Pizza Bianca or Pizza by the Meter (Demeter)

Included is the direct link showing Annisa Helou's recipe for Pizza Bianca dal Forno di Campo de' Fiori. After years of looking for a Pizza alla Romma or a Pizza by the Meter (as in the Goddess Demeter) I found this one! A wonderfully simple recipe that requires more work than the average bread, but is not physically trying and the whole process was incredibly enjoyable. I hope you have as much fun re-creating this recipe as I had! Just follow the directions as closely as possibly; my photographs will help guide you.

Qurban-Artos Bread

This recipe is courtesy of Anissa Helou's book 

"Savory Baking From the Mediterranean".

As much as I like this recipe, it turned out to have a sharp sour/salty flavor. Delicious, but not as a bread for every day use; more perhaps as an accompaniment to a thick, savory, and unsalted stew. I'm including this recipe and photos for you regardless as it is a good loaf to try. I'll try my hand at the recipe she has on her blog later this week: http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/qurban-holy-bread/

2 1/4 tsp. yeast

3 1/3 cups flour

2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. mahlep or almond extract

2 tbls. unsalted, softened butter

1 tbls. orange blossom water

1. Dissolve the yeast in 1/3 cup warm water and stir until creamy.

2. Combine the flour, salt, sugar, and if using mahlep (I added the almond extract in with the wet ingredients) in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the butter to the well and with fingertips rub it into the flour until well incorporated. Add the yeast and orange blossom water and gradually add 1/2 cup warm water, bringing in the flour as you go along. Knead until you have a rough ball of dough.

3. Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead for three minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, invert the bowl over it, and let it rest for fifteen minutes. Knead for about two or three minutes more, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball again and transfer to a lightly floured clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for one hour. Fold the dough, cover and let rise again for one more hour. The dough should be roughly doubled in volume.

4. Return the dough to the work surface, divide into six equal pieces, and shape each into a ball. cover with plastic wrap and let rest for fifteen minutes.

5. Roll out the balls into circles approximately six inches in diameter. Transfer to a non-stick baking sheet. Cover with a wet towel and let rise for one hour, uncovering the breads after for fifty minutes to allow the surface to dry. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

6. Sift a thin film of flour over each bread. Stamp the surface or score the surface lightly with the tip of a knife to create geometric designs. With a chopstick, make five holes around the outer rim. Bake for twenty minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve at room temperature with some unsalted butter.

With this recipe, I recreated the look found in her photograph located on page 98 in her book. I was pretty pleased with the end result, though in future versions, I may eliminate the salt or reduce it significantly.

Qurban - Eastern Greek Orthodox Holy Bread

Qurbān is the sacrifice of a livestock animal during Eid ul-Adha. This word was borrowed from the Hebrew word korbān, which means "offering" and from the Syriac word qurbānā, which means "sacrifice". These two ways of expressing sacrifice were etymologized to mean as "a way or means of approaching someone".1

In Islam, the sacrifice of an animal is legal only during 10-12 Dhu l-Hijjah, the 12th lunar month of the Islamic calendar. It is understood as a symbolic repetition of Abraham's sacrifice of a ram in place of his son, a crucial notion in Judaism, Christianity and Islam alike.

Most orthodoxies accept that the animal must be killed according to the prohibitions of Halal sacrifice and that the animal in question may be a goat, sheep, cow or camel.

A Korban was usually an animal sacrifice, such as a sheep or a bull that under went shechita (Jewish ritual slaughter), and was often cooked and eaten by the offerer, with parts given to the Kohanim and parts burned on the Temple mizbe'ah (altar). Korbanot could also consist of doves, grain, wine, or incense.

The Torah narrates that God commanded the Hebrews to offer korbanot on various altars, and describes the offering of sacrifices in the Tabernacle and in the Temple in Jerusalem until the First Temple was destroyed and resumed with the Second Temple until it was destroyed in 70 AD.

The practice of sacrifice in Judaism mostly ended with the destruction of the Temple, although it was briefly reinstated during the Jewish-Roman Wars of the 2nd Century AD and was continued in certain communities thereafter.2 Rabbinic Judaism continued to maintain that the Torah allowed observance of Jewish law without animal sacrifice based upon oral tradition and strong support from scripture, such as Psalms 51:16-19 and Hosea 6:6.5 However, the practice and nature of Korbanot continues to have relevance to Jewish theology and law, particularly in Orthodox Judaism.3

In the Eastern Greek Orthodox Church, the qurban, or artos is celebrated as the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Near the end of the Paschal Vigil, after the Prayer Before the Ambo, a single large loaf of bread, the Artos, is brought to the priest. Depicted on the top of the Artos are symbols of Christ's victory over death, the Cross surmounted by a crown of thorns. The Artos symbolizes the physical presence of the resurrected Christ among the disciples. The priest blesses the Artos with a special prayer and sprinkles it with Holy Water. The Artos is then placed on a small table before the Iconostasis where it remains throughout Bright Week. It is customary, whenever the faithful enter the Temple, for them to kiss the Artos as a way of greeting the Risen Christ. Every day of Bright Week, after the Paschal Divine Liturgy, or after Paschal Matins, the Artos is carried in a solemn procession around the outside of the church.

In monasteries, the Artos is carried to the Trapeza every day of Bright Week, where at the end of the festive meal, it is lifted in a ceremony called the Lifting of the Artos.4 The one performing the ceremony will lift up the Artos (symbolizing Christ's Resurrection) and say, "Christ is Risen!" All will respond, "He is truly Risen!" The celebrant will then make the sign of the Cross with the Artos as he says, "We worship His Resurrection on the third day!" Then two Paschal hymns are sung and everyone comes forward to kiss the Artos and receive the Superior's blessing, as all sing the Paschal troparion many times.

On Bright Saturday, after the Divine Liturgy, the priest says another prayer over the Artos and it is then broken and distributed among the whole congregation along with the Prosphora.4

The significance of the Artos is that it serves to remind all Christians of the events connected with the Resurrection. While still living on earth, the Lord called himself the Bread of Life, saying: I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and He who believes in Me shall never thirst (John 6:35).5

Reference:

1. Ambros, Arne Amadeus. 2004. A Concise Dictionary of Koranic Arabic. Wiesbaden: Reichert. P. 222. 
2. "Qorbanot: Sacrifices and Other Offerings". JewishVirtualLibrary.org.

3. Myers, Jody Elizabeth. 1987. "Attitudes Towards a Resumption of Sacrificial Worship in the Nineteenth Century." Modern Judaism 7, no. 1.

4. "Prosphora". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosphora#Panagia.

5. "Passage Lookup". http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%206:35-6:35&version=KJV.

6. Helou, Anissa. 2007. Savory Baking From the Mediterranean. P.96.

Morning Routines and Traditions

It's Friday. Most Friday morning's can seem slightly hectic. As the days of the week wax on, we seem to wake up later and later and Fridays seem to pose the ultimate conundrum as they are O-P-Mo Days.

When Samantha, my eldest, was two, she played with language like every other two year old. Some words have just stuck, O-P-Mo being one of them. Oatmeal is a tough word for a soft tiny mouth full of new sharp teeth, a pointy tongue and drool and she chewed her fingers all the time. Weaving words around these obstacles was a challenge.

So Friday is O-P-Mo day, and the girls and I have perfected the timing and creation of the ultimate bowl of oatmeal. Our ballet of laying out coats and backpacks in the midst of pouring oatmeal and boiling water and tying on shoes has all the appearances of frenetic chaos, I assure you, it is not.

Now I sit writing and sipping coffee in the early morning light. The cat clawing and nipping at my toes, trying to get me to play with him and the silence is so beautiful. Now it's time to think about tomorrow morning and Saturdays, when my future step-son is here. Then it is time for ribbon curled bacon and cored strawberries and cinnamon swirled toast with coffee and tea and mayhem.

Carrot and Avocado Stew

Ingredients:

4 carrots
1 avocado
1 potato
5 small cloves of garlic, diced
1 tablespoon oil
4 tbls dry milk
3 cups water
rosemary & thyme
salt

Wash, peel & dice all the vegetables except the avocado and toss them into a hot pot with the oil .
Add water to pot, and some dry rosemary & thyme.
Cover the pot. When vegetables are soft add the avocado and cook on low for another 15 minutes. Use a masher to break up the mixture. Mix the dry milk with enough water to make a roux, slowly mix in the roux, and simmer on low for 3-4 minutes. The soup will not be smooth, it will have a slightly lumpy texture. Depending on how you would prefer it, if you want is smooth and silky blend it in a blender when cooled and then reheat.

Serve hot, with toasted garlic bread.

Goddess Bread Making Workshop

I've been teaching bread making workshops off and on since 2007. Let me share with you a little of what goes on during the workshop. I've included an amazing recipe for Amish Sweet Bread for you to try out. 

I always have two pre-made rounds of dough on hand so people can play with one, smell it, see its texture and density, and so on. The other I bake while preparing the new dough so that folks have something to taste and smell while waiting for their bread to rise.

I discuss how bread can be made from four simple ingredients to incredibly complicated recipes involving sponges or sour starters. I talk about the history of bread and it’s uses in rites or rituals and for sealing pacts or agreements. I usually answer questions through out the process, most people are so curious when they get in the kitchen I tend to get deluged, though I don’t mind and actually enjoy it.

Here is the bread recipe I use:

In a small bowl mix:

1 package dry active yeast

3 tablespoons warm water (109-115 degrees)

1 tsp. sugar or honey

Let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl mix:

1 cup milk, warmed to 105-115 degrees

5 tbls melted butter or 8 tbls of olive oil

3 tablespoons sugar

1 large egg (though in class I use the egg substitution of ¼ cup applesauce due to a severe egg allergy)

1 teaspoon salt

Then add the bearded yeast.

Knead in 2 cups bread flour, followed by 1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour until the dough has the appearance of a shaggy rubber ball and doesn't stick to your hands.

Scrub your hands thoroughly and then gently knead for 5 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, and let rise in a warm place (in lightly oiled bowl covered with a dish towel) until doubled in size, usually one hour. Once doubled punch down and knead for another five minutes, then divide into two. You can now shape or roll or add any other ingredients you would like, and then allow to rise a second time for one hour. 

It is here that I shape one as a loaf and place in an oiled bread pan, seam side down. The other is either rolled out to make a cinnamon roll or to make the “birdseed” round shaped loaf.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and brush the loaf with milk. Bake for 30 minutes until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped and the crust is a golden brown.

 

Pear Pie with Streusel Topping and Caramel Sauce

Bartlett or Anjou pears work best in this pie. Be sure to purchase firm, slightly under-ripe fruit for this pie since the pears soften and give off juice as they cook.

Ingredients

• Pie:
• 3  ounces  all-purpose flour, divided (about 2/3 cup)
• 1/2  cup  granulated sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 3  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 6  medium firm pears, peeled, cored, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
• 1/2  (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
• Cooking spray
• 1/3  cup  packed brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons  chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• Sauce:
• 1/3  cup  packed brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons  heavy whipping cream
• 2  tablespoons  butter, softened
• 2  teaspoons  water

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare pie, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add juice and pears to flour mixture; toss gently to coat. Roll dough into an 11-inch circle; fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under and flute. Arrange pear mixture in an even layer in prepared crust.

 
Combine remaining 1 1/2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) flour and 1/3 cup brown sugar in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons cold butter to brown sugar mixture; cut in with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle butter mixture evenly over pears. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.

                                  

    

To prepare sauce, combine 1/3 cup brown sugar, cream, and 2 tablespoons softened butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in 2 teaspoons water. Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed with pie.

All Organic Hearth Bread - Rye and Wheat Flour courtesy of Five Points Bakery

Create your Poolish and let it sit on the back burner of your stove, as it's generally the warmest spot in any house.

Poolish:
⅓ cup (2⅝ ounces) cool water (about 65F)
½ cup (2⅛ ounces) White King Arthur Bread Flour
1/16 teaspoon (a pinch) instant yeast
In a medium-sized bowl, combine all of the poolish ingredients, mixing just till a cohesive dough forms. Allow the poolish to rest, covered, for 12 to 16 hours at room temperature. When the poolish is ready to use, it will be filled with large holes and bubbles.

Dough:

All of the poolish (see above)

1 cup (8 ounces) cool water, about 65F

1/4 cup Rye flour

3/4 cup Wheat flour

1/4 cup Barley flour

1 1/4 cup White King Arthur Bread Flour

The dough: 

Mix till just combined, cover the bowl, and allow the mixture to rest for 20 minutes. This rest period (autolyse, in French) allows the flour to absorb the liquid and the gluten to start its development, making kneading easier and more effective. 

Add 1 teaspoon yeast and 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, and knead the dough till it’s fairly smooth but not necessarily elastic about 5 to 7 minutes by hand (The gluten will continue to develop as the dough rises, so you don’t want to develop it fully during the kneading process.)

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is. 

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, fold it in on its self and place seam side down, cover, and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Again, this gives the gluten a chance to relax. If  it rises too much it'll lose their shape in the oven, so be sure it doesn't over-rise.

Using a sharp knife or cutlery scissors, make two slashes in the shape of an X. 

Wrap gently in a lightly floured towel and place on the back of the stove to rise. 

Preheat your oven to 425F, making sure you give it plenty of time to heat; this bread needs to go into a HOT oven. Place the dish you want to bake in, in the center of the top shelf. Once the oven has reached 425F, spray the bottom of your loaf with olive oil and then plop the bread into the center of the baking dish and bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes, or until it’s a deep, golden brown. 

Hearth bread is generally baked longer than traditional American loaves (like the loaves of Italian you see at your local grocery store); if you are not comfortable with a very dark crust, reduce the baking time a bit. Turn off the oven, crack the door open about 4 to 6 inches, and allow the bread to cool in the oven; this will help it retain its crunchy crust. Store in a paper bag in a bread box, zip lock bags and the fridge will make your bread soggy or go stale faster.