Tag: Traditions

Traditions

Artisan Free-Form French Boule (rosemary)

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

Here is the secret to that chewy crusty french loaves you spend $7 or more in fine bakeries. Add different ingredients to the base. This recipe Ive made as shown is one of my favorites, rosemary. First time making in the electric oven at The Inn. Im pretty pleased. Hope you enjoy.

Chewy, crusty, warm, hot out of oven, goodness

Ingredients

  • 6.5 c bread flour
  • 3 c hot tap water
  • 1 c hot tap water (oven steam bath)
  • 1.5 tablespoons yeast
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon Dried Rosemary(optional)
  • Bakers stone, lipped cookie sheet and lip-less cookie sheet
  • 1 cup cornmeal

Im a bread machine lover- I don’t have full mobility of one arm so dough kneading is truly a task I struggle with. So Im gonna leave the bread kneading to you. You can use the dough setting on the bread machine, A dough hook with you Kitchen aide, or the glorious old fashion- dig in and mix it well by hand. Its a big batch so can rise over you bread machine well. Im use to cleaning that mess. Do not bake this recipe in your 5-7 cup bread machine. Only dough. This is a simple ingredient bread and the technique is the success. You have to steam these loaves for that amazing crust finish.

Add 2 c hot tap water salt and yeast to your large mixing bowl. Stir to incorporate but you don’t need yeast fully dissolved. Add rosemary then flour. Dough hook or mix until a smooth dough forms. Allow to rise in quiet warm setting lightly towel covered 1 hour. Now I use dough setting on my machine. Easy.

(Prep) Large lip-less cookie sheet cover with cornmeal for dough to rest after you form into loaves. Set aside. On floured surface – take dough and divide into four (4)- grapefruit sized portions. With floured hands and surface – take dough and round tucking dough under until you form an smooth round loaf. See pic. Place on top of corn meal to rest. Repeat for all 4 doughs. ( you can cover and refrigerate loaves 24 hours. )

Sticky and warm ready
for forming
Cornmeal for slide and dough to rest on
Divide floured dough to 4 parts and start to form tucking under in circular motion
Resting whilewaiting oven to heat 450 degrees
The most key step- lipped cookie sheet on bottom rack for steam bath. Hot stone above. Allow them to heat in oven as oven heats. I used my pizza peel but this was almost too small for this 4 loaf batch. next time Ill use my larger full sized sheet pan stone -invest in a stone. Mine have all been pampered Chef. Ive had for years- worth while investment. You can bake this on a cookie sheet but will not turn out as crusty.

While loaves rest on cornmeal. Heat oven with lipped cookie sheet on bottom rack and stone on middle rack. with serated flour knife- gently slice three scores on loaf tops. Just before they go in oven. Maybe 1/2 inch thick. Very satisfying to see loaves respond beautifully I wish I had video’d.

Get 1 cup hot tap water ready. This goes quick. once oven is hot hot- you want to slide loaves carefully onto stone -remember very hot.- the cornmeal allows this to move with ease. A pizza peel you can quick wrist slide. Add hot water to bottom pan fast fast – steams hot!! Close oven door fast. You want steam to be in oven. Its making that crunchy chewy crust we love. Don’t peek! Bake 25 minutes.

So easy! Be creative with your base. I personally love the flavors rosemary brings. You can leave plain, add roasted garlic, olives, Italian herbs, sprinkle w sea-salt flakes, poppy seeds. Sesame… yum. great gifts. Will freeze but shelf life is short- only 2 days. Store in paper bag or wax paper. So eat it up! You will never buy $7 bakery loaves again. You’re welcome❤️

breakfast, Desserts, Traditions

Pear and Ricotta cheese Danish with puffed pastry

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

Simple puffed pastry dough from the freezer makes this an easy so tasty desert.

My dear friend gave me fresh pears but any fruit works well in this recipe. I made a delicious fresh raspberry before and the fruit cooked so bright in color.

Ingredients:

Boxed puffed pastry dough thawed

Fresh fruit of choice pictured I used three peeled halved and sliced pear

Tbl jam (I used orange marmalade)

Lemon zest 1 heap Tbs

1 cup ricotta

1 egg

Two Tbs sugar ( add more to sweet taste)

tsp ground cardamon

Pinch salt

Tsp vanilla

Egg white- for egg wash

Mix cheese, egg , cardamom, zest, vanilla and salt in small bowl. Set aside

Take peeled and moon shaped sliced pear mix with marmalade in separate bowl. Set aside

Roll out dough on floured surface to just smooth edges and creases. Spread 1/2 cheese mixture down center of pastry. Assemble half fruit and gently fold together overlapping top.

Carefully slice diagonal top for venting. Crimp ends with fork to seal cheese in.

Assemble second roll. Assemble on baking sheet with parchment paper.

Egg wash tops and lightly sprinkle w sugar.

Preheated 400 degree oven. Bake 15 min- turn even to 375 bake addition 10 min or until golden brown.

Serve warm w vanilla ice-cream or whipped cream.

Traditions

Cheesy no yeast Easy Bread

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste
Warm cheddar and Monterey jack cheese mixed thru this soft garlic bread

What a quick and easy bread that is simple mix and no rise or kneeding needed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees / grease a loaf pan

In large bowl mix

    2 C flour
    4 tsp baking powder
    1 C cheddar cheese shredded
    1/2 C Monterey jack cheese shredded
    1 Tbs sugar
    1/2 tsp salt
    1 tsp garlic powder
    1 Tbs dry parsley

Separate bowl mix wet

  • 1.5 C milk
  • 1 lg egg beaten
  • 1 Tbs butter melted

Mix wet into dry ingredients to just incorporate. Will be heavy batter. Pour into greased loaf pan or stone.

Bake 45-55 min until golden brown.

If you love the cheesy biscuits at red lobster- make this recipe into a drop biscuit and bake 12 min. Yum

Entrees, Garden, Gluten Free, Dairy free, Traditions, Vegetarian

Traditions and Love found in a Good Sauce…a friends tale.

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste
The amazing flavors come thru from love stirred into the pot.

Here in Bend Oregon We have a foodie site online for local chefs, home cooks and true foodies to share recipes, restaurants and ideas. I came across a beautiful italian sauce recipe that was so intriguing and beautiful- you could just taste it from the pictures, how amazing it it must be. I had to know the secrets! To my surprised it was a friend of mine. Somebody who stole the heart of another dear friend and they recently married. What a tale of traditions, memories, and love- saved in a recipe. Her fathers family secrets of love in a sauce.

Meet Amber. When I reached out to her ( thinking she will never share the true secrets) she was excited to share her love for her father and Sicilian roots from the old country. “

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“My father was born and raised in Palermo, Sicily.   He taught me how to make all of our traditional meals when I was a child by putting me up on the counter when I was really tiny to watch him and then he let me help chop and stir as I got older. “

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I can only imagine the love shared during those parent / child moments. It makes your heart long for a moment in time in that kitchen with child giggles and aromas filling the heart. A large wooden spoon to taste as you go along.

The sauce is made in a dutch over/crock part stove top and part in the oven. How simple. 

Fresh ingredients and roasted. Its a no sugar recipe with the secret to the beautiful golden red color- carrots! The roasted carrots add the sweetness and cut the acid. Devine! From Amber herself… enjoy with love.

Ingredients:

3 lbs of ripe tomatoes

 whole large head of garlic (remove skin and leave bulbs whole)

2 medium carrots (medium dice)

2 stalks of celery (with leaves if you have it!) (medium dice)

1 large Shallot (medium dice)

4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme (3-4 inches long – stems removed)

4-5 springs of fresh oregano (stems removed and finely chopped)

Large handful of fresh basil (stems removed and finely chopped)

2-3 Bay Leaves

1 tablespoon of sea salt

1 tablespoon of pepper

1/2 cup of freshly grated romano/parmesan

1/2 cup of high-quality EVOO

1/2 cup of dry red wine

1/2 cup of low sodium chicken stock

  • Cooking Directions:
  • Preheat Oven to 425 degrees
  • Place dutch oven on medium on the stove and add the 1/2 cup of EVOO. 
  • Add all of the fresh tomatoes and toss to coat in the EVOO. 
  • Add the salt to the tomatoes after they are coated and let the tomatoes simmer for about 4-5 minutes 
  • After the tomatoes have started to soften, add the carrots, celery, garlic, and shallots and toss to coat evenly.  As the tomatoes soften it will add liquids to the bottom of the pan (that’s normal). 
  • Let everything simmer for 2-3 minutes until the shallots become translucent.  Do not let the garlic burn on the bottom. 
  • Slowly add the red wine and chicken broth to the mixture.   It will “deglaze” the pan a bit so be sure to get the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.   
  • Add all of the herbs to the mixture.
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  • Let this mixture simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes and to reduce the liquid.   By the end of the time, the liquid should be just below the top of the tomato and vegetable mixture.  Top off with additional chicken broth if needed.
  • Place the dutch oven in the 425-degree oven uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until the tomatoes have burst and the carrots have roasted brown/caramelized edges.
  • Remove the dutch oven from the oven and return to the stove on low.   
  • Remove the bay leaves.
  • Use an immersion blender and blend the mixture until it is smooth.  (you can leave slightly chunky if you prefer.).  
  • Remove any tomato skins that have not broken down or strain the mixture.
  • Add the freshly grated cheese or if you have a block of parmesan you can submerge the whole block with the skin (yum!).
  • Let the mixture simmer for 10-20 minutes on low.
  • Serve as is, add proteins of your choice, or let the mixture cool for freezing/canning.
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Amber shared this makes amazing pizza sauce too.

Thank you Amber Carpenter for sharing❤️