Appetizers


Caprise Salad (Serves 8)

Ingredients:

fussilli or butterfly pasta (150g/person)
sundried tomatoes (100g)
boccanchino (fresh baby mozzarella) or regular mozzarella cheese
basil leaves (10-15 stems)
7 italian tomatoes
olive oil (to taste)
balsamic vinegar (to taste)

Instructions:

  1. Set aside chopped tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and basil
  2. Put in some olive oil and balsamic vinegar (at 2 tablespoons or each for large servings)
  3. Toss this all together until evenly mixed (make sure not too much oil sits at the bottom)
  4. Mix in baby mozzarella and pasta
  5. Sprinkle parmesan cheese if you want and serve
  6. Refrigerate unused portions
Source: Urvashi Sharma

Cream of broccoli (Serves 8)

Ingredients:

1 onion (coarsely chopped)
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 small stalk celery (with leaves)
1 clove garlic (minced)
3 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup uncooked rice
3 cup coarsely chopped broccoli
2 cup milk
1 tsp salt
pinch pepper

Instructions:

  1. In a large saucepan, combine onion, carrots, celery, garlic and chicken stock. Bring to boil. Add rice, over and simmer for 15-20 min until rice is tender.
  2. Transfer mixture to blender or food processor and puree.
  3. Return to saucepan, add milk, salt, pepper.
Source: Sasha Papayanis


Dinner Rolls

Prepartion Time:  4 hours (includes rising time)
Servings:  4 Doz. rolls

Ingredients:

3 c. very warm water
1/4 c. oil
1 c. sugar or honey
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. instant yeast
10-12 c. all-purpose flour

Instructions:
In a very large bowl, combin first 4 ingredients.  Add 4 c. flour, and sprinkle the yeast on top of the mixture.  Continue adding flour ntil the very stiff dough is no longer sticky.  Put the dough in a very large greased pot and let rise in a warm draft-free spot until doubled in volum (about 2 hrs).  Punch down and let rise again.  Shape into rolls and put on greased cooke sheets.  Let rise until doubled (about 1 hr).  Bake in preheated 350F oven for 20 min.  Immediately brush with a mixture of milk and sugar (approx. 1 Tbsp sugar to 3 Tbsp milk).  Remove buns from cookie sheets and cool on cake coolers.

Note:  To make whole wheat rools, use half whole wheat flour.

Source: Laura Lynne


Focaccia Romana (2 pans of bread / pizza dough)

Ingredients:

2 pkg fast-rising dry yeast (7 oz per pkg)
2 cup tepid water (luke warm)
2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup salad oil (veg. oil)
1 tbsp salt
5 1/2 cup flour
topping: 3 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup olive oil (for topping)
1 tbsp whole rosemary
1 tbsp kosher salt

Instructions:

  1. Dissolve yeast in tepid water. Add sugar, olive oil, salad oil, and salt. Mix in 3 cups of flour, whip until dough is smooth (10 min).
  2. Mix in remaining flour by hand or with a dough hook and kneed dough until it's smooth. Allow the dough to rise (1-2 hours).
  3. Oil 2 baking sheets and divide the dough into 2 halves.
  4. Use your to flatten dough into thin sheets and pin them to each baking sheet.
  5. Brush topping oil evenly, sprinkle all other topping ingredients.
  6. Bake at 375 F for about 30 min.
Makes perfect pizza dough.

Source: Jana Ting