if you prefer fresh. As always, Trader Joes is a pretty solid bet. I read once somewhere that Trader Joe’s is the only supermarket that has no BPA in their can linings, so that’s an added bonus if you’re worried about those types of things. Oh, “how was the bread,” you ask?

Deeelicious. I cut the bread into bite-size squares and served them alongside a fresh cara cara cocktail and BF and I had ourselves our very own “happy hour” in the comfort of our own home. Between the great flavor, and how quickly you can whip it up, this one’s definitely a keeper.

wee_eats on instagram

Cheesy Artichoke Bread

[ Printable Recipe ]

serving size depends on the size of your baguettes  – this recipe can easily be scaled up and down to suit the number of people you’re serving.

  • 2 french baguettes
  • 2 – 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 14-ounce can of artichokes in water, drained and chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs (optional)
  • fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the baguettes in half lengthwise and brush or drizzle with the olive oil. Equally distribute the minced garlic and chopped artichoke hearts.

Top each with a good handful of cheese, about 1/3 cup each. Sprinkle on a few breadcrumbs for extra crispness (not required).

Bake for 8 minutes, then heat the broiler and broil for 2 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Adapted from Pinterest

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insomniac biscuits

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insomniac biscuit

Yesterday morning I woke up at 1:30 am, for no apparent reason.  I stayed in bed trying to fall back asleep but eventually, around 3:00 am, I gave up and accepted that sleep was not going to be visiting me any time soon.  I quietly snuck out of bed, went out to the living room, and turned on the TV.

Nothing to watch on DVR, darn.  I sat there for a minute before I decided that, clearly, the best use of my time would be to make biscuits.  After all, Boyfriend loves biscuit breakfast sandwiches.  Or so I’ve been told, he doesn’t really get to eat them since I never have biscuits around the house.

Biscuits and I are a dangerous combination.  Lethal.  Self control – I have none.

So at 3:00 am, on a Wednesday morning, in a dimly-lit kitchen, trying to be as quiet as possible…  I got to work.  No process photos, as there was no light.  Pitch black outside.  Thank goodness for my light box or there would be no biscuit photos at all. 🙂

Start to finish, probably about 20 minutes, plus 20 minutes of baking time. Not bad for freshly-baked biscuits, eh?  Fastforward to 6:45 am, boyfriend messages me:

I am amazing… aren’t I?

So biscuits, make them.  They are so easy you can make them sleep deprived in the dark.  Your house will smell like buttery goodness and at least you’ll be rewarded with a fresh, warm biscuit (or five) when you’re done.

I enjoyed mine with a light smear of Bouchon strawberry jam, though I suspect a drizzle of honey would’ve been a delightful match as well.  Boyfriend enjoyed his filled with scrambled egg, cheese, and bacon.  I meant to catch a pic of his, but I forgot.  Which is understandable, since it was like 6:00 am and I was running on empty.

Biscuits

(and lots of tips) – Adapted from Per Se, NYC

Makes 8 – 10 biscuits using a 2-1/2″ biscuit cutter

Printable Recipe 

  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 stick of butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
  • 1 cup buttermilk, chilled

In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Add the butter cubes and cut in with a pastry cutter. (Alternatively you could pulse in a food processor and then transfer to a bowl).

Once the butter is cut into the flour (should be about pea-size chunks) make a well in the middle of your flour mixture and add your buttermilk. Stir around the outside with a spatula, pushing the flour from the edges and bottom into the buttermilk. Stir approximately 12 times, DON’T OVERMIX! The dough may still be shaggy.

Dump dough onto a floured surface and pat to 1 1/2-inch thick. Cut to desired size and place on a baking sheet. The closer together, the higher they’ll rise.

Bake in a pre-heated 400°F oven until golden brown—about 20 minutes.  If you use a 2½” cutter, you’ll get 8-10 biscuits.

TIPS

*If you want to use shortening instead – you will get a slightly less puffy biscuit. Butter is best for biscuits with sweet things, while lard is better with savory things.

*The higher the fat content in the liquid (or solid fat) the flakier your biscuit.

*Keep everything cold, except the oven. Your oven should be preheating for at least 20 minutes before you put your biscuits in.

*When cutting the fat in, remember the smaller the crumbs, the fluffier the biscuits. Bigger chunks (and a little extra kneading) will make flakier biscuits.

*Don’t twist your biscuit cutter – you will fuse together the outer layers and keep the biscuits from rising properly!

brioche

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brioche-bread

beautiful brioche

you make my belly happy

buttery and sweet

Is that the first haiku you’ve read about brioche? It’s definitely the first I’ve written.

This was my first time making brioche. It was actually a byproduct of making sticky buns. The recipe said to “reserve half of the dough for another use”, since I was already making the dough, and had already resigned myself to spending the day baking, (and I have a jar of jam in my refrigerator from Bouchon)  my “other use” was a loaf of bread. A loaf of rich, buttery, brioche to be exact.

rich and slightly sweet

 with a moist and tender crumb

my new love, brioche

Even though I got tired while I was making it, and I thought my Kitchen Aid was going to start smoking from how hot it was getting, I will admit part of that may be do to my inability to read directions clearly. As I was making the dough, I remember thinking that it couldn’t possibly be worth the effort… that I would never make it again. Screw this bread.

As I was eating the bread, however, I was in pure bread bliss. Bread Heaven, if you will. It’s so good. I sliced it and, even though I could’ve easily taken down the whole loaf by myself, I wrapped it tightly and stuck it in the freezer to use for weekend breakfasts.

After making my own loaf, I can’t imagine making french toast or bread pudding out of it. All that hard work to make such a delicious loaf of bread, just to soak it in egg and fry it in a pan? Sacrilege. Blasphemy even. I don’t know how people do it. I assume when you make it a lot, you probably get used to it and get into a rhythm, but for now I can’t imagine eating it any way but plain, or perhaps lightly toasted with a slight smear of heavenly Bouchon jam. I don’t want any flavors overpowering my buttery, rich, slightly sweet new love, brioche.

Brioche – makes 2 loaves

[ Printable Recipe ]

Brioche Dough:

  • 2 1/2 cups (350 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
  • 2 1/4 cups (340 grams) bread flour
  • 1 1/2 packages (3 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast or 1-ounce (28 grams) fresh cake yeast
  • 1 3/8 cups (2 3/4 sticks; 310 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 10 to 12 pieces
  • 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (82 grams) sugar
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 6 eggs

1. Using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and 5 of the eggs. Beat on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until all the ingredients are combined. Stop the mixer, as needed, to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all the flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients. Once the dough has come together, beat on low speed for another 3 to 4 minutes. The dough will be very stiff and seem quite dry.

2. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter, 1 piece at a time, mixing after each addition until it disappears into the dough. Continue mixing on low speed for about 10 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. It is important for all the butter to be thoroughly mixed into the dough. If necessary, stop the mixer occasionally and break up the dough with your hands to help mix in the butter.

3. Once the butter is completely incorporated, turn up the speed to medium and beat until the dough becomes sticky, soft, and somewhat shiny, another 15 minutes. It will take some time to come together. It will look shaggy and questionable at the start and then eventually it will turn smooth and silky.

4. Turn the speed to medium-high and beat for about 1 minute. You should hear the dough make a slap-slap-slap sound as it hits the sides of the bowl. Test the dough by pulling at it; it should stretch a bit and have a little give. If it seems wet and loose and more like a batter than a dough, add a few tablespoons of flour and mix until it comes together. If it breaks off into pieces when you pull at it, continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until it develops more strength and stretches when you grab it. It is ready when you can gather it all together and pick it up in 1 piece.

5. Put the dough in a large bowl or plastic container and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the dough. Let the dough proof in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight At this point you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

TO MAKE THE LOAVES

  1. To make two brioche loaves, line the bottom and sides of two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans with parchment, or butter the pans liberally.  Divide the dough in half and press each piece into about a 9-inch square.  The dough will feel like cold, clammy Play-Doh.  Facing the square, fold down the top one-third toward you, and then fold up the bottom one-third, as if folding a letter.  Press to join these layers.  Turn the folded dough over and place it, seam-side down in one of the prepared pans.   Repeat with the second piece of dough, placing it in the second prepared pan. (Pardon the poor lighting, the sun was not out yet)
  1. Cover the loaves lightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to proof for about 4 to 5 hours, or until the loaves have nearly doubled in size.  They should have risen to the rim of the pan and be rounded on top.  When you poke at the dough, it should feel soft, pillowy and light, as if it’s filled with air – because it is! At this point, the texture of the loaves always reminds me a bit of touching a water balloon.
  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  1. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg until blended.  Gently brush the tops of the loaves with the beaten egg.
  1. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the tops and sides of the loaves are completely golden brown.  Let cool in the pans on wire racks for 30 minutes, then turn the loaves out of the pans and continue to cool on the racks.

The bread can be stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

chocolate chip pumpkin bread

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pumpkin bread 2

I’ve been (and will be traveling) lately, so I apologize if my posts become a little less frequent (and a little less wordy, too). I just got back from my very first trip to Mesa Verde National Park last week, and then tomorrow, Mommy and I are heading to Ohio. So yes, I will be a very busy little bee for the next couple weeks – eating my way around Ohio while visiting my friends and family. Possibly not having so much time to cook, bake, or post. But we’ll see how that all pans out.

I love going back east in the fall. Living in the desert requires giving up certain things in life… One of those things, ladies and gentlemen, is seasons. While I can’t say I really miss having to walk through the blistering winds and snow of winter, or the torrential downpours of spring and summer, Autumn is one thing I definitely miss.

It was always my favorite season – colorful leaves, brisk air, (occasional) sunny days, apple orchards and pumpkin patches…. We don’t get any of that here. Sad, right? So all the years I spent wanting nothing more than to get out of Ohio, this is the time of year that makes me really wish I hadn’t left. Of course this winter, I will be laughing at all my friends shoveling the snow off of their cars while I get to wear short sleeves and cook out on the grill. 🙂

Of all the things that remind me of fall, few things say ‘fall’ quite like pumpkin.  I can hardly wait for October to roll around every year for the simple fact that I adore pumpkin. Adore. Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin scones… who decided that pumpkin is only reserved for the fall? Something as delicious as pumpkin deserves to be enjoyed year-round. What is it in us that gives food seasons? Summer is for berries, winter I think of cinnamon, but autumn… that’s 110% pumpkin (maybe a little bit of apple, too, I guess).

This recipe is perfect. I’m not exaggerating. It’s the last pumpkin bread recipe you will ever need. Really. It yields a bread with a moist, tender crumb, a delightful pumpkin flavor, a hint of spice, and of course a little chocolate. I mean, a little chocolate never hurt anyone, right?  Try not to gnaw your arm off while the baking bread fills your house with the sweet aroma of fall and your tummy starts to rumble.

Pumpkin Bread  – Makes 2 – 9 x 5 inch loaves

[ Printable Recipe ]

  • 3 ¼ cups AP flour
  • 2 t cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp allspice
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 15 oz can (1 ¾ cup) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup veg oil
  • 3 cups sugar (You can easily cut back by at least a half cup)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree and oil until combined. Add sugar and whisk again. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla and water. Stir in chocolate chips.
  3. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients being careful not to over-mix.
  4. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 ½ hours.
  5. Cool the bread in its pan 15 minutes, then invert loaves onto wire rack and cool completely.

*Loaves will keep 3 days at room temperature, or much longer frozen for your future pumpkin needs

*You can also bake them into muffins – just reduce the baking time. It’s been so long since I’ve done the muffins, I would recommend checking them after about 20 minutes and then seeing where it goes from there.

[ Adapted from Baked ]