November 14, 2021

Chicken Noodle Soup

Soup

3 Tbs. butter

1 diced yellow onion

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped celery

2 chicken breasts (about 3/4 lbs)

8 cups chicken broth (four 14.5-oz. cans)

3 bay leaves

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes


Noodles

1 egg

2 Tbs. cold water

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup flour


Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat; add onion, carrots, and celery. Sautee 5-7 minutes, until they start to tenderize. 

Add remaining soup ingredients; cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.

While soup is simmering, make dough for the noodles. Whisk together egg, salt, and water, then gradually add flour. Mix/knead until dough forms into a smooth ball, about 2 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes.

When chicken has cooked, remove breasts from pot, shred, and return to pot. Bring back to a simmer.

Cut noodle dough in half; roll until thin (1/4 inch) and use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut into skinny strips, then across to create 1 - 1.5 inch noodles. Add to simmering soup; noodles have cooked when they float (1-2 minutes).

 From here

January 4, 2021

Sandwich Bread

 2 cups (11 oz) bread flour

6 Tbs. (2 oz) whole-wheat flour

2 1/4 tsp. yeast

1 1/4 cups warm water (120 degrees)

2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

1 Tbs. honey

In a mixer with a paddle attachment combine dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients. Mix on low until combined, then on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl, and mix for 2 minutes more. 

Remove bowl and paddle from mixer (leave paddle in dough), scrape down, cover with plastic, and rise in warm place until doubled (about 20 minutes).

Dissolve 3/4 tsp. salt in 2 Tbs. warm water.

Return bowl and paddle to mixture, add salt-water mixture to dough, and mix on low until combined, about 40 seconds. Increase speed to medium and mix 1 minute. Place dough in a greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise 15-20 minutes; uncover and let rise 5-10 minutes more, until center of dough is level with the edge of the pan.

Beat 1 egg with 1 tsp. water and a pinch of salt. Gently brush top of loaf with egg mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Loaf should reach a temperature of 208-210 degrees.

Release bread from pan, brush with melted butter if desired, and let cool on rack.

From America's Test Kitchen cookbook.


Rosemary Focaccia

Biga 

1/2 cup (2.5 oz) all-purpose flour

1/3 cup (2.66 oz) warm water (110 degrees)

1/4 tsp. yeast

Dough

2 1/2 cups (12.5 oz) all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups (10 oz) warm water (110 degrees)

1 tsp yeast

Finish

kosher salt

4 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Combine ingredients for the biga; cover tightly and let stand at room temperature for 8-24 hours.

After biga has rested, combine the biga with the dough ingredients. Cover and let rise for 15 minutes.

Add 2 tsp. salt to the dough, fully incorporate, cover, and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Fold dough over itself by lifting and folding the edge with a rubber spatula (sprayed with vegetable oil), folding it towards the middle. Turn bowl and fold again; repeat for a total of eight folds. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Repeat above (fold eight times and rise 30 minutes).

Repeat a third time (fold eight times and rise 30 minutes).

Preheat oven to 500 degrees with baking stone (or upside down baking sheet) for at least 30 minutes.

Divide dough in half and shape into two 5-inch rounds (you'll need to use flour!)

Coat two round cake pans with 2 Tbs. olive oil each. Sprinkle each pan with 1/2 tsp. salt.

Place dough in pan, top side down, slide around to coat with the oil, then turn over. Repeat with other dough. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Use fingers to poke/press dough out towards the edges of the pan. Then use a fork to poke the entire surface of the dough, popping any big bubbles. Let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Place pans on preheated baking stone or sheet and lower oven to 450 degrees. Bake 25-28 minutes. 

From America's Test Kitchen cookbook.


January 3, 2021

Babka

Dough (Makes two loaves -  cut ingredients in half for one loaf)

1 - 1 1/4 cups (227-283 grams) water, 110 degrees

2 eggs

6 1/4 cups (751 grams) all-purpose flour

1/3 cup (37 grams) nonfat dry milk

2 Tbs. yeast

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup (99 grams) sugar

2 1/2 tsp. (15 grams) salt

10 Tbs. (142 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 Tbs. (14 grams) vanilla

Combine all ingredients, starting with 1 cup of water and mix until everything comes together/is moistened (add more water if needed). Cover the bowl and rest for 20 minutes.

Knead/mix dough until soft and smooth. Cover and let rise 1 1/2-2 hours.

Deflate dough, divide in half, and set aside.

Make chocolate and/or cinnamon fillings by combining ingredients below (stir in melted butter last).

Chocolate Filling (enough for two loaves - cut ingredients in half for one loaf)

1/2 cup (99 grams) sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 cup (28 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder

4 Tbs. (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup (170 grams) mini chocolate chips

Cinnamon Filling (enough for one loaf)

1/2 cup (106 grams) brown sugar, packed

4 tsp. (11 grams) cinnamon

1 Tbs. flour

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

2 tsp. water

Shape each dough half into thick rectangle. Spread with filling(s). 

Roll each rectangle into a log, starting with short end. Cut log(s) in half lengthwise. Exposed-filling side up, twist to pieces into a braid and tuck ends underneath. Place each log into a 9x5 loaf pan. 

Brush each loaf with an egg glaze (1 egg, beaten with pinch of salt)

Combine topping ingredients below until crumbly, and sprinkle over loaf.

Chocolate Topping (enough for two loaves, cut ingredients in half for one loaf)

4 Tbs. (57 grams) butter, melted

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2/3 cup (74 grams) powdered sugar

1/2 cup (57 grams) flour

Cinnamon Topping (enough for one loaf)

2 Tbs. (28 grams) flour

1 Tbs. brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 Tbs. unsalted butter, cold

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Bake for 35 minutes, then tent pans with tinfoil and bake an additional 15-25 minutes, until golden brown. Loaves should have an internal temperature of 190 degrees. 

From here.

Challah

1/2 cup (113 grams) water

6 Tbs. (74 grams) vegetable oil

1/4 cup (85 grams) honey

2 eggs

4 cups (482 grams) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. (9 grams) salt

1 Tbs. yeast

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and knead (by hand or mixer) until soft and smooth.

Cover bowl and let rise for 2 hours.

Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each into a 20" rope.

Braid rope.

Place loaf on parchment paper-lined pan (or lightly grease pan), cover with lightly greased plastic wrap, and rise for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours (until puffy) at (a cool) room temp.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, place baking sheet on top of a second baking sheet, and brush loaf with a glaze of 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbs. cold water.

Bake loaf in lower-third of the oven for 20 minutes. If it's a deep golden brown (if not, then bake 10 minutes more), tent loaf with tin foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. (Bread interior needs to be at least 190 degrees.)

Cool bread on rack.

 From here.

Lasagna

Cheese Filling (combine ingredients below)
12 lasagna noodles, fresh or no-boil (if not, boil noodles beforehand)
4 cups mozzarella, shredded

Cheese Filling
1 3/4 cups ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cups parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread bottom of 9x13 pan with 1/4 cup meat sauce (with no large meat chunks). 

Place noodles in single layer on top of the sauce. Spread each noodle with 3 Tbs. ricotta filling, then cover entire layer with 1 cup mozarella. Top evenly with 1 1/2 cups meat sauce.

Repeat above layering two more times.

After last three noodles are placed, spread with remaining sauce, then remaining mozzarella, then remaining parmesan. 

Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

From America's Test Kitchen Cookbook.

Tomato-Meat Sauce

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

6 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 Tbs.)

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 28-oz can tomato puree

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, drained

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat; add onion and cook about 2 minutes then add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Increase head to medium-high and add beef, pork, salt, and pepper. Break meat up for about 4 minutes (but do not brown). Add cream and simmer about 4 minutes, until liquid evaporates. 

Add tomato puree and diced tomatoes; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 3 minutes.

From America's Test Kitchen cookbook.

No-Knead Bread

 4 1/4 cups (453.5 grams) bread flour or all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups (340 grams) warm water (110 degrees)

1/2 Tbs. (9 grams) salt

3/4 Tbs. (7 grams) yeast

Mix ingredients together in a large bowl. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 7 days). 

When ready to make bread the bread, remove dough from the fridge, flour your hands, and form into a loose round and set on floured parchment paper to rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours.

In the meantime, preheat dutch oven (with the lid) in a 450 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Remove dutch oven from the preheated oven, coat bottom with olive oil, and place dough into dutch oven. Slice the top of the loaf with a sharp knife. Place lid on pot, and bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove lid, and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, or until bread is golden brown.

From here.

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