9.30.2010

Checking in...

Yes!  I'm still around!

I have taken a break from my blog, but I will be back soon.

I'm still vegan, and I'm still eating great things.

I'll be back around to share them in time.

xoxox

9.03.2010

Pizza

We love to eat pizza in my house.



We especially love OUR pizza.  I've posted a link to this recipe before, it is not my own recipe it is one we stumbled across when looking for pizza dough recipes.  It happens to be a favorite, so I'm posting it again.  We've topped it with olive oil, pizza sauce, vegan cheese, vegan pepperoni, mixed vegetables, you name it.  It is delicious.  You should definitely try it.

Taken from: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001199.html

4 1/2 cups (20.25 ounces) unbleached high-gluten, bread, or all-purpose flour, chilled 
1 3/4 (.44 ounce) teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon (.11 ounce) instant yeast 
1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil (optional)
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) water, ice cold (40°F) 
Semolina flour OR cornmeal for dusting
1. Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). With a large metal spoon, stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment), If you are mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the metal spoon into cold water and use it, much like a dough hook, to work the dough vigorously into a smooth mass while rotating the bowl in a circular motion with the other hand. Reverse the circular motion a few times to develop the gluten further. Do this for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are evenly distributed. If you are using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, dribble in a tea- spoon or two of cold water. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not just tacky, and register 50 to 55F.

2. Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with baking parchment and misting the parchment with spray oil (or lightly oil the parchment). Using a metal dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you are comfortable shaping large pizzas), You can dip the scraper into the water between cuts to keep the dough from sticking to it, Sprinkle flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball. If the dough sticks to your hands, dip your hands into the flour again. Transfer the dough balls to the sheet pan, Mist the dough generously with spray oil and slip the pan into a food-grade plastic bag.

3. Put the pan into the refrigerator overnight to rest the dough, or keep for up to 3 days. (Note: If you want to save some of the dough for future baking, you can store the dough balls in a zippered freezer bag. Dip each dough ball into a bowl that has a few tablespoons of oil in it, rolling the dough in the oil, and then put each ball into a separate bag. You can place the bags into the freezer for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the refrigerator the day before you plan to make pizza.)

4. On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before making the pizza. Before letting the dough rest at room temperature for 2 hours, dust the counter with flour, and then mist the counter with spray oil. Place the dough balls on top of the floured counter and sprinkle them with flour; dust your hands with flour. Gently press the dough into flat disks about 1/2 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the dough with flour, mist it again with spray oil, and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a food-grade plastic bag. Now let rest for 2 hours.

5. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone either on the floor of the oven (for gas ovens), or on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven as hot as possible, up to 800F (most home ovens will go only to 500 to 550F, but some will go higher). If you do not have a baking stone, you can use the back of a sheet pan, but do not preheat the pan.

6. Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal. Make the pizzas one at a time. Dip your hands, including the backs of your hands and knuckles, in flour and lift I piece of dough by getting under it with a pastry scraper. Very gently lay the dough across your fists and carefully stretch it by bouncing the dough in a circular motion on your hands, carefully giving it a little stretch with each bounce. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss as shown on page 208. If you have trouble tossing the dough, or if the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, and try again. You can also resort to using a rolling pin, though this isn't as effective as the toss method.

7. When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction (about 9 to 12 inches in diameter for a 6-ounce piece of dough), lay it on the peel or pan, making sure there is enough semolina flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then with your other top- pings, remembering that the best pizzas are topped with a less-is-more philosophy. The American "kitchen sink" approach is counterproductive, as it makes the crust more difficult to bake. A few, usually no more than 3 or 4 toppings, including sauce and cheese is sufficient.

8. Slide the topped pizza onto the stone (or bake directly on the sheet pan) and close the door. Wait 2 minutes, then take a peek. If it needs to be rotated 180 degrees for even baking, do so. The pizza should take about 5 to 8 minutes to bake. If the top gets done before the bottom, you will need to move the stone to a lower self before the next round. if the bottom crisps before the cheese caramelizes, then you will need to raise the stone for subsequent bakes.

9. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Wait 3 to 5 minutes before slicing and serving, to allow the cheese to set slightly.

Makes six 6-ounce pizza crusts.

French Bread / English Muffin Bread


French Bread

7 to 7¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon shortening
¼ cup silken tofu
1 tablespoon salt
Yellow cornmeal


In large mixer bowl combine 3 cups of the flour and the yeast.  Heat 2½ cups water, sugar, salt, and shortening just until warm (115-120º), stirring constantly to melt shortening. Add to dry mixture.  Beat at low speed with electric mixer for ½ minute, scraping bowl. (Or by hand until well mixed) Beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Knead on floured surface until smooth (10 to 12 minutes).  Shape into a ball.  Place in greased bowl; turn once.  Cover; let rise until double (1 to 1½ hours).  Punch down. (Literally)  Divide in half.  Cover; let rest 10 minutes.  Roll each half to 15x12 inch rectangle.  (This is the part where I add what I would like inside the roll.  Basil leaves, diced tomatoes, cheese; cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla extract; etc.)  Roll up tightly from long side; seal well.  Taper ends.  Place each diagonally seam side down, on greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.  Gash tops diagonally every 2½ inches, ¼ inch deep.

Mix silken tofu with water until it reaches a foamy, liquid consistency. (Usually only takes 1 to 2 tablespoons of water).  Brush tops and sides of loaves.  Cover; let rise until double (about 1 hour).  Bake at 375º until light brown, about 20 minutes.  Brush again with silken tofu.  Bake 20 minutes longer.  Remove from sheets; cool.  Makes 2. (Although I usually divide it down and make 4 small loaves, it just works easier for me.)


I also like English Muffin Bread and it is very easy to make, so I will post the recipe for that as well.

English Muffin Bread

2½ to 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
Cornmeal
Salt

In large mixer bowl combine 1 cup of the flour and the yeast.  In saucepan heat 1¼ cups water, sugar, and ¾ teaspoon salt until warm (115-120º), stirring to dissolve sugar.  Add to dry mixture in bowl.  Beat at low speed with electric mixer for ½ minute, scraping bowl.  Beat 3 minutes at high speed. (By the way, I make it by hand - I do not use the mixer.  I have recently tried it with a mixer and it is a lot easier but not as fun to make.)  By hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Shape into ball.

Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. (If you don't grease the dough and the bowl, it will not rise properly.)  Cover; let rise until double (about 1 hour).  Punch down. (Who doesn't like hitting things?) Cover; let rest 10 minutes.  Grease a 1 quart casserole; sprinkle with cornmeal.  Place dough in casserole; sprinkle top with cornmeal.  Cover; let rise until double (30 to 45 minutes).  Bake at 400º for 40 to 45 minutes.  Cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly.  Remove from dish; cool.  Makes 1.